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* ShhhoesOfStealth: The station master wears an old pair of sandshoes he had worn at the seaside last year, to lie in wait for Peter stealing coal.
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* OminousWalk: When Ruth falls victim to a booby trap of a bucket of water balanced on a door, she walks slowly towards the children, accompanied by a crescendo of scary music, before eventually raising her hand to slap Peter.
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* AluminumChristmasTrees: In an age where petticoats themselves are a novelty, modern readers might not understand why ''red'' petticoats were such a big deal. Red flannel petticoats (as opposed to white lawn or cotton ones) were considered a sign of poverty.
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* DeliberateValuesDissonance: There's a bit of a CultureClash between the Waterburys and the country people. Mrs Viney leaves the key under the mat because that's what everyone does and she has no reason to believe the Waterburys wouldn't know. The children also get presents for Perks's birthday, not thinking he'd see it as charity.
to:
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: There's a bit of a CultureClash between the Waterburys and the country people. Mrs Viney leaves the key under the mat because that's what everyone does and she has no reason to believe the Waterburys wouldn't know. The children also get presents for Perks's Perks' birthday, not thinking he'd see it as charity.charity.
* DeusExMachina: The Old Gentleman, who is influential enough to help secure their father's release. His name is not given, but it's strongly implied that he is the Prime Minister.
* DeusExMachina: The Old Gentleman, who is influential enough to help secure their father's release. His name is not given, but it's strongly implied that he is the Prime Minister.
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at a new purpose built theatre at King's Cross Station in London and features an actual steam locomotive.
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent times. The stage version is currently running performed at a new purpose built purpose-built theatre at King's Cross Station in London and features in 2015 featured an actual steam locomotive.
locomotive.
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* IntimateHairBrushing: A rare PetTheDog moment for Ruth the maid is when she's shown brushing Phyllis's hair before bed.
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Renamed some tropes.
* NewJobAsThePlotDemands: Through the course of the story Mother works as a writer, translator, teacher and nurse. All without leaving Three Chimneys. Justified in that she's trying to support her family.
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* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Through the course of the story Mother works as a writer, translator, teacher and nurse. All without leaving Three Chimneys. Justified in that she's trying to support her family.
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* {{Bowdlerization}}: When the film appears on TV, some scenes have been edited out including the children kissing Aunt Emma, Peter stealing the coal and Perks and his wife in bed.
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* {{Bowdlerization}}: {{Bowdlerise}}: When the film appears on TV, some scenes have been edited out including the children kissing Aunt Emma, Peter stealing the coal and Perks and his wife in bed.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_railway_children.jpg]]
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* DeadpanSnarker: Bobbie gets a few dry lines once in a while.
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* MostWritersAreWriters: Mother is a writer and she sells stories to make extra cash.
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* MostWritersAreWriters: Mother is a writer and she sells stories to make extra cash. At one point, there's a TakeThat when it's mentioned that the editors aren't always "sensible" and sometimes don't publish her stories. [[SarcasmMode Which is surely not a jab at her own editors.]]
* UnreliableNarrator: Not entirely "unreliable," but several things which are clear to an adult reader are just skipped over or ignored by the children. Justified since they are, well, children.
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* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Through the course of the story Mother works as a writer, translator, teacher and nurse. All without leaving Three Chimneys.
to:
* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Through the course of the story Mother works as a writer, translator, teacher and nurse. All without leaving Three Chimneys. Justified in that she's trying to support her family.
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** Bobbie does the same after learning of her father's fate, not sharing the news with her siblings.
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* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: The Old Gentleman.
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Useful Notes/ pages are not tropes
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* TsaristRussia: The Russian exile.
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* AdorablyPrecociousChild: Phyllis who Bobbie describes as "she means well" but is prone to coming out with odd things.
* AuthorAppeal: Like many of Edith Nesbit's children's stories, this one shows children dealing with sudden poverty as well as the loss of a parent.
* AuthorAppeal: Like many of Edith Nesbit's children's stories, this one shows children dealing with sudden poverty as well as the loss of a parent.
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** Mother is also a writer, and good enough to sell many stories. She also speaks French.
to:
** Mother is also a writer, and good enough to sell many stories. She also speaks French.French and acts as a tutor to her children.
* FreeRangeChildren: Since Mother is usually busy writing stories in the house, the children are free to wander around the area.
* ParentsAsPeople: Bobbie slowly starts to realise that her mother is trying to keep the family together and make ends meet after Father is taken away.
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* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim, as the two are similar in age and he's the only young male she gets time with.
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* RuleOfSymbolism: Peter's engine breaking coincides with the family being split up, and foreshadows their eventual situation living by the railway.
* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim, as the two are similar in age and he's the only young male she gets time with. He holds her hand as he departs on the train, promising to write.
* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim, as the two are similar in age and he's the only young male she gets time with. He holds her hand as he departs on the train, promising to write.
* TwoGirlsAndAGuy: Girls Bobbie and Phyllis, guy Peter.
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* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Through the course of the story Mother works as a writer, translator, teacher and nurse. All without leaving Three Chimneys.
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* CerebusRetcon: A porter jokes about reprimanding the grammar school boys for running through the tunnel. Becomes less funny when Jim gets trapped in the tunnel and nearly loses his leg to a train.
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* GagEcho: In their first morning at Three Chimneys, they find the apple pie Mrs Viney left for them to have the previous night. They express surprise that they're to have supper for breakfast. When Mrs Viney arrives, she says "I see you've found the supper I left for you. Curious time to have it though."
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* RunningGag: After the landslide, the Waterburys are being presented with watches. A brass band is trying to play a routine for them but there's a running gag of them messing up each time they try. They get it right on the fourth try - but everyone has left the station.
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* BrainyBrunette: Bobbie.
to:
* BrainyBrunette: Bobbie.BrainyBrunette:
** Bobbie in the sense of being very perceptive and quick-thinking.
** Mother is also a writer, and good enough to sell many stories. She also speaks French.
** Bobbie in the sense of being very perceptive and quick-thinking.
** Mother is also a writer, and good enough to sell many stories. She also speaks French.
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* ChekhovsGunman: The children sort of invoke this as the old gentleman they only know by waving is asked for help several times and turns out to be quite important to the plot later on.
to:
* ChekhovsGun: The red petticoats Bobbie and Phyllis wear prove very useful when they need to signal that there's been a landslide on the line.
* ChekhovsGunman: The childrensort of invoke this as the old gentleman they only know by waving is asked for help several times and turns out to be quite important to the plot later on.
* ChekhovsGunman: The children
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* ClearMyName: [[spoiler: For the father]]
to:
* ClearMyName: [[spoiler: For the father]]father.]]
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: There's a bit of a CultureClash between the Waterburys and the country people. Mrs Viney leaves the key under the mat because that's what everyone does and she has no reason to believe the Waterburys wouldn't know. The children also get presents for Perks's birthday, not thinking he'd see it as charity.
* ImpoverishedPatrician: The family become this after Father is taken away. They end up moving to a nice house in the countryside, with a woman hired as a cleaning lady. They can't however afford medicine or too many luxuries.
* LastNameBasis: Perks is only called by his last name. Phyllis finds out his first name Albert so they can use it for his birthday.
* LastNameBasis: Perks is only called by his last name. Phyllis finds out his first name Albert so they can use it for his birthday.
* MaidenAunt: Aunt Emma, who is unmarried, and is off to India to become a governess.
* MostWritersAreWriters: Mother is a writer and she sells stories to make extra cash.
* NoNameGiven: Mother and Father's names are never revealed.
* MostWritersAreWriters: Mother is a writer and she sells stories to make extra cash.
* NoNameGiven: Mother and Father's names are never revealed.
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* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim.
to:
* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim.Jim, as the two are similar in age and he's the only young male she gets time with.
* SliceOfLife: The book is essentially the day-to-day life of the children once they get to the countryside.
* SliceOfLife: The book is essentially the day-to-day life of the children once they get to the countryside.
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* WHAMEpisode: One chapter has the children witnessing a landslide and the train is in danger of crashing. So they have to tear up their petticoats and try to warn people.
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* CastingGag / RemakeCameo: Creator/JennyAgutter as the mother in ITV's remake (she played Bobbie in the original).
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%%* KeyUnderTheDoormat
%%* OopNorth
%%* OopNorth
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%%* OopNorth
* KeyUnderTheDoormat: It's remarked that everyone leaves their keys under there when the Waterburys arrive.
* ManlyTears: Bobbie notes that the Russian gentleman looks like he's been crying, and she feels sorry for him. She's even annoyed when the doctor looks like he wants to laugh.
* MoodWhiplash: The dreamy scene of Bobbie getting her birthday presents suddenly turns bittersweet when she says "wouldn't Daddy have loved this?"
* OopNorth: Used by the locals to contrast with the RP of the Waterburys.
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* TeensAreShort: Played straight and averted. In the 1970 film, Phyllis is significantly shorter than Bobbie and her actress was ''twenty'' at the time. However Bobbie is only fifteen (but turns sixteen) and Jenny Agutter is incredibly tall. She's the same height as her mother.
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* BritishAccents: The children and their mother have RP accents, the servants are cockney and the country people have northern accents.
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive. %%Descriptions are not recent; if it is after Sept 22, 2015, check to see if the stage show is still running
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms a new purpose built theatre at King's Cross Station in London Waterloo station and involves features an actual locomotive. %%Descriptions are not recent; if it is after Sept 22, 2015, check to see if the stage show is still runningsteam locomotive.
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Moving Trivia examples to the Trivia page.
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* DawsonCasting: The actress playing 11-year-old Phyllis in the film was 20 at the time, three years older than Jenny Agutter playing her older sister.
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* KeyUnderTheDoormat
* OopNorth
* OopNorth
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* SuppressedMammaries
* TooSoon: ITV pulled their airing of the remake three days after the Ufton Nervet rail crash in 2004.
* TooSoon: ITV pulled their airing of the remake three days after the Ufton Nervet rail crash in 2004.
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I know what I meant
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive. %%Tropes are not recent; if it is after Sept 22, 2015, check to see if the stage show is still running
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive. %%Tropes %%Descriptions are not recent; if it is after Sept 22, 2015, check to see if the stage show is still running
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Stage show appears to run through 9/22/15
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Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive.
to:
Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive. %%Tropes are not recent; if it is after Sept 22, 2015, check to see if the stage show is still running
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* ClearMyName: [[spoiler: For the father]]
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* WronglyAccused
to:
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* DisappearedDad: The children's father is taken away over Christmas and they are told he is away on business. [[spoiler: It's later revealed he was wrongly accused for treason and thrown in prison]].
to:
* DisappearedDad: The children's father is taken away over Christmas and they are told he is away on business. [[spoiler: It's later revealed he was wrongly falsely accused for of treason and thrown in prison]].
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* {{Bowlderization}}: When the film appears on TV, some scenes have been edited out including the children kissing Aunt Emma, Peter stealing the coal and Perks and his wife in bed.
to:
* {{Bowlderization}}: {{Bowdlerization}}: When the film appears on TV, some scenes have been edited out including the children kissing Aunt Emma, Peter stealing the coal and Perks and his wife in bed.
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* TsarTsarAutocracy: The Russian exile.
to:
* TsarTsarAutocracy: TsaristRussia: The Russian exile.
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Deleted line(s) 34 (click to see context) :
* {{Narm}}: Peter did kind of overreact to getting the train for Christmas. It's just really overdone.
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* TearJerker: "Wouldn't Daddy have loved this?"
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* CastingGag / RemakeCameo: Jenny Agutter as the mother in ITV's remake (she played Bobbie in the original).
to:
* CastingGag / RemakeCameo: Jenny Agutter Creator/JennyAgutter as the mother in ITV's remake (she played Bobbie in the original).
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* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Towards the end of the story Bobbie starts talking to her mother about how nice it would be if this were all one of the mother's stories.
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* DawsonCasting: The actress playing 11-year-old Phyllis in the film was 20 at the time, three years older than Jenny Agutter playing her older sister.
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* PlayingGertrude: The actress playing 11-year-old Phyllis in the film was 20 at the time, three years older than Jenny Agutter playing her older sister.
* SceneryPorn: Plenty of beautiful shots of the English countryside.
* SceneryPorn: Plenty of beautiful shots of the English countryside.
to:
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* StepfordSmiler: Implied with the mother, especially in the film. One scene has Bobbie coming downstairs and hearing her mother crying in the living room.
to:
* StepfordSmiler: Implied with the mother, especially in the film. One scene has Bobbie coming downstairs and hearing her mother crying in the living room. The ITV version, too, with Jenny Agutter as the mother.
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Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
Classic British children's novel by ENesbit, first published in 1905.
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Classic British children's novel by ENesbit, Creator/ENesbit, first published in 1905.
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moved to namespace
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Classic British children's novel by ENesbit, first published in 1905.
Three children, Roberta (aka "Bobbie"), Peter and Phyllis Waterbury, relocate with their mother to the country after their civil servant father is arrested on charges of espionage for the Russians. Their cottage is near the railway and they make friends with some of the people involved.
Oh, and they prevent a rail accident by use of red petticoats.
Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive.
----
!!This story contains examples of:
* BrainyBrunette: Bobbie.
* CallBack: Bobbie finds out about her father by seeing a headline in the newspaper. This gets twisted around at the end where everyone tells her the good news they read in the paper [[spoiler: but she doesn't find out until her father arrives]].
* ChekhovsGunman: The children sort of invoke this as the old gentleman they only know by waving is asked for help several times and turns out to be quite important to the plot later on.
* TheCityVsTheCountry: Subverted. While Plot B is there, the children don't dislike the countryside at all and, aside from a couple of instances of worrying about money, they enjoy living there. It's implied they get to go home to London in the end.
* ContrivedCoincidence: The old gentleman the children wave to on the train just happens to turn out to be [[spoiler: Jim's grandfather]]. Phyllis lampshades this.
* DisappearedDad: The children's father is taken away over Christmas and they are told he is away on business. [[spoiler: It's later revealed he was wrongly accused for treason and thrown in prison]].
* {{Fainting}}: Bobbie faints just as the train stops a few inches in front of her.
* RailroadTracksOfDoom: The aforementioned red petticoat incident and the part where the boy in the red jersey gets injured inside a tunnel. The second one fortunately doesn't involve a race against a train.
* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim.
* TomboyishName: Both the girls. Roberta is called "Bobbie" and Phyllis is often just called "Phil".
* TsarTsarAutocracy: The Russian exile.
* WronglyAccused
!!Various adaptations provide examples of:
* BitchAlert: Ruth gets this in the film where she snaps at Cook for playing with the children.
* {{Bowlderization}}: When the film appears on TV, some scenes have been edited out including the children kissing Aunt Emma, Peter stealing the coal and Perks and his wife in bed.
* BritishAccents: The children and their mother have RP accents, the servants are cockney and the country people have northern accents.
* CastingGag / RemakeCameo: Jenny Agutter as the mother in ITV's remake (she played Bobbie in the original).
* ChekhovsGun: The film conveniently shows Phyllis and Bobbie wearing their red petticoats a couple of scenes before they're actually needed.
* DeadpanSnarker: Phyllis and Peter get this at times. When Pete gets caught stealing coal Phyllis remarks "at least we can burn the evidence".
* EmpathicEnvironment: When Bobbie sees the headline about her father in the paper, it starts to rain and thunder is heard.
* KeyUnderTheDoormat
* {{Narm}}: Peter did kind of overreact to getting the train for Christmas. It's just really overdone.
* OopNorth
* PlayingGertrude: The actress playing 11-year-old Phyllis in the film was 20 at the time, three years older than Jenny Agutter playing her older sister.
* SceneryPorn: Plenty of beautiful shots of the English countryside.
* StepfordSmiler: Implied with the mother, especially in the film. One scene has Bobbie coming downstairs and hearing her mother crying in the living room.
* SuppressedMammaries
* TearJerker: "Wouldn't Daddy have loved this?"
* TooSoon: ITV pulled their airing of the remake three days after the Ufton Nervet rail crash in 2004.
----
Three children, Roberta (aka "Bobbie"), Peter and Phyllis Waterbury, relocate with their mother to the country after their civil servant father is arrested on charges of espionage for the Russians. Their cottage is near the railway and they make friends with some of the people involved.
Oh, and they prevent a rail accident by use of red petticoats.
Adapted for stage and screen a number of times; the most recent stage version is currently running at what used to be the Eurostar platforms at London Waterloo station and involves an actual locomotive.
----
!!This story contains examples of:
* BrainyBrunette: Bobbie.
* CallBack: Bobbie finds out about her father by seeing a headline in the newspaper. This gets twisted around at the end where everyone tells her the good news they read in the paper [[spoiler: but she doesn't find out until her father arrives]].
* ChekhovsGunman: The children sort of invoke this as the old gentleman they only know by waving is asked for help several times and turns out to be quite important to the plot later on.
* TheCityVsTheCountry: Subverted. While Plot B is there, the children don't dislike the countryside at all and, aside from a couple of instances of worrying about money, they enjoy living there. It's implied they get to go home to London in the end.
* ContrivedCoincidence: The old gentleman the children wave to on the train just happens to turn out to be [[spoiler: Jim's grandfather]]. Phyllis lampshades this.
* DisappearedDad: The children's father is taken away over Christmas and they are told he is away on business. [[spoiler: It's later revealed he was wrongly accused for treason and thrown in prison]].
* {{Fainting}}: Bobbie faints just as the train stops a few inches in front of her.
* RailroadTracksOfDoom: The aforementioned red petticoat incident and the part where the boy in the red jersey gets injured inside a tunnel. The second one fortunately doesn't involve a race against a train.
* ShipTease: Bobbie and Jim.
* TomboyishName: Both the girls. Roberta is called "Bobbie" and Phyllis is often just called "Phil".
* TsarTsarAutocracy: The Russian exile.
* WronglyAccused
!!Various adaptations provide examples of:
* BitchAlert: Ruth gets this in the film where she snaps at Cook for playing with the children.
* {{Bowlderization}}: When the film appears on TV, some scenes have been edited out including the children kissing Aunt Emma, Peter stealing the coal and Perks and his wife in bed.
* BritishAccents: The children and their mother have RP accents, the servants are cockney and the country people have northern accents.
* CastingGag / RemakeCameo: Jenny Agutter as the mother in ITV's remake (she played Bobbie in the original).
* ChekhovsGun: The film conveniently shows Phyllis and Bobbie wearing their red petticoats a couple of scenes before they're actually needed.
* DeadpanSnarker: Phyllis and Peter get this at times. When Pete gets caught stealing coal Phyllis remarks "at least we can burn the evidence".
* EmpathicEnvironment: When Bobbie sees the headline about her father in the paper, it starts to rain and thunder is heard.
* KeyUnderTheDoormat
* {{Narm}}: Peter did kind of overreact to getting the train for Christmas. It's just really overdone.
* OopNorth
* PlayingGertrude: The actress playing 11-year-old Phyllis in the film was 20 at the time, three years older than Jenny Agutter playing her older sister.
* SceneryPorn: Plenty of beautiful shots of the English countryside.
* StepfordSmiler: Implied with the mother, especially in the film. One scene has Bobbie coming downstairs and hearing her mother crying in the living room.
* SuppressedMammaries
* TearJerker: "Wouldn't Daddy have loved this?"
* TooSoon: ITV pulled their airing of the remake three days after the Ufton Nervet rail crash in 2004.
----
