Wizard job? Drivers wanted for Harry Potter rail route

Trainee train drivers have been sought for one of the world's most scenic rail routes.

ScotRail said the new personnel would be based in Fort William and were likely to regularly travel the West Highland Line.

The line connects Glasgow with Oban and also Fort William and Mallaig, taking passengers through places that have featured in films and on TV.

The locations include Glenfinnan, which has appeared in the Harry Potter films.

The West Highland Line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine, Wanderlust, in 2009.

It came ahead of trips in Peru and the Trans Siberian Express.

From Glasgow the line splits at Crianlarich and takes passengers either past Loch Awe to Oban, or over Rannoch Moor on to Fort William and Mallaig.

The route's stations include Corrour, dubbed the highest at 408m (1,339ft) above sea level and most remote station in the UK. It appeared in the 1996 film Trainspotting, which starred Ewan McGregor.

Scenes for Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban were shot at the Glenfinnan Viaduct. The privately-run Jacobite steam locomotive also featured in the films.

Job website Hijobs, which is carrying out the recruitment on ScotRail's behalf, described the vacancies as "dream jobs".

While no previous experience is required, the successful candidate must be at least 20 when they begin training and will need to pass certain medical examinations.

The jobs have a starting salary of £32,968 but could rise to £58,028 once qualified.