It is almost time to return to a children’s classic.
The beloved novel The Railway Children by E. Nesbitt was most famously adapted back in 1970 for a film starring Jenny Agutter and Bernard Cribbins.
The story followed a family forced to move to the countryside after a scandal involving their patriarch and live a much more modest lifestyle.
The three children, led by eldest daughter Bobbie (Agutter), were seen to be particularly fond of visiting and watching the railway line and getting to know regular passengers and staff on it.
Now, Jenny Agutter is back as Bobbie years later and with children and grandchildren of her own and they’re ready for all-new adventures in a sequel film.
Here is all you need to know about the sequel film The Railway Childen Return.
The Railway Children Return release date
The Railway Children Return will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 15th July 2022.
Filming took place on the film for six to eight weeks in West Yorkshire from 10th May 2021.
This outing is being released 52 years following the release of the original 1970 film which also starred Jenny Agutter.
The Railway Children Return cast
The following cast members have been confirmed for The Railway Children Return.
- Jenny Agutter as Roberta “Bobbie” Waterbury
- Sheridan Smith as Annie Waterbury
- Austin Haynes as Thomas Waterbury
- KJ Aikens as Abe
- Beau Gadsden as Lily Watts
- Eden Hamilton as Pattie Watts
- Zac Cudby as Ted Watts
- Tom Courtenay as TBC
Call the Midwife star Jenny Agutter reprises her role as Bobbie from the original 1970 film adaptation of the E. Nesbitt novel The Railway Children.
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Agutter is the only original cast member to return from the previous film.
New cast members joining for the sequel include star of stage and screen Sheridan Smith as Bobbie’s daughter Annie, veteran actor Tom Courtenay and various newcomers.
The Railway Children Return trailer
A full trailer for the sequel film has now been released and shows Agutter back in her role as Bobbie in the setting of the Second World War.
The clip gives us a good idea of the plot and characters in the new outing and what tone we can expect – fitting in with that of the first film.
Previously, StudioCanal released a first-look clip of the film in 2021.
The Railway Children Return plot
The official synopsis for The Railway Children Return has been released by StudioCanal.
It reads: “Inspired by one of the most beloved British family films of all time, THE RAILWAY CHILDREN RETURN is an enchanting, moving and heart-warming adventure for a new generation.
“1944 – As life in Britain’s cities becomes increasingly perilous, three evacuee children – Lily (Beau Gadsdon), Pattie (Eden Hamilton) and Ted (Zac Cudby) Watts – are sent by their mother from Salford to the Yorkshire village of Oakworth.”
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It goes on: “There to meet them on the train station platform are Bobbie Waterbury (Jenny Agutter, reprising her iconic role in the original film), her daughter, Annie (Sheridan Smith), and grandson Thomas (Austin Haynes), and with their help the evacuees are soon settling into their new life in the countryside.
“When the children discover injured American soldier Abe (KJ Aikens) hiding out in the railyard at Oakworth Station, they are thrust into a dangerous quest to assist their new friend who, like them, is a long way from home.”
It sounds like we are in for an exciting and moving new film in this story.
The Railway Children Return is released in cinemas on 15th July 2022. Visit our Movies hub for more news and features and find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide.
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