The Way to Hogwarts(8 May 2006)
英国は世界で最初に鉄道が開通した国として知られている。そして現在英国で最も有名な鉄道はWest-Highland Railwayだろう。Fort William～Mallaig間の山間部をゆっくりと走る列車は日に3本程しか運行されないローカル線だけど6～10月の観光シーズンにThe Jacobite Steam Trainという蒸気機関車が運行される。これがHogwarts ExpressとしてHarry Potterの撮影に使用されている。
最大の見せ場は何と言ってもGlenfinnan Bridge。2作目の”秘密の部屋”ではHarryとRonの乗った自動車が追いかけられるシーンが印象的。この橋を通る時、カメラを手にしない乗客はいなかった。
UK is known as a first country which started to operate a railway. And now, I think the most famous rail way would be West-Highland railway in UK. It’s a local line, there are about 3 trains a day and runs slowly in the mountains between Fort William and Mallaig. However, The Jacobite Steam Train is run during summer tourist season, June to October. That train is used in the movie “Harry Potter” as the Hogwarts Express.
The climax of this railway is Glenfinnan Bridge. The scene of second Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secret “, which the car Harry and Ron rode was chased by Hogwarts Express on the bridge, is really impressive.
When a train went through the bridge, most passengers took a camera.
The Terminus(8 May 2006)
列車の時刻表を見るとMallaig到着5分後のフェリーと連絡しているように思える。でも5分間で列車からフェリーへ乗り換えなんて出来るの？
半ば諦めながら駅からフェリーターミナルへ向かって歩いている途中にフェリーは出発した。
まぁ、しょーがない。次のフェリーのチケットを買い、町を散策。Hogwarts Expressの終着駅は結構賑やかな港町。パブでのんびりするのも悪くない。魔法学校はないけれど。
According to railway timetable, the train seems to connect with the ferry which depart in 5 minutes after train arrived. I thought it was impossible to change from the train to the ferry. When I was walking to the ferry terminal from the station, the ferry left to Port Mallaig.
It came up to my expectation. I bought a ticket for next ferry and I walked around a town. Unexpectedly, Mallaig, the terminus of Hogwarts Express, was a pretty lively town. I thought it was not bad to have a break at public houses with some pints. Though the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not in the town.
