The Railway Children Return facts for kids

The Railway Children Return is a family drama film released in 2022. It was directed by Morgan Matthews and written by Danny Brocklehurst. This movie is a sequel to the much-loved 1970 film The Railway Children, which was based on the famous novel by E. Nesbit. The film stars Jenny Agutter, Sheridan Smith, Tom Courtenay, and John Bradley. It first came out in the United Kingdom on July 15, 2022.

What the Story is About

The year is 1944, and World War II is happening. Heavy bombings are falling on Britain. Three siblings, 14-year-old Lily, 11-year-old Pattie, and 7-year-old Ted Watts, are sent away from Manchester for safety. They are evacuated to a village called Oakworth in West Riding of Yorkshire.

There, they meet Bobbie Waterbury, her daughter Annie (who is a schoolmistress), and Annie's 13-year-old son, Thomas. The Watts children are supposed to stay with local families. However, because officials want siblings to stay together, the Watts trio is left behind. Bobbie kindly welcomes them into her home. The Watts children quickly become good friends with Thomas.

The US Army has a base nearby. One day, while exploring, the children are bothered by some local kids. Thomas takes them to his secret hideout, an old train car near the railway station.

One day, Annie gets sad news about her husband, who is fighting in the war. This reminds her of how Bobbie's father and brother lost their lives in the First World War. The children give Annie some space and play hide-and-seek at the station. While playing, they find a Black American soldier named Abe McCarthy in their hideout. He has an injured leg. Abe says he is on a secret mission and needs to stay hidden.

That evening, an enemy plane drops a bomb on the town cemetery. Lily falls while bringing first aid supplies to Abe. He rescues her. Abe tells her he joined the Army to get revenge for his brother, who was killed in battle. But some parts of his story make Lily suspicious.

The next day, white American Military Police arrive at the school looking for Abe. Lily learns that Abe has left the army without permission. When she asks him about it, Abe reveals he is only 14 years old. He explains he is trying to go home because of how the US Army treats Black soldiers. He says they are often beaten by the Military Police. This happens even though the town's people refused the US authorities' request to have rules that separated people by race in the local pub. Lily agrees to help him escape.

Lily tells the others and plans to hide Abe at the house. Thomas first thinks they should tell the adults the truth. But Lily tells him he doesn't understand how tough the world can be. She shares that their own father was also killed in battle. Thomas then agrees to let Abe stay in a large storage room next to his bedroom.

That evening, Walter, who is Bobbie's sister Phyllis's husband, visits the family. The next day, Lily takes Abe to the station to catch a train to Liverpool. Thomas joins them to create a distraction so they can get on the train without being noticed. While doing this, Thomas is caught by the local police. The police tell the US Military Police, who then stop and search the train further down the line. Abe and Lily are handcuffed and taken to the base. They are then put on a US Army supply train that also carries important officers.

When Thomas asks Annie about his father, she tells him that his plane was shot down. But she says he is still alive in a prisoner-of-war camp. After Thomas tells Walter everything, his uncle learns about the American supply train. He found out by calling his workplace, the War Office. Thomas gathers Pattie, Ted, and all the other local and evacuated children. They make banners to warn the train to stop, just like Bobbie and her siblings did many years ago.

The children successfully stop the train and bravely tell the Americans that what they are doing is wrong. Abe explains the truth to the most senior general, who is also a Black American. The general reveals that he also joined the army when he was underage. He orders Abe to be released. After staying with the family for a few days, Abe leaves for home, promising to write to Lily. The Watts siblings return to their mother three months later. Thomas's father also comes home after VE Day.

Main Actors

• Beau Gadsdon as Lily Watts
• Austin Haynes as Thomas Waterbury
• Eden Hamilton as Pattie Watts
• Zac Cudby as Ted Watts
• KJ Aikens as Abraham "Abe" McCarthy
• Jenny Agutter as Roberta "Bobbie" Waterbury
• Tom Courtenay as Uncle Walter
• Sheridan Smith as Annie
• Jessica Baglow as Angela
• John Bradley as Richard Perks
• Hugh Quarshie as General Harrison
• Neil Hurst as Teacher
• Micky Williams as Children's Dad
• Joseph Richards as Georgie Duckworth

How the Film Was Made

Sheridan Smith & Jenny Agutter at the press launch for the film at Oakworth Station.

The movie The Railway Children Return was first announced on May 6, 2021. Like the first film, many scenes were filmed in the beautiful countryside around the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in West Yorkshire. Filming started on May 10, 2021, and took about six to eight weeks to complete.

Steam Locomotives in the Film

Three main steam trains are used in the movie. These are 5820 USA Transportation Corp, known as "Big Jim," 43924 LMS Class 4F, and 45596 "Bahamas" LMS Jubilee Class. Another train, 78022 BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0, also appears very briefly. To celebrate the film's release, a company called Hornby Railways made a special model train of 43924 LMS Class 4F.

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  5820 Big Jim

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  43924

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  45596 Bahamas

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  78022