IT has seen some of the most famous names of the steam age, but the next train arriving at Goathland Station will have even more pulling power.

The Hogwarts Express is to make an appearance on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway after the station was chosen to appear in the first Harry Potter film.

Warner Brothers executives made their second visit to the station last week before deciding it was the right choice, as the publishing phenomenon is brought to the screen.

Goatland is already familiar to TV viewers through the popular Heartbeat series.

Railway marketing manager Jane Lethbridge said the station would be used in two scenes in the film of JK Rowling's book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

In the first, the Hogwarts Express pulls into the station as Harry arrives for his first term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to be greeted by a group of witches and wizards. In the second scene, Harry gets back on the train at the end of term.

Filming will take place in the autumn, although the dates are being kept a closely guarded secret.

Jane Lethbridge said: "One of the reasons they chose us was they can access us by rail from the main line into Grosmont.

"We don't know yet if we will have to do anything to the station for the filming, although there will be a lot of peculiar looking people on the platform.

"They are making four films and the Hogwarts Express features in all of them so they might be back.

The Hogwarts Express will be a specially painted locomotive.

Steve Pratt - Page 13