Experience Hogsmeade Station With The Trainline's Magical 3D Model

Photo Credit: Trainline

To Britain natives, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a popular feature to travel through North England's rolling countryside. The real location used for filming in the Harry Potter series, among other movies and television shows, has become a beloved location in the wizarding world.

Serving as the backdrop for the Hogwarts Express to journey between Platform 9 3/4 Quarters at Kings Cross Station and Hogsmeade Station, one of the biggest dreams for every Harry Potter fan is to one day travel between the muggle and wizarding world to Hogwarts.

The Trainline, Europe's top rail and coach booking platform, has created a 3D model of Hogsmeade Station - or as its known to muggles - Goathland station in North Yorkshire, England. From the comfort of their laptop or mobile device, fans can explore the platform, tracks, and even board the historic steam locomotive LMS 542, which served as inspiration for the famous Hogwarts Express.


To create the experience, Trainline collaborated with Promote360 to survey the landscape and the train in order to give fans an authentic and in-depth digital experience.

Joanna Williams described how the team used 3D scanning capture all the right angles:

It was fantastic to work on this very exciting and unique photoshoot of the NYMR steam train. It was a beautiful sunny but very cold day in December. The NYMR team got up at the crack of dawn to get the train up and running and bring her into Goathland station. We had to work quickly throughout the day to capture all angles of the train, inside and out, and the station platform.

We even had to bring in our 4-metre high tripod to view the roof and inside the tender! We were racing to get it done before sunset and overall took over 150 3D scans of the train. Working in the cold was definitely worth it and we were rewarded at the end of the day with a ride up with the driver for a few miles down the track!

Living out the journey of a Hogwarts student is one of the many attractions for fans to visit Goathland Station. With five locations for travelers to explore the surrounding regions, NYMR Stations offers northbound and southbound stations that takes you around Europe's beautiful landscapes. To book a reservation for your own trip, check out the official website for Trainline and North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The virtual tour offers an in-depth experience you won't find anywhere else - unless you visit the location in person of course! What part of the 3D Model did you enjoy? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

What To Expect From Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

Universal Orlando Resort

As of June 13th, 2019, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is the latest Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction added to Universal Orlando Resort's theme park.

With rave reviews from fans, the coaster has unexpected twists at every turn from thrilling acceleration and drops to magical creatures. 

What animal companions can we expect to see in the Forbidden Forest? How fast does the rollercoaster move? What does the merchandise look like? 

Here's what you can expect from the new attraction while you're planning your vacation.

Is Hagrid Inspiring A New Ride at Wizarding World of Harry Potter Orlando?

Photo Credit: Mine

The Ministry of Magic at Universal Orlando has been hard at work constructing a new ride at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida. Set to open in Summer 2019, the mysterious attraction is starting to come together this holiday season.

The former Goblet of Fire inspired rollercoaster Dragon Challenge closed in 2017. Construction wizards have been transforming the space into a new thrill ride promising to be one of the most innovative attractions in the theme park landscape.

With only a few months left before the grand opening, a major development can be seen looming near the Hogsmeade Station entrance and exit. Does it look familiar? Perhaps, the home of our old friend Hagrid?

Photo Credit: Mine

While there has been no confirmation of what element the ride will be based on from the Harry Potter universe, speculation has been mounting over the attraction's track so far.

Earlier this year we may have been given a decent clue from a 'Coming Soon' poster for the ride which features a flying pixie, and a rollercoaster track that dives in and out of the Forbidden Forest.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade already contains a Hagrid-inspired ride where Buckbeak observes witches and wizards as they are whisked around his hut. If another attraction based on the Forbidden Forest or Hagrid's Hut proves out to be true, it'll be interesting to see even more new plans develop if Universal Orlando transforms Flight Of The Hippogriff into another ride.

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One missing piece of the ride's layout is the formation of another central building located in the far back of the attraction, where the old Dragon Challenge's queue existed. Even though there's no nearby-buildings around Hogwarts as we know it in the books and movies other than Hagrid's Hut, there's a few loose theories of what the new building might eventually turn into: The Boat House surrounding Hogwarts, The Shrieking Shack, or perhaps another Hogsmeade Station. Some speculate that it might be The Great Hall from Hogwarts, which seems a little far-fetched since Hogwarts is located right around the corner.

Nevertheless, the new ride at Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade could easily take the form of a “Care of Magical Creatures” class taught by Rubeus Hagrid (with Robbie Coltrane reprising his role) and plenty of lovable creatures from the series for fans to come across. We'll have to wait and see as more developments take place in the upcoming months!

Is Hagrid Inspiring A New Ride at Wizarding World of Harry Potter Orlando? We're definitely looking forward to what Universal Orlando Resort will conjure in Summer 2019.

First Look at The Wizarding World of Hogsmeade New Rollercoaster

Photo Credit: Universal Orlando Resort

A new ride is coming to Universal Orlando Resort at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade. And today we get a first look with a brand new poster from Pottermore!

In 2017, Universal Orlando Resort announced the closure of Dragon Challenge - a rollercoaster themed after the dragon challenge from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - and the ambitious plans for an innovative, groundbreaking attraction.

Though we've thrown out our fair share of ideas of what will be adding to the Hogsmeade land, much has been kept secret about the ride's theme and style. With the first teaser above, we get a bit of a closer look. It looks like some of suspicions have been confirmed such as a fallen building has been to the queue and cornish pixies or other magical creatures might be make an appearance.

The attraction will be joining Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Orlando. More details are rumored to be released in early 2019.

Will the attraction be inspired by Hogwarts? Hagrid's Hut and the Forbidden Forest? or maybe some of our favorite teachers or classes? We're definitely looking forward to what Universal Orlando Resort will conjure in Summer 2019.

New Ride Replacing Dragon Challenge at Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Photo Credit: Mine

In 2017, Universal Orlando Resort announced the permanent closure of the Dragon Challenge attraction in Hogsmeade Village. Buried in the depths of the forest, the rollercoaster was modeled after the second task in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where Harry and the other triwizard competitors try to acquire a golden egg dragons are protecting. Not long afterwards, a second announcement was made where the ride would be replaced with an all-new attraction. And, it's just now, with the construction walls up and cranes standing tall into the sky, that we are start to see the new attraction take shape.

Specific deals about the new attraction, set to open in summer 2019, are still unknown. Which leads us to speculate what exactly will be filling in the gap at Hogsmeade Village.

Christmas at Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley

For the holiday season this year, Universal Orlando Resort's theme parks decked the hall of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. To the delight of Harry Potter fans, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been magically transformed for Christmas. (Here's my visit at Hogsmeade and the Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts). I was lucky and excited to dash over to the Harry Potter theme parks in Orlando and see the transformation at Diagon Alley. Take a look below for all the special spots you don't want to miss this holiday season! Hope you enjoy!

Stuck between a bookstore Screed and Sons and a record shop, The Leaky Cauldron remains undercover from Muggles in plain sight as the rest of London dazzles with lights and wreaths.

New Hogsmeade Chocolate Frog Card Revealed at Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Chocolate Frogs are one of the most popular snacks in the Harry Potter universe. It's one of the first treats Harry and his new friend Ron enjoy on their train ride to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When a new card out, it's definitely the talk of the wizarding world.

Universal Studios theme parks has done an amazing job bringing this snack to life. Every chocolate frog includes a collectible card just like in the movies. So far the founders of Hogwarts, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Bertie Blotts, and Dumbledore has been made available to purchase at the theme parks. A new card was added to the pack: Hengist of Woodcroft, a Scottish wizard who founded Hogsmeade.

One of my favorite things to do at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Florida is to pick up the next card for my collection. Just like in the movies, the cards are random - meaning you don't know who you get until open your chocolate frog. To collect the new cards that come with specialty marked boxes, guests must be on hand to collect them in person. (You can purchase a four pack of the headmasters at the Universal Studios merchandise website).

Here's my first look at the Hengist of Woodcroft. Not much is known about this wizard since he's not very relevant in the books, but it's good to know who founded one of wizarding world's most popular locations.