Melton school to run Harry Potter railway

There will soon be cries of '˜all aboard the Hogwarts Express' for pupils and staff at a Melton school.
Finlay Kennington-Dawe (14), who is helping build a Harry Potter model railway at Long Field Academy in Melton EMN-181219-121710001Finlay Kennington-Dawe (14), who is helping build a Harry Potter model railway at Long Field Academy in Melton EMN-181219-121710001
Finlay Kennington-Dawe (14), who is helping build a Harry Potter model railway at Long Field Academy in Melton EMN-181219-121710001

The children at Long Field Academy are joining forces with teachers and parents to build their own Harry Potter railway.

The project is still at an early stage but head teacher, Chris Haggett, said they hoped to have the engine running over the tracks by next summer in the school’s loft space, which is used normally just to store equipment and furniture.

He said: “We wanted to use the loft space for something and we came up with the idea to build a Harry Potter railway because the children love the books.

“When I first posted on Facebook that we were planning to do it there was a great response, and we even had messages from two Year Seven students at John Ferneley College and they are more than welcome to get involved.”

Much of the planning and design is being done by the 20 or so pupils who are members of the school’s model railway club.

The plan is to build replica models of landmarks from the iconic books of JK Rowling.

There will be a King Cross station, a viaduct and a Hogwarts Castle.

A Hornby 00 gauge train has been donated as the Hogwarts Express and it is hoped that the track will be also be gifted to the school.

John Spence, a grandparent of a pupil and a former head teacher, is building the wooden board on which the train lay-out will sit.

Finley Kennington-Dawe (14), who is one of the students building the train set, and who has a striking resemblance to the boy wizard, said: “I’ve not actually read the Harry Potter books but I’ve seen all the films and I love the stories.

“It is a really exciting project.”

Anyone interested in helping build the Harry Potter railway, or who would like to donate items or materials for it is invited to call the school on 01664 561234.