Filming Location: Harry Potter’s Goathland Train Station

The Harry Potter’s Goathland Train Station from North Yorkshire, England became famous after being the filming location for Hogsmeade Station and the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Filming of the movie began on 29 September 2000 at Leavesdon Film Studios and principle photography took place at Goathland a few days later, on 2 October 2000. According to Glandale House, in 2011 the Warner Bros film crews arrived in the village to start filming what was then a little known title “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. In the space of a couple of days, they built a whole office block in one of the fields, complete with potted trees and named director’s carparking spaces. Goathland station was transformed into “Hogsmeade” station, simply by making the wall a couple of feet higher, and altering the names on the sation, and the benches. The village became inundated with trucks, trailers, cameras, and reporters for about a week. The Warner Bros helicopter spent a couple of days doing aerial shots, and at playtimes, used to fly low over the school and wave at the kids.

Hogsmeade station served both the village of Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy in the Harry Potter films.

A completely functioning full-scale replica of the Hogwarts Express was created for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s expansion at Universal Orlando Resort connecting King’s Cross Station at the Diagon Alley expansion in Universal Studios Florida to the Hogsmeade station at Islands of Adventure.

The second scene on the Hogsmeade station is the final scene of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. According to Movie World Map, the surrounding area of the station was digitally altered to make you feel as if it is in nature, only surrounded by hills and the Hogwarts castle. There are still the same benches and lamps, however the color of the wooden buildings has changed a little. Many Goathland residents (including some children) were used as extras, with others called to help with sewing badges onto costumes and even adjusting the length of Robbie Coltrane’s trousers. At the station, signs on the walls, benches and beside the track were all changed. With the help of CGI editing the scenery around the station was also changed, with a lake located at the end of the platform and Hogwarts Castle visible in the distance, Grand Yorkshire reports.

You can read more about the Harry Potter’s Goathland Train Station in these awesome articles by the Geeky Tourist and Kelly Prince Writes.