A sequel to the The Railway Children has been announced, 50 years after the original, with Jenny Agutter reprising her role as Roberta ‘Bobbie’ Waterbury.
The sequel, The Railway Children Return, will star the Call the Midwife actress along with Sheridan Smith and Sir Tom Courtenay. A new generation of young evacuees arrive in a Yorkshire Village during the Second World War. The story sees the evacuees meet a soldier who is far from home with a story to tell.
Producers Studio Canal said making the sequel to “one of the most beloved British Films of all time is an enchanting adventure. Sticking to the original, the same key locations will be used. Locations such as Oakworth Station, Keighly and Worth Valley Railway will also feature.
Agutter shot to fame after playing the oldest Waterbury children in the 1970 original. Her co stars Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins, Sally Thomsett and Gary Warden made up the Railway Children. The iconic ending saw Jenny’s character Bobbie stood at the train station watching the 9:15 train as she does daily. In the steam stands a tall silhouette, the silhouette of a father whose return has been long awaited.
The Railway Children – a beloved book and film for 50 years
Written by Edith Nesbitt, which originally featured in The London Magazine, has been adapted for the big screen on numerous occasions. No rendition was as successful as the 1970’s film which stole the heart of Britain.
The story tells the life of three children who are evacuated from London. They relocate to ‘The Three Chimneys’, a house right next to the railway. They receive news that their father has been jailed for spying – but the children think he is away fighting in the war.
Playing near the railway, the kids befriend an elderly man who regularly gets the 9:15 train near them. They elderly gentleman helps prove their fathers innocence and help bring him home to his family. The story details their adventure, including taking in a Russian Exile and the old mans Granson, Jim.
It is not the first time Jennifer Agutter has reprised her role. In 1999, ITV announced a made for television movie, this time with Jennifer as the mother rather than a child.
Filming of The Railway Children Return will begin May 10th.
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