Harry Potter and the carriage of fire: Steam trains, including locomotive used in iconic film, banned during heatwave after wildfire
Operators have been asked to switch to diesel to avoid the fire risk caused by burning cinders
Steam engines have been banned across the UK over health and safety concerns, after a locomotive used in the Harry Potter films reportedly triggered a trackside fire.
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The blaze in Cheshire resulted in the West Coast Main Line being closed both ways and led to 72 trains being cancelled and 158 delayed.
The steam locomotive is used on a West Coast Railways' "Jacobite" service, popularly known as the Hogwarts Express because it travels over the Glenfinnan Viaduct featured in JK Rowling's Harry Potter books.
The fire came as the UK sweltered in its second heatwave of the month, with the hot and dry weather creating tinder-dry conditions.
The privately-owned engine, known as Black Five No.44871, was making a 70-mile journey to Crewe and from its home in Carnforth, Lancashire when the blaze broke out.
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One passenger who had booked a trip on the service - where tickets range from £76 for an adult day return trip and £43 for under 16's - said there was "nothing Hogwarts about it".
"Poor show for the price. No steam train the day we went and regular blue and white intercity carriages.
"A lot of disappointed kids the day we were there...I asked for our trip to be transferred but was told it was sold out every day. Nonsense. Our carriage was half empty."
Meanwhile, passengers preparing to board the Spirit of Summer Lunch steam rain experience from London Paddington were also told that due to the ban, the service would be powered by a diesel engine instead.
A message issued to customers two days before the £180-a-head trip said that, due to the nationwide steam ban, the train would be unable to run using a steam locomotive.
The message added: "Our trip will still run as scheduled on Thursday, using the same beautifully restored vintage carriages and offering the same high standard of on-board service.
"In place of steam, the train will be hauled by a vintage diesel locomotive".
Frustrated passengers took to Trip Advisor to complain after finding the steam service they booked had been replaced by a diesel train.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: "The current long periods of hot dry weather have increased the risk of wildfires across the country.
"As a result, we have asked charter operators to replace steam engines with diesels in line with our steam charter fire risk policy."
Network Rail is understood to be investigating the cause of the fire on Saturday.
Other services hit by the steam ban include the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the luxurious £595-per-head Northern Belle.
A spokesperson for Northern Belle - a 1930s-style luxury train was once part of the Orient Express - said due to the "very high fire risk the service would be using a "heritage diesel locomotive instead.".
"Our trip over the lovely Settle-Carlisle line should still be an absolute delight, for our chef will be cooking up a sumptuous brunch and dinner."
They added that passengers had been offered a £50 refund and a "complimentary cocktail onboard".
Network Rail uses a fire-risk assessment process for steam trains, based on a colour-coded series of levels, ranging from green (normal steam operations) to black (no steam), according to conditions.
Last week, as England baked in boiling temperatures, the level was red which required any steam service to be mainly powered by diesel engine.
A spokesperson for West Coast Railways added: "The Jacobite Steam Train has its own localised fire-risk assessment process, which, as recently as yesterday, has remained green for normal steam operation.
"The rest of the network is currently black, which had been forecast last week, anyway, and is expected to remain so for the next week or so, until there is a break in the warm weather.
"Charter trains, which would have otherwise been steam-hauled, will now either be diesel-hauled or, in a few cases, postponed."