Outrage after iconic 93-year-old steam locomotive secretly sold to Japan to become a Harry Potter exhibit

TRAIN enthusiasts are furious after a 93-year-old historic locomotive was secretly sold to Japan to become a Harry Potter exhibition.

Originally green, Dumbleton Hall was painted bright red to look like this Hogwarts Express in the magic movie franchise.

Dumbleton Hall, a 93-year-old historic locomotive, was secretly sold to Japan to become a Harry Potter exhibitionCredit: Provided by Alex West

The train was painted bright red to look like the Hogwarts Express for the centerpiece of a Japanese tour — The train was painted bright red to look like the Hogwarts Express, the centerpiece of a Japanese tourCredit: Provided by Alex West

Its sister engine, Olton Hall, was the train from the films and is now in the Harry Potter Experience near WatfordCredit: Warner Bros

It was hidden under a tarpaulin, taken on a flatbed to Southampton Dock and shipped there Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The making of Harry Potterwhich opened last year.

Dumbleton Hall was built in 1929 before being decommissioned in 1965.

Its sister engine, Olton Hall, was the train seen in the films and is now on the Harry Potter experience near Watford.

Dumbleton Hall was rescued from a scrap yard in the 1970s for £4,400 by Dumbleton Hall Locomotive Trust and eventually moved to the South Devon Railway Trust (SDRT).

But last year West Coast Railways bought it for £300,000.

They reportedly sold it to Warner Bros for £1 million.

David Long of the Dumbleton Hall Locomotive Trust said: “We have not worked hard to create a marketable asset that will now be denied to us all.

“This should be a wake-up call for all volunteers.”

SDRT’s Ernest Elsworth-Wilson said: “We thought it would operate here but they sold it on.

“We had no idea it would go to Japan.”

But Richard Elliot, former chief executive of SDRT, said: “It is probably better off in Japan, where it is taken care of rather than collecting moss.”

West Coast Railways boss David Smith did not respond to requests for comment.