123Movies. E. Nesbit's classic children's book "The Railway Children" follows Roberta (Bobbie), Phyllis and Peter, three sheltered siblings who suffer a huge upheaval when their father is falsely imprisoned. The children and their mother, now penniless, are forced to move from London to rural Yorkshire, into a cottage near to a railway line. The story deals with themes of justice, the importance of family and the kindness of strangers. York Theatre Royal's award-winning theatre production of The Railway Children is written by Mike Kenny, directed for the stage by Damian Cruden and directed for the screen by Ross MacGibbon. This stage-to-screen version, filmed at the National Railway Museum, features the steam train from the much-loved original feature film.