The Harry Potter TV series has swapped its iconic King’s Cross station set for Waterloo, as filming at the London train station took over on Sunday.
Filming for the latest adaptation of JK Rowling’s novels began earlier this year and the show is due to air next year.
Dominic McLaughlin, 11, has landed the role of Harry Potter, while Arabella Stanton, 11, will play Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout, 11, will star as Ron Weasley.
In the films, released between 2001 and 2011, the Olton Hall engine – now at the Warner Bros Studio Tour near Watford – starred as the Hogwarts Express and departed from King’s Cross.
Filming for the series began in May, with cast and crew seen setting up on the Île de Sein off the coast of Brittany, France.
Now they have moved on to some of the more infamous scenes as they prepare scenes for the new school year at Hogwarts.
The Harry Potter TV series has swapped its iconic King’s Cross station set for Waterloo, as filming at the London train station took over on Sunday (pictired left: Dominic McLaughlin)
Filming for the latest adaptation of JK Rowling’s novels began earlier this year and the show is due to air next year (current filming pictured outside Waterloo)
Outside the station, a classic red double-decker bus was pictured, with the destination ‘Crouch End’ displayed.
Crouch End is a leafy, affluent urban village in North London (N8), known for its, Edwardian architecture, creative community, and independent shops.
But the name Crouch lies much deeper in the storyline, as in the Harry Potter universe, there is a prominent and ancient pure-blood line.
Notably, Bartemius Crouch Senior (Roger Lloyd-Pack) was a high-ranking Ministry of Magic official known for his ruthlessness during the First Wizarding War.
And Bartemius Crouch Junior (David Tennant) was a loyal Death Eater who famously impersonated Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody to manipulate the Triwizard Tournament.
Traditionally, hundreds of fans used to gather in fancy dress at King’s Cross to recreate the scene of students pushing through the wall to the hidden Platform 9 and 3/4, where the Hogwarts Express waits.
The Back to Hogwarts tradition, which celebrated the start of each academic year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry every September 1, has previously involved the train service being displayed on departure boards.
But in 2024, Warner Brothers Discovery announced the cancellation of the public event and confirmed the event was also cancelled this year.
Dominic McLaughlin, 11, has landed the role of Harry Potter while Arabella Stanton, 11, will play Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout (pictured right), 11, will star as Ron Weasley
And during recent scenes, a classic red double-decker bus was pictured outside Waterloo Station, with the destination ‘Crouch End’ displayed
Extras in the series were seen waiting to board the bus. Crouch End is a leafy, affluent urban village in North London (N8), known for its, Edwardian architecture
The scenes for the location were not made obvious during filming but the crowds suggest it will play a significant part in one or some of the episodes
Traditionally, hundreds of fans used to gather in fancy dress at King’s Cross to recreate the scene of students pushing through the wall to the hidden Platform 9 and 3/4, where the Hogwarts Express waits
A statement released in July 2025 on the Wizarding World website advised fans to stay away from Kings Cross.
It read: ‘Special Hogwarts notice: alas, we must once again discourage fans from attending King’s Cross Station on 1st September, as there will be no countdown or train announcement occurring in 2025. Safety first, folks.’
A spokesperson confirmed to The Sun: ‘It is the same for this year, in that we won’t be hosting the event at the station.’
There will, however, be a screening of the fourth Harry Potter film at Cineworld Leicester Square with actors James and Oliver Phelps hosting a Q&A.
Earlier last year, it was revealed the Wightwick Hall steam locomotive is on track for worldwide fame as it has been selected to feature as the Hogwarts Express in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series.
The locomotive, which has been beautifully restored over 41 years by volunteers, will transport the wizard from platform 9 and 3/4 at London’s King’s Cross station to the school of magic.
The Wightwick Hall was built in 1948. It travelled 640,000 miles with the Great Western Railway before being withdrawn in 1964 and sold to a scrapyard in Barry, South Wales.
In 1978 it was bought for £9,180 by volunteers from Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton who restored it.
The loco is now on long-term loan to the Bluebell Railway in West Sussex.
The Wightwick Hall will spend six months a year filming for the HBO series for the next eight years. It will run at the tourist attraction in between shoots.
