HBO’s Harry Potter series is keeping the Back to Hogwarts tradition alive. To mark the annual September 1st celebration, fans were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the Hogwarts Express, the legendary scarlet train that ferries young witches and wizards to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The new photo shows Warwick Davis smiling as he steps onto the iconic locomotive, numbered 5977, with its deep red paint glistening against the cloudy sky. Davis—who is reprising his role as Professor Filius Flitwick in the series—clutches the rail of the train’s ladder as if ready to board alongside the next generation of students, and his reflection shimmers faintly in the polished side of the engine. It’s a genuinely moving photo that will bring special emotions to fans young and old. Plus, who doesn’t love a steam train?
For fans, the Hogwarts Express is more than just a train—it’s the symbolic gateway to the wizarding world. Every September 1st, at precisely 11:00 a.m., the train departs from King’s Cross Station’s hidden Platform 9¾. It’s the place where friendships are forged, secrets are shared, and the adventure of a new school year begins. HBO’s decision to spotlight the train as production continues is the latest nod to the past and the future of the series.
Why Do Students Use the Hogwarts Express?
Now, the debate about why wizards and witches whose families can travel by Floo, or apparate to the village of Hogsmeade, would go all the way to London just to get a steam train 9 hours north is another matter. Imagine living in the Scottish Highlands and having to travel down to London only to catch a train back in the same day? Logistically, this is very silly, and we all know it. But hey, it’s a very pretty steam train.
The Hogwarts Express reveal follows recent on-location filming in London, where Nick Frost was spotted as Hagrid guiding Dominic McLaughlin’s Harry Potter into the Leaky Cauldron for the first time. Combined with today’s Back to Hogwarts celebration, the rollout signals that the series is building anticipation brick by brick, or in this case, track by track. Filming on the upcoming Harry Potter series will continue well into next year.
The series will premiere globally on HBO and HBO Max in 2027.
via Collider