After our second delicious breakfast at the Hilton, we visited the Harry Potter Studios Tour at Leavesden. It was very impressive indeed. When you go to a movie, you don't really think to much about how it was made. The level of planning, designing, creating and dressing the sets was incredible. Each little piece had to be thought up, then made. There were literally thousands of props which had to be sourced or created. Many of the props needed to move and so the most amazing animatronics were required. The level of detail was really quite mind-blowing. I will let this small proportion of the photos I took tell the story.
Harry Potter's bedroom under the stairs at 4 Privet Drive
The doorway to the Great Hall at Hogwarts
Inside the Great Hall at Hogwarts
The Sorting Hat
The Mirror
Can you read the writing on the mirror? If not, see below!
A desk in the Gryffindor Common Room
A portrait of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Gryffindor Common Room. There were hundreds of portraits and each one had to be painted! This one was based on a young Maggie Smith (the actress who played Professor McGonagall).
Books in Professor Dumbledore's Office. We were told that they are old phone books covered with leather!
The Triwizard Cup
Detail of Triwizard Cup - The attention to the smallest details was truly amazing!
The Door to the Chamber of Secrets
Hagrid's Hut
The Interior of the Weasley's House
More props!
One of the kitten plates in Dolores Umbridge's office. In the movie, each plate had a scene of kittens moving. Apparently they used 40 kittens to film these scenes and then had to find homes for all of them!
The Hogwarts Express
It's a real steam engine and here are its details
Satoshi at Platform 9 3/4
Platform 9 3/4
Inside the Hogwarts Express
Satoshi knocks at 4 Privet Drive
Hagrid's Motor Bike
One of the most impressive parts of the tour was Hogwarts School. It was a huge model that was used for exterior shots. It took a team of 40 sculptors to create it and a team of similar size to maintain it. It includes 300 internal lights!
After the Studio Tour we drove back to Luton to see the Parish Church (having contacted the office first). Security seemed a high priority- a lady from the office remained with us as we took photos and walked around the church. Sadly, there is no longer a choir but at least the choir stalls remain.
Luton Parish Church (St.Mary's)
The Choir stalls in which my father must have sung
My father in about 1918
A Carving on the Choir Stalls
A Window in the Church
Detail (St.Thaddeus) of Window Above
Some of the stone carvings
In the ceiling!
Another detail from the ceiling