Released for its 40th anniversary, The Railway Children
is the best-known filmed version of Edith Nesbit's novel, which was first published in 1906.
In the well-to-do Waterbury household it's Christmas, and Peter's just received a train set from his civil servant
father. Before thety know it, there's two blokes at the two who are whisking him away... well, as fast as you can on
a horse and cart, and taking him to Scotland Yard. These days, they'd want answers in seconds but everyone's tight-lipped
here.
Before too long they move to Yorkshire and expect the new house to be just a slight step down from what they're used
to, but it's an absolute hole with rats and water dripping in; and they know how to live with a supper of sardines,
biscuits and ginger. Yum(!)
It's all frightfully prim and proper, but there are some interesting ideas along the way. While their mum (Dinah
Sheridan) is temporarily laid up with the flu, the children invent social networking by initially smiling at and
waving to and old bloke on the train, then they hold up a banner and ask him to stop at the next station and give him
a note. Later on, they put up another banner, the next time he passes, announcing the fact that she's feeling much
better. Of course, you could ask why a Frank Bough lookalike is accepting notes from supposedly prepubescent children,
despite the fact Sally Thomset was around 20 at the time of filming.
And if you're on Twitter,
then so am I.
Here's a selection of tweets I posted at the time of watching this film:
- What did they take high-up civil servant Mr Waterbury away for? Expenses fiddling? Duck house?
- The Waterbury children seem to have invented social networking, putting up banner for an old man to read as be passes by. And why is a Frank Bough lookalike is accepting notes from them?
- I'm betting Mr Waterbury is now holed up in Guantanamo Bay. Will Barack Obama have freed him by the end?
- If the Railway Children are meant to be poor, how come they're living in a massive house with a HUGE garden?
- And how do those trees fall down whilst staying vertical?
- And if Peter's 10, why is he growing a moustache?
- Mrs Perks just said in bed, "Oh alright, Bert, since it's your birthday". He then picked up a bottle and sneaked it back into bed!
- Mr Waterbury's been charged with selling State secrets! These days that would be rewarded with a seat in the Lords!
- The Railway Children are watching a paper chase. Isn't that just legalised littering?
- Mrs Waterbury can no longer write AND take a job as a matron? I thought women could multitask?
- "Daddy, my Daddy!" It's not quite "Captain, my Captain", is it?
- The Railway Children had the weirdest end credits I've ever seen with all the actors waving goodbye to the viewer. Continuity bods - HUSH!
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Blu-ray: 
Presented in the original 1.66:1 theatrical ratio, the print is still anamorphic because it's placed within a 16:9 frame.
The quality of the image is fantastic. For a film that's 40-years-old it's detailed for more than you'd expect and
Optimum have done an excellent job with this print.
For the record, I'm watching on a Panasonic 37" Plasma screen via a Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray player.
