Runaway Railway (1965) – Nostalgia Central

This Children’s Film Foundation (CFF) picture has a group of young railway enthusiasts attempting to stop the closure of the local railway branch line and the scrapping of the steam saddle tank engine Matilda that the heartless, bowler-hatted men from the ministry have decided is past its usefulness.

Charlie (John Moulder-Brown), Arthur (Kevin Bennett), John (Leonard Brockwell) and Carole (Roberta Tovey) attempt to raise money to rescue the Barming branch line, station and Matilda.

They receive unexpected help from a pair of men – Mr Jones (Sydney Tafler) and Mr Galore (Ronnie Barker) – who also claim to be enthusiasts.

The men are, in fact, robbers who plan to rob the express mail train out of Paddington and use Matilda to make their getaway with the loot.

The children discover the truth about Messrs Jones and Galore and after a lengthy chase with the express train – and a comic turn by Graham Stark as a signalman whose attempts to cook sausages for his breakfast are ruined by the mayhem on the tracks – Matilda ends up in London, crashing into buffers at the terminus.

Happy endings abound when the two robbers are arrested and the children persuade Lord Chalk (Gerald Case), to buy the Barming branch line and Matilda with it, thereby keeping it in operation.

Blink and you will miss Jon Pertwee as a Station Master.

Filmed on the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire, the film has all the usual CFF ingredients – an idyllic rural setting, comic adults, bursts of slapstick (including the inevitable sight of a villain falling into a pond) and a gang of industrious children.

Charlie
John Moulder-Brown
Arthur
Kevin Bennett
John
Leonard Brockwell
Carole
Roberta Tovey
Mr Jones
Sydney Tafler
Mr Galore
Ronnie Barker
Grample
Graham Stark
Station Master
Jon Pertwee
Disposals Man
Hugh Lloyd
Waterhouse
Roger Avon
Llewellyn
Bruce Wightman
Lord Chalk
Jack Allen
Lord Chalk’s Assistant
Gerald Case

Director
Jan Darnley-Smith