Passengers on 'Harry Potter' Jacobite steam train 'dreaded' return journey

Sonia Cameron, who has been a ScotRail “station adopter” at Mallaig for 15 years to help with its maintenance, called on operator West Coast Railways (WCR) to improve its poor customer service.

She has been backed by Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, which urged WCR to “engage meaningfully with local communities and stakeholders to find solutions”.

The criticisms come as analysis by The Scotsman showed nearly one third of the 95 reviews of The Jacobite on the Tripadvisor website this year gave it just one star, and more than half only one or two stars.

Passengers who used the Fort William-Mallaig return service vented their anger at cancelled bookings after the start of the season was delayed at short notice because of WCR’s failure to install central door locking on its heritage carriages and had to bring in more modern replacements.

They also expressed upset at the train being hauled by a diesel rather than steam locomotive on several days.

Several complained that opportunities to take photos of views from the line, on which the Hogwarts Express ran in the Harry Potter films, were ruined by the train’s “filthy” windows.

Ms Cameron, writing in the West Word community newspaper, said WCR passengers were “berating and complaining day after day of their disappointment in their Jacobite experience and dreading the journey back”, buying window cleaner and wipes to clean their carriage windows.

“Gone are the days when the end of the season was marked by celebrating on the platform to thank WCR for coming to Mallaig each year,” she said.

“Now there seems to be little interaction between the Jacobite crew and guests, except for Tannoy announcements.”

Ms Cameron called on the company to meet Mallaig businesses to “rebuild trust”.

Frazer Coupland, chief executive of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, acknowledged the economic benefits brought by the train, but said there had also been negative impacts, such as the central door locking issue. That also led to services being halved to one a day for part of the summer.

Mr Coupland said: “It is crucial that WCR engages meaningfully with local communities to find solutions that balance the needs of visitors, residents, and businesses. We urge WCR to prioritise open dialogue, transparency, and a commitment to long-term investment in the region.”

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However, some passengers praised the Jacobite with five-star reviews - a quarter of this year’s total on Tripadvisor.

Edolster said “the train, staff and experience were excellent”, while Steph L from Swindon wrote: “The train was stunning and the service was impeccable, with lots of information given.”

A WCR spokesperson said: “We were deeply disappointed to see the comments, given the substantial economic contribution The Jacobite makes to the Highland communities where we operate.

“The Jacobite service is a lynchpin of Scottish tourism, bringing an estimated £35 million into the sector. It is central to drawing customers for local businesses, hotels and caterers in the West Highlands. We have published details of our 2025 season and will consider further opportunities for engagement.”