Ron Weasley in flying visit to Beaulieu museum
ONE of the Harry Potter stars, Rupert Grint, paid a surprise visit to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu this week to see the ‘Flying’ Ford Anglia which featured in the second film of the Harry Potter series,‘Chamber of Secrets. The car is on display in the National Motor Museum during 2011.
Rupert, who plays Harry Potter’s school friend Ron Weasley, acquired the car after it was stolen, then abandoned when the thieves realised it was too well known to be sold on. Rupert has added the Anglia to his collection of quirky cars which include an Ice Cream Van, a modified VW Camper and a BMW Isetta bubble car.
The Anglia was a standard car until Ron’s Dad, Arthur Weasley enchanted it, making it able to fly, become invisible to Muggles and to carry his entire family despite its modest size. The car had been stolen by Ron on a number of occasions, once to rescue his friend Harry Potter from the Dursley’s house and once with Harry to return to Hogwarts after the gate to Platform 9¾ was sealed by Dobby. Considering they crash landed the car in the Womping Willow when returning to Hogwarts, the car is in amazingly good condition.
While at Beaulieu Rupert also visited the World of Top Gear Enormodrome to check out his third place time for the 15th season of the show on the Celebrity ‘Time Laps’ board.
The ‘Flying’ Ford Anglia can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction which includes the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear and the James Bond Experience as well as Palace House and 13th century Beaulieu Abbey.