Puzzle Description

Glenfinnian Viaduct is 636 jigsaw puzzle in the Gibsons catalogue and was designed by Mike Jeffries. It measures 69 x 32 cms. and is made of 100% recycled premium jigsaw puzzle board and can be made over and over again without any loss of quality.

Some say that the West Highland Line is the greatest rail journey in the world. In the summer, the Jacobite Steam train travels along the route in addition to the regular trains. The steam train had a starring role as the Hogwarts Express taking Harry from platform 9 ¾ all the way to Hogwarts. Take the journey over the magnificent Glenfinnan Viaduct, whilst enjoying views of Loch Shiel from your window, another key location in the films. Glenfinnan Viaduct has been used as a location in several films and television series, including Ring of Bright Water, Charlotte Gray, Monarch of the Glen, Stone of Destiny and The Crown. After it appeared in four of the Harry Potter films, British Transport Police warned fans not to walk on the viaduct after a handful of near misses with trains had occurred. It is also featured in the 2018 videogame Forza Horizon 4.

The West Highland Railway was built to Fort William by Lucas and Aird, but there were delays with the West Highland Railway Mallaig (pronounced "Malig" by those denizens of Skye). The Extension (Guarantee) bill for the Mallaig Extension Railway was debated in the House of Commons as the Tory and Liberal parties fought over the issue of subsidies for public transport. This Act did pass in 1896, by which time Lucas & Aird (and their workers) had moved south New contractors were needed and Robert McAlpine & Sons were taken on with Simpson & Wilson as engineers. Robert McAlpine & Sons was headed by Robert McAlpine, nicknamed "Concrete Bob" for his innovative use of mass concrete. Concrete was used due to the difficulty of working the hard schist in the area. McAlpine's son Robert, then aged 28, took charge of construction, with his younger son Malcolm appointed as assistant.

The train and viaduct are no longer necessary in order to travel the Western Highlands but thanks to tourists in general and Harry Potter fans the railway and viaduct will chug along into the mists of time and possibly the occasional Will O the Wisp.

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