Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing the Hogwarts Express and the UK national rail network.  WIth a platform that’s invisible / inaccessible to muggles, and a rail line that heads to a magical school in the Scottish highlands, you probably won’t be surprised to hear me say that the railway trip out to Hogwarts is unusual to say the least. Trains play a pivotal part in Harry Potter, with platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts Express both playing a crucial role in Harry’s first trip AWAY from the Dursleys, and off in to the Wizarding World.
But, have you ever wondered HOW this magical railway ride fits in to a preexisting national rail network? The UK National rail network to be specific. Does the Hogwarts express exist entirely independently from the rest of these trains? Or, does it share some of the same tracks? Does it transport some of the same passengers? Is the Hogwarts Express able to magically avoid collisions? What gives?