Secure your seats aboard the Railway Children steam train special pulling into Coleraine's Riverside Theatre

Many people of a certain age will be familiar with the original film of The Railway Children. Generations grew up with it – this 1970 film, starring Jenny Agutter as Bobbie, was often shown on television at holiday periods. It was heartwarming and emotional fare.

In 2000, ITV made a new adaption, as a ‘made for television’ film. This time Jenny Agutter played the role of Mother. The film also starred Gregor Fisher as Perks, the Stationmaster. In all The Railway Children has been adapted for television and film six times.

Playwright Mike Kenny penned a stage adaption of Edith Nesbit’s 1906 novel which was staged by York Theatre Royal at the National Railway Museum, York, in 2008 and 2009. The play featured a 60 tonne Sterling Single steam engine and was a massive success before transferring to Waterloo Station, London for two seasons in 2010 and 2011, again featuring a vintage steam train.

The play subsequently transferred to King’s Cross Railway Station, London in 2014 where it played until 2017.

Ballywillan’s Director, Brian Logan, said: “We are staging exactly the same play, exactly the same text and in the same way as Mike Kenny intended. The only difference is that we do not have a 60 tonne vintage steam locomotive.

"That does not matter. As the author Mike Kenny explained ‘You don’t need a real train to perform this play. The most powerful prop we have is the imagination of the audience, and the most effective tool the skill of the actors. You can make people see things that are not there’.”

The cast is led by the actors playing the actual Railway Children: Chloe Freeman-Wallace as Bobbie (Roberta), Patrick Connor as Peter and Kellyann McKillen as Phyllis. Many other stalwarts of Ballywillan Drama Group make up the rest of the principal cast and a full ensemble will support them on stage.

Playing for just six performances this eagerly awaited play will run from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12 April in the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine.

So, secure your seats aboard the Railway Children steam train special which will depart Platform One each evening at 7.45pm from 8 April!

Booking at www.riversidetheatre.org.uk