The Railway Children at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Few stories capture the spirit of adventure and resilience like The Railway Children. Steam-powered storytelling at its very best and perfectly staged for Bradford 2025, this much-loved classic is pulling into the station in spectacular style this summer. As part of the UK City of Culture celebrations, E. Nesbit’s enduring tale is being brought to life along the very tracks it helped make famous, in a production that blends theatrical magic with Yorkshire’s railway heritage.

Audiences are invited to step into the world of the Waterbury children. The experience begins at Keighley Station, where ticketholders board a real steam train and set off along the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway – the very same stretch of track seen in the iconic 1970 film adaptation. After winding through the Yorkshire countryside, the train pulls into Oxenhope, where the performance takes place inside a specially built auditorium nestled in the station’s Engine Shed.

It’s a theatrical day out with a difference: steam engines, signal boxes and station platforms become the backdrop for this tale of family, courage and hope, set against the turbulence of Edwardian England. Adapted by playwright Mike Kenny, whose version premiered to acclaim at the National Railway Museum in 2008, this production combines gentle nostalgia with fresh storytelling energy.

At the heart of the story are three siblings – Roberta, Peter and Phyllis – forced to move to the countryside with their mother after their father is mysteriously taken away. As they adjust to a new life near the railway, they befriend station workers, wave to passing passengers and slowly piece together the truth behind their father’s disappearance. It’s a story of kindness, justice and the quiet strength of children in the face of uncertainty.

This Bradford 2025 staging adds a new chapter to the play’s legacy, reimagined with today’s audiences in mind and with access at its core. From BSL-interpreted and audio-described shows to relaxed performances, this is a production that welcomes everyone aboard. And while its setting may be Edwardian, its themes – compassion, resilience and standing up for what’s right – remain firmly rooted in the present.

Powered by steam, stagecraft and lots of heart, this fresh and celebratory production of The Railway Children is a tribute to regional heritage, the power of storytelling and the magic of theatre on the move.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our guide for more things to do in and around Bradford 2025 – UK City of Culture.