Hroth Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 Just reading throught the BBC News website this afternoon and found this: "Hogwarts Express rescues family stranded in Highlands" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41621266 Its as nice an example of cliche-ridden lazy journalism as you'd like to find. A family, on a canoing holiday had their canoe washed away overnight in a remote spot and phoned police to ask for help. The police arranged for them to be picked up by the next passing train on the West Highland Railway and carried to the next station. The train happened to be the "Jacobite" steam excursion, which has been labelled in the journalistic mind as the "Harry Potter Hogwarts Express", though it has nothing to do with the HP franchise at all. Even better, a picture of Glenfinnan Viaduct is captioned as neing "made famous bu the Harry Potter films". Personally, I thought it was famous because it was the first mass concrete structure in the British Isles, created by "Concrete Bob" McAlpine. Oh well, at least they said it was a railway line, not a train line... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2017 On the plus side the family displayed common sense, "The family weighed up their options for getting back to their car. A three-mile walk with small children across difficult boggy ground or along the nearby railway line were discounted as impractical or too dangerous." Nice to see they discounted it as too dangerous to just use the line as a route out. Good to see more common sense in action as they also asked for advice while safely in the bothy. Top marks to the family if not the journos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 Also top marks to the organisers of The Jacobite for picking them up and carrying them to safety! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2017 (edited) Just reading throught the BBC News website this afternoon and found this: "Hogwarts Express rescues family stranded in Highlands" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41621266 Even better, a picture of Glenfinnan Viaduct is captioned as neing "made famous bu the Harry Potter films". Personally, I thought it was famous because it was the first mass concrete structure in the British Isles, created by "Concrete Bob" McAlpine. Well I've got to agree with the article, when I speak to people (both enthusiasts and normals) about having done the west highland line last year when I say "I drove over the Harry Potter viaduct" they know exactly where I mean and normally say, "the one where the car flew underneath" Had I said in my best nerdy voice "the first mass concrete structure in the uk" I'd probably have been looked at blankly Edited October 14, 2017 by big jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted October 14, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2017 Yep, I didn’t know that about the viaduct. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 It's the BBC. They speak down to people all the time as if it's the CBeebies page. Just try reading the sport or politics pages. No problem with the report to be honest. But it's where they could have been a bit more informative and posted some basic facts for those that are interested. How many are thinking that they would like to go on it just because of this story? However "The engine, called The Jacobite" is a bit of a howler. One of those where the writer has probably been told not to call it a train and got it wrong. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejstubbs Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 However "The engine, called The Jacobite" is a bit of a howler. One of those where the writer has probably been told not to call it a train and got it wrong. That seems to have been corrected. The guff about it being the Hogwarts Express seems to have originated from the father, perhaps picking up on his kids' excitement: "In the end I decided the only option was to phone the police and mountain rescue, ask if they have any local knowledge that could help us out," said Mr Cluett. ... "The amazing thing was it wasn't just any train. The next train that was passing was the Jacobite steam train - the Harry Potter, Hogwarts Express steam train that goes up and down that line." Funny how a train can be both The Jacobite and the Hogwarts Express... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) Well seeing as the train is made up of maroon mk1's I would be not be surprised if several of the coaches in the train were actually the ones that were in the movie. So Hogwarts Express coaches being the Jacobite (or vice versa depending on your point of view) is quite possible... Edited October 15, 2017 by Titan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 West Coast Railways are the usual providers of steam locos and stock for films (unless a preserved railway is used, like the Swanage Railway was for Dunkirk) - they provided two Black Fives and two rakes of maroon mk 1s for 'The Imitation Game' and 'The Woman in Black', both filmed at Kings Cross. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal.n Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 (edited) Well done to the policeman who clearly had a good knowledge of the location and the timetable to arrange the train to pick them up. A bit OT, but there was talk that West Coast would acquire the License to call the train the Hogwarts Express from Warner Brothers in exchange for letting WB keep the West Coast (David Smith) owned Oulton Hall aka Hogwarts Castle in the studio tour attraction in London. Considering the vast majority of Jacobite passengers are there for the train over Glenfinan*, a branding move could really work. Surprised they haven't made a thing of this, considering how big Thomas days are at preserved railways, with Harry Potter arguably having a larger international fanbase. *There are more heads out the window at Glenfinnan that up the 1 in 50 at Bleasedale. Edited October 16, 2017 by cal.n Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 From the WCRC Facebook page Statement from West Coast Railways, operators of 'The Jacobite' Steam Train, in respect of Warner Brothers trademark. It has been brought to our attention, by Warner Bros. Entertainment, that there has been a surge in improper usage of their trademark, 'The Hogwarts Express'. We would like to express our position on this: we are not associated in any way with Warner Brothers, incorporating the trademark of 'Harry Potter' and 'The Hogwarts Express' (which is a fictional construction, using locomotive No. 5972 'Hogwarts Castle', to transport the story characters from Platform 9 & 3/4 to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - not the service or numerous steam engines we use between Fort William and Mallaig). There are certain similarities to our service and the fictional 'Hogwarts Express', including (but not restricted to) the carriages and the route through which it travels, but we must insist that these trips are not one and the same. We would like to state again, for absolute clarity, that we do not run 'The Hogwarts Express', we run 'The Jacobite' Steam Train and we are not associated with any of the following trademarked brands: Warner Bros. Ent., Harry Potter or The Hogwarts Express, and that 'Harry Potter' and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. - Harry Potter publishing rights © J.K. Rowling. That being said, we would love to welcome all, old and young, wizard or 'non-magic person', to join us on board our spectacular journey of 'The Jacobite' Steam Train - to experience the Scottish Highlands from the opulent comfort of a true piece of British history. West Coast Railways. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) So the media use the title and WC gets the heat from Warner Brothers. They'd trademark the viaduct if they could! Edited October 18, 2017 by PaulRhB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted October 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 18, 2017 Nice little bit of SEO there me thinks... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 Seems like there's a case for getting hold of the Warner Brothers Entertainment IP Rights lawyers and remaking one of those old kinematic melodramas where the Hapless Heroine is tied to a railroad track in front of an approaching locomotive whilst the Evil Villain stands by twirling his moustaches! I'm sure the IP Rights lawyers won't mind being tarted up in a dress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I would have thought that the film industry had more important issues to worry about. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 18, 2017 I would have thought that the film industry had more important issues to worry about. Jason Than money and control, that's all they worry about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I was thinking more about the lawsuits that will be happening soon. Hollywood is going to be decimated and it will go right to the top. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now