The Children's Train (Film)

The Railway Children Return is a British family and adventure film released in 2022 and directed by Morgan Matthews. A sequel to the 1970 classic The Railway Children, the film focuses on the adventures of children evacuated to the Yorkshire countryside during World War II. Inspired by Edith Nesbit’s 1906 novel of the same name, the film centers on the impact of war on children and the importance of family values.

The film begins in 1944, as three children evacuated from Manchester due to World War II are sent to the village of Oakworth in Yorkshire. Welcomed warmly by the townspeople, the children begin living with Bobbie Waterbury and her family, who work at the train station. The children meet Abe, an American soldier, and through their friendship with him, they explore the hardships, separations, and bonds of friendship created by the war. The story follows the children’s growth around themes of friendship, courage, and solidarity.

The film is shaped around themes of the impact of war on innocence, childhood, friendship, and solidarity. Reflecting the social and cultural fabric of wartime Britain, it emphasizes family bonds, community resilience, and the psychological changes children experience during wartime. The film stands out for its historical atmosphere, achieved through period-appropriate set and costume design.

Morgan Matthews directed the film, with a screenplay written by Danny Brocklehurst. Filming took place in West Yorkshire, England, along the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 15 July 2022. As of 2023, it has become available to international audiences through various digital platforms.

• Jenny Agutter – Bobbie Waterbury
• Sheridan Smith – Annie Waterbury
• Tom Courtenay – Richard Perks
• John Bradley – Richard Oakworth
• Beau Gadsdon – Lily Watts
• Austin Haynes – Thomas Watts
• Eden Hamilton – Pattie Watts
• KJ Aikens – Abe McCarthy

• British Independent Film Awards 2022 – Nominated for Best Production Design
• National Film Awards UK 2023 – Nominated for Best Family Film