The Railway Children – Forty Years On

If there is anyone out there who has not seen the 1970 film, The Railway Children, where have you been for the last forty years? 

Written by Edith Nesbit as a serial for The London magazine in 1905, the book was published in 1906 and the story was adapted for television by the BBC in 1951, 1957 and 1968. The film, directed by Lionel Jeffries, came to the big screen at Christmas 1970 and was a great success. Since then, it has appeared on television on holidays, was produced as a video and then DVD. Now there is a new remastered DVD, produced for the 40th anniversary. I will not linger on the 2000 version of the film as I haven’t seen it and don’t particularly want to. Like countless others, the 1970 film is my version and I am quite satisfied with it.

If you watch it and don’t get a lump in your throat at “Daddy! My Daddy”, you really need to get in touch with your inner child.

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, where the film was made, staged a celebration during the May Bank Holiday Weekend and re-enacted some of the famous scenes on each day with the help of local actors and, of course, we had to go!

It was a strange sensation to see the actors, in their costumes, mingling with the crowds of visitors. The railway is not far from us so we went on the Saturday, assuming it would be quieter than the Sunday or Monday. Unfortunately, the weatherman decided to aim one of his forecast ‘scattered showers’ right on Oakworth Station after lunch. This developed into a full downpour, mixed with hail, so we retreated home.  Alan went back again on the Sunday and took more photos in better weather.

More pictures at Railway Children Re-enactment and Railway Children 40th

Steam trains, nostalgia, beautiful countryside and people enjoying themselves – perfect.