All Aboard - Take A Look Back At All the LEGO Hogwarts Express Releases

It’s been 23 years since the first LEGO Harry Potter set (LEGO 4701 Sorting Hat) was released, and in that same year, the first LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Express 4708 was also launched. Eight more renditions of this iconic train were unveiled in the following years. Get a ticket and grab a seat as we explore the Hogwarts Express.

CHOCOLATE FROG FOR THE JOURNEY?

1. LEGO 4708 Hogwarts Express

410 pieces, 3 LEGO Minifigures

LEGO 4708 launched on 1st October 2001, much to the delight of Potterheads worldwide. This first edition of the iconic Hogwarts Express also included a small platform, the elusive 9 ¾ platform. This set included three LEGO minifigures: Harry Potter in casual clothes, Hermione in a school uniform with a cape, and Ron, also in casual clothes.

The Express itself is quite simple in construction. It comprises a steam locomotive and one carriage. Overall, the shape is rectangular, but the colours and sticker details give it the iconic aesthetic we all know.

2. LEGO 4758 Hogwarts Express 2nd Edition

389 pieces, 4 LEGO Minifigures

5th April 2004 gave us LEGO 4758 Hogwarts Express 2nd Edition. The train is identical to LEGO 4708, but this set contains a portion of Hogsmeade Station along with trollies and baggage. The other difference is the LEGO Minifigures. Harry and Ron are in casual clothes again but have had a wardrobe change since LEGO 4708. Professor Remus Lupin is wearing a dark green suit with a cloth cape, and the Dementor is sand grey with a grey cloth-tattered shroud.

3. LEGO 10132 Motorised Hogwarts Express

708 pieces, 4 LEGO Minifigures

The day after LEGO 4758 came out, LEGO 10132 Motorised Hogwarts Express was released. This model retired quite quickly and rolled into the train graveyard on 31st December 2005. The LEGO Minifigures included with this set are the same as the ones with LEGO 4758.

The interesting aspect is that this Hogsmeade Station is an actual building rather than just a storefront type of set. With two stories and an open back for interactive play, it offers a complete experience. There is a track circuit that the Motorised Hogwarts Express can travel around and the overall aesthetic is the same as the two previous releases, now just with an added coal cart to pull and a passenger carriage.

4. LEGO 4841 Hogwarts Express

646 pieces, 5 LEGO Minifigures (3 are unique to this set)

Rolling in as the fourth Hogwarts Express created by LEGO, this 2010 set arrives six years after the previous one and has had quite a makeover. The design of this big red locomotive has been cleaned up and includes a coal cart as well as the steam locomotive and carriage. The yellow pieces on the locomotive chimney have now changed to gold (which is a nice touch) and the black roof slopes are now soft, curved pieces.

LEGO 4841 also includes a small buildable Ford Anglia, which can fit two LEGO Minifigures inside. The three LEGO Minifigures that are unique to this set are Luna Lovegood (dark pink), Ron Weasley (red tartan) and Ginny Weasley (Gryffindor uniform). The other two minifigures are Harry Potter (dark blue open hoody) and Draco Malfoy (Slytherin uniform).

5. LEGO 40028 Mini Hogwarts Express

64 pieces

This is a cute little 64-piece polybag that was a gift with the purchase of LEGO 10217 Diagon Alley in August 2011. The designer managed to include 10 wheels on this mini-Hogwarts Express, which is quite impressive considering the size.

6. LEGO 71247 Harry Potter Team Pack (Dimensions)

119 pieces, 2 LEGO Minifigures (unique to this set)

LEGO Dimensions Harry Potter Team Pack was available to purchase from 27th September 2016 until 31st December 2017. The LEGO Minifigures included in this pack were Harry Potter in his Gryffindor uniform and Lord Voldemort with a black cape, which are unique to this set. The mini-builds are a Hogwarts Express that can be rebuilt into the Steam Warrior and the Soaring Steam Plane. These figures and builds were designed for use with the LEGO Dimensions video game and enabled you to boost your gameplay by having various vehicles and characters.

7. LEGO 75955 Hogwarts Express

801 pieces, 6 LEGO Minifigures (3 are unique to this set)

Rolling out in August 2018, LEGO 75955 was retired in December 2022. This latest version of the iconic steam locomotive has had some alterations to the roof of the carriage, and the chimney on the engine is a little different, too. There is also now a curved tile on the side that says Hogwarts Castle. Previously, this was a rectangular red sticker with a curved banner printed in the middle of it.

This LEGO Hogwarts Express is the best so far, and it is accompanied by a longer version of platform 9 ¾. There is also a flight of stairs that go up to a railway bridge that allows you to cross the tracks onto platform 9 ¾.

The platform also boasts a moving brick wall entrance and a newspaper stand where one can purchase a copy of the Daily Prophet.

The three unique LEGO minifigures are Hermione Granger (light grey striped hoody), Professor Remus Lupin (grey jacket, tan trousers), and a Trolley Witch (dark bluish grey trousers). The other three minifigures included with LEGO 75955 Hogwarts Express are Harry Potter (dark blue hoody with zip), Ron Weasley (chequered grey hoody), and a Dementor with a black face, torso, and tattered black cape.

8. LEGO 76405 Hogwarts Express Collectors Edition

5129 pieces, 20 LEGO Minifigures (16 are unique to this set)

These 5,129 pieces make for a highly detailed 1:32 scale version of the Hogwarts Express, and it is a joy to behold. LEGO 76405 was released in August 2022 and is sure to have taken centre stage in many Potterheads’ displays. Currently, the set is due to retire sometime in 2024.

As the name suggests, this is essentially a model to display instead of play with (check out the fantastic display option for this set at iDisplayit). In the seven years since the release of LEGO 75955, LEGO has refined the overall shape of the steam locomotive, coal cart, and passenger carriage. While the train is comprised of the same three components as previous releases, they are now slightly elongated, which provides a much better sense of scale.

Three light bricks are incorporated into the passenger carriage so that your figures can see what they are doing on their journey. The section of track is mounted onto LEGO-built sleepers, and this sits nicely in front of the platform so that the figures can board and alight the train easily.

A staggering 20 LEGO Minifigures are included with this set, 16 unique to LEGO 76405 Hogwarts Express Collectors Edition. Some of the unique figures include James Sirius Potter, Lily Luna Potter and Albus Severus Potter. If you didn’t want to display all the minifigures alongside the Hogwarts Express, they would be a great way to populate a Wizarding World of Hogwarts or Diagon Alley display.

9. LEGO 76423 Hogwarts Express and Hogsmeade Station

1,074 pieces, 8 LEGO Minifigures (4 are unique to this set)

LEGO 76423 was released in June 2023 and is the first LEGO Hogwarts Express to feature two passenger carriages. The locomotive looks very similar to the previous release, but the two passenger carriages now have grey roofs.

The build of Hogsmeade station is a fun, playable build comprising a ticket office, Owl Post, and a toilet. A small section of the track is included so that the train can rest while it is at the station. The four LEGO minifigures unique to this set are Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Lee Jordan in their Gryffindor robes, and there is a variation on the Train Conductor.

This is a good mid-price version of LEGO Hogwarts Express. It would be great for children to play with and act out iconic movie scenes with or would look great on display.

Do you own any of these LEGO Hogwarts Express sets? If so, how do you display them? Have you considered using acrylic display cases to keep them looking their best? Check out iDisplayit's acrylic display cases for display solutions for these iconic locomotives.