Great Western Coffee Shop

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Harry Potter fans at last year's Hogwarts Express departure event

Fans of wizarding fantasy series Harry Potter were left disappointed at King's Cross station on Sunday when an announcement for its famous fictional train didn’t go ahead.

In previous years Network Rail had marked the "departure" of the Hogwarts Express which takes Harry and his pals to Hogwarts School on 1 September for the start of the academic year.

In July it warned that nothing would be planned this year and has said thousands turned up last year causing operational issues at the station.

This did not deter fans who turned up in costume and showed their disappointment by booing the lack of an public announcement., external

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Last year Network Rail marked the 'departure' of the train to Hogsmeade station

In previous years the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade station was shown on the King’s Cross departure board leaving from Platform 9 3/4 at 11am on 1 September.

There also used to be an announcement for witches and wizards boarding the magical steam train.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "While our station concourses are sometimes used for commercial events, our priority must always be passengers who are trying to make their journeys on the railway.  Having begun as a small number of fans waving off the departure of the Hogwarts Express, celebrations have grown significantly in popularity and last year’s event saw thousands of people at King’s Cross, which made it challenging for us as station operator.  This year there was no in person event but there were online celebrations which could be enjoyed by people right across the country."

In July it warned that nothing would be planned this year and has said thousands turned up last year causing operational issues at the station.

[snip]

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "While our station concourses are sometimes used for commercial events, our priority must always be passengers who are trying to make their journeys on the railway.  Having begun as a small number of fans waving off the departure of the Hogwarts Express, celebrations have grown significantly in popularity and last year’s event saw thousands of people at King’s Cross, which made it challenging for us as station operator.  This year there was no in person event but there were online celebrations which could be enjoyed by people right across the country."

There is an irony in a mass transit system that can't cope with a mass of people - I'm sure that most of the ARE public transport users and not residents of the King's Cross area.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "While our station concourses are sometimes used for commercial events, our priority must always be passengers who are trying to make their journeys on the railway.