AN iconic footbridge that has featured in the Harry Potter films will be officially opened at Ropley on Tuesday (JUNE11). 

The Victorian bridge from Kings Cross station in London was dismantled and removed as part of major refurbishment in 2008.

It was re-erected at Ropley railway station on the Watercress Line.

The ribbon will be cut by Sir William McAlpine, chairman of the Railway Heritage Trust, who will then unveil a plaque recording the grant given by the trust towards the cost of the project.

Sir William said: “I am delighted that we have been able to facilitate the restoration and re-use of this iconic bridge which has appeared in so many films, including The 39 Steps and Elizabethan Express, as well, of course, as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. We hope that it is as successful in its new life as it was in its original one.”

The bridge was used as the location in the film where Hagrid gives Harry his first Hogwarts Express ticket. It was regularly visited by Harry Potter film fans prior to removal from Kings Cross.

The Watercress Line is hoping it will attract visitors. Managing director Colin Chambers said: “We look forward to welcoming these fans to see the bridge in its new home, and hope that they will enjoy learning about our engineering heritage as exemplified by the steam trains we operate and the buildings and structures that we maintain.”

As a Grade 1 listed structure, English Heritage insisted that a new use be found for the bridge.

For almost two decades the Mid Hants Railway held an ambition to erect a footbridge across its running line and yard at Ropley. It was thought that the Kings Cross bridge might be suitable and discussions with Network Rail started in October 2009, but it took two years to complete the arrangements.

Network Rail donated the bridge and made a substantial grant towards the costs of transport, shot blasting many layers of lead based paint and priming.

It took eight lorry loads to move all the components, weighing around 200 tons, from Network Rail’s storage in March, Cambridgeshire to Eastleigh, Hampshire where the shot blasting & painting were done. Construction at Ropley started in November 2011 and continued for more than 18 months.

David Snow, who has driven the project for the Railway, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured this iconic structure for the Watercress Line, and look forward to it becoming a major feature of our railway. We are truly grateful to Network Rail, the Railway Heritage Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support and grant funding.”