THE RAILWAY CHILDREN (FORM 3) -NOVEL

SYNOPSIS

The Railway Children is a wonderful story. The story tells about three children, Roberta
(Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis are living a lovely, secure life at Edgecomb Villa. Their father returns
home after being away on business, two unknown men come to visit him in the evening after
supper, and he simply disappears. Neither the reader nor the children know what has happened
to him until Bobbie makes a chance discovery and learns the horrible truth.
In the intervening time, their mother, a capable and charming woman, takes her children to live
in the country near a railway station, because they must "play being poor for a while." The
children handle their new situation with grace and wit, spending hours hanging about the railway
station and generally keeping themselves busy, and in the process becoming fast friends with
the porter, Perks, and the station master. They also become acquainted with their own old
gentleman who lends a hand to help them time and again.
Bobbie is the eldest and sweetest of the children, with a longing to be truly good. Peter is the
boy, who is madly in love with trains, stubbornly refuses to be pushed around, and exhibits an
extraordinary courage in the rescue of a baby and a young man in a train tunnel. Phyllis is the
youngest, a funny, clumsy child with good intentions that often seem to go awry.
This sentimental favourite children's book has the moral values of E. Nesbitt, who was a famous
liberal activist (Fabian Socialist) in England. She creates a household utopian vision of a world
where people are naturally good and where parents raise their children to be helpful and honest
and brave.
This provides the background charm for a really lovely tale about a family in distress who sticks
together bravely and provides a shining example to all around them, while being aided by
equally high-minded and kind folks around them.
A knock on the door at the idyllic middle class town home of the children ends with a tragedy
that they can scarcely understand. But Mother is brave and despite rumours of terrible things,
they make their way to a more modest home in the country, next to a railway line. The children
become friends with the trains and the regular commuters who wave at them. Their fascination
with the train results in a heroic rescue. Meanwhile, their situation is sometimes difficult, and
they develop some remarkable strategies for getting aid. There is a happy ending.
The morals taught to the children are particularly British (helpful, kind, brave) but certainly apply
to us as well. The goodness that the children spread is really a lovely message and contributes
to the charm and longevity of this great story.

GLOSSARY
1.
coal (n) this is hard and black and people light it to get heat
2.
engine (n) this makes a train or car move
3.
piece (n) a small part of a bigger thing
4.
repair (v) to make something good again when it breaks
5.
Station Master (n) this man is the boss of the station
6.
thief (n) this person takes other peoples things
7.
tunnel (n) a hole through a hill or under a river for cars and trains to go through
8.
wave (v) to hold your arm up and move your hand from left to right
9.
blood (n) this is red and is in people and animals
10. gift (n) you give this to someone when it is their birthday

11. prison (n) when people do something bad they have to go to this place and have to stay
there
12. spy (n) this person tells other countries important things about their country
13. signal-box (n) a small house next to the railway line; a man sits in it and tells the trains Go
and Stop.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN: THE PLOT

1.

EXPOSITION

The main characters are introduced. We learn that Roberta, Peter an Phyliss live with their
parents in London. They lead a happy and contented life. Things start to change after two men
take their father away and they have to move to the country and play at being poor.
2.

RISING ACTION

The children and their mother move to a house near a railway line where they encounter many
adventures. They make friend with an old gentleman on the 9.15 train. This old gentleman
becomes their saver and brings the happy ending to the miseries the children have to endure.
3.

CLIMAX

The three children courageously help save the 11.29 train from a terrible accident after a
landslide occurred and covered the railway tracks.
4.

FALLING ACTION

Roberta uncovers the mystery behind her fathers disappearance. She writes to the old
gentleman
asking
for
his
assistance.

5.

RESOLUTION

The story ends with a happy mood where the conflict is resolved. The childrens father is reunited
with the family.

A. LOCATION SETTING
1.

London, the capital city of England.

In this country the three children live with their parents in a warm house in the city before their
father is being taken away by two men mysteriously.

2.

The house in the country

They live in a white house near a railway line. The children always sit on the wooden fence and
wave to the passengers in the trains that pass by.
3.

The railway station

It has a platform. The children make friends with Perks who works as a porter at the railway
station.

4.

The tunnel

Some boys from Maidbridges school run through this long tunnel in the paper-chase. The
children, then, help a boy in a red T-shirt named Jim who suffered a broken leg while
participating in the activity.
B.

SOCIAL SETTING

The story tells about a middle-class family living in England in the 20 th century. The period is
between 1900 and 1920 in England. They lead a happy life until their father is taken away
mysteriously one night. They move to the country side and live in a white house near the railway
line. They children wander around and meet kind and friendly workers at the railway station and
make new friends with the villagers. The children save a train and are given a gold watch each.

Their mother is not pleased at her children acts at first but realizes they are doing great living
and making friends in the country side.

They received the medicine, delicious food and twelve red roses from their new friend the old
gentleman.

They receive a present of gold watch each from their friend the old gentleman

The children collected presents for Perks' for his birthday

CHARACTERS
1.

The three children have some common character traits.

Loving, obedient, thoughtful, kind, helpful, hardworking, brave, clever, imaginative, loyal, polite,
well-mannered, independent, adventurous and unsure of what is wrong and right.
i.

Roberta @ Bobbie

She is the eldest child in the family and she is twelve years old. She is portrayed as responsible,
brave, determined, devoted, loving, understanding and sensitive.
ii.

Peter

He is the only boy in the family and the second child. He is 10 years old. His ambition is to
become an engineer. Peter is a proud boy, brave, clever, resourceful and generous.
iii.

Phyliss

Being the youngest in the family she always tries to be good. She is a loving daughter and gets
upset easily.
2.

Mother

No name is mention in the story. She has to take care of the family after her husband was taken
away. She loves reading books to her children and she writes stories to provide for her family.
She is a loving and devoted mother. She is also a protective, brave, patient and strong lady. She
is described as comforting, positive, kind, proud and dignified too.
3.

The Old Gentleman

This gentleman rides on the 9.15 train every morning. He has white hair and looks kind. He
knows the government people. He is Jims grandfather. He has the character of a friendly, kind,
polite, helpful and generous old man.

MINOR CHARACTERS
1.

Father

He is a tall man and white-faced. He works with the government. He is a wonderful father that
never gets angry and is always ready to play with his children. Sadly, he was accused of being
a spy and was arrested and jailed.

2.

Perks

Perks works as a porter at the railway station. He is a nice and friendly man. He is kind and polite
but he dislikes being pitied by others. He is good at doing his job.
3.

The Station Master

He is a kind and friendly man too. He agrees to let Peter go after he arrested him for stealing the
coal.
4.

Jim

He is the boy with the red t-shirt that broke his leg during the paper-chase. Jim is the old
gentlemans grandson. The children s mother nurses him to health after the incident.
5.

The train driver and Jim, The fireman

They helped Bobbie when she got stuck on their train and help her mend Peters broken toy
engine.
6.
The villagers and other people
Dr Forest : the village doctor, Mrs Viney: the family helper, Mrs Perks: Perks wife and Ruth the
family maid in London.
THEMES
1.
The importance of family love and loyalty
2.
Taking challenges with courage
3.
Facing challenges in life
4.
Growing up to be a well-mannered child
5.
The importance of friends
6.
The importance of community
MORAL VALUES
1.
Family love and loyalty
2.
Kindness and compassion
3.
Bravery
4.
Selfless acts
MESSAGES
1.
Family members must love and protect each other
2.
Community support is vital
3.
Facing challenges in life
POINT OF VIEW
The story is from the third person point of view
LANGUAGE AND STYLE
The writer uses simple and direct language to tell this story. Here are some of the examples:
1.
Direct speech
Wake up! she said. Were in the new house, dont you remember? page 8
2.
Simple description
There was a large kitchen with a stone floor, but there was no fire, and the room was cold.
3.
Simile
it was like a terrible dream (page 40)
4.
Personification
I wonder if the railway misses us
5.
Contrast
The tunnel was dark after the sunshine outside(page 46)
6.
Symbolism
The railway is a symbol of hope: The railway brings their father back to them in the end (page
57)
7.
Red is a symbol of danger

The children make flags from red petticoats to warn the train of danger ( page 29)
8.
Repetition for emphasis
Well, I wont know, I wont know (page 24)