The children’s classic that became an favourite family film, the 1970 version of The Railway Children, now has a sequel, with a new story, a new cast - and a familiar face. And Jenny Agutter, who reprises her role of Bobbie from the original, says that The Railway Children Return is more than a sequel. It’s a film for now.

The Railway Children Return is in UK cinemas from 15 July.

Video transcript

FREDA COOPER: There's so many references in this sequel to the original. Why do you feel it was important to stay close to that first film?

JENNY AGUTTER: I think the link is a good one. I mean, you could have made a film about railway children completely separately. But I think being able to actually look at the past and look at 1905 pre first World War, bring it to the Second World War allows you to see what history actually does and how worlds change.

And I think that's important today to see how we've moved on. But we're still affected enormously by those two wars. And we're affected by war again today. And so it's a different time. And it allows us to bring all those different periods together, I think.

JOHN BRADLEY: I think that we tried to make it-- we tried to make it a homage. We also tried to update certain issues in it and make it a relevant watch in 2022. But I think that the script has got a lightness of touch to it where those references are there if the original. But I think seeing the original isn't necessarily a prerequisite to getting something out of this film as well. We hope that it will make people go back and watch the original again. But I think this stands up perfectly well as a film in its own right.