// BBC ENTERTAINMENT & ARTS — MODA & SOCIETÀ
Practical Magic 2's Kidman and Bullock board Essex vintage train
Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock appeared in Practical Magic in 1998, before reuniting for the sequel due out next month
A call from Hollywood producers asking if film stars Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock could sit in a vintage railway carriage came out of the blue for station manager Robert Bentley.
They called him to ask if the duo could use it for their new blockbuster, Practical Magic 2, a sequel to the 1998 romantic fantasy tale.
While film producers were keen to feature it, they first needed the train moved from North Weald, Essex, to the Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire.
The studio filming left Bentley "in awe", he said. "When you're stood at the studio and then all of a sudden Sandra is stood next to you, it's hard to describe the feeling."
The 27-year-old said he ended up chatting to Bullock, who was interested in the history of the train.
Epping Ongar Railway boss Robert Bentley, sitting in Sandra Bullock's spot, says its location and facilities were the "perfect fit" for the forthcoming release
Epping Ongar Railway has preserved its stations and carriages since closing in the 1990s.
Its authentic appearance has made it a popular go-to spot for film-makers, with it appearing in the TV shows Man vs Baby and Death in Paradise in recent times.
Bentley said producers had scouted around for locations before choosing to use North Weald station for a scene with US actress Joey King, as well as its train carriage, for filming last summer.