End of the line after 3,500 mile journey for show tent

The National Railway Museum use a crane to put in the frames to the 1000 seater tent that will house The Railway Children.

Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe. — The National Railway Museum use a crane to put in the frames to the 1000 seater tent that will house The Railway Children. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.

York Theatre Royal will take up a residency at the museum from July 31 to September 5 for the third collaboration of the Olivier-award winning stage adaptation of E. Nesbit’s novel.

More than 24,000 people saw the show at the museum in 2008, and demand was so high it returned the following year.

The purpose built tent, which houses a railway track, platforms for a live 60-tonne steam locomotive, and the Old Gentleman’s Saloon from the 1970 film, has been shipped in from Toronto where it was used in the Canadian production.

The Railway Children starring Peter ( Gary Warren), Bobbie (Jenny Agutter) and Phyliss (Sally Thomsett).

The Railway Children tells the classic story of Edwardian children Roberta, Peter and Phyllis, who move from London to Yorkshire when their father is arrested. Originally published in 1906, the 1970 adaptation was filmed on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

Jim Lowe, head of operations at the museum said: “Having this huge tent going up and the changes in our south yard, is an exciting milestone in this project. The 2008 and 2009 productions at York, and also those in Toronto and London Waterloo, sold out and we are looking forward to welcoming this world class show back home in July.”