The Railway Children characters

Also known as Bobbie

Appears from the start

The eldest of three children in a comfortable London family. Thoughtful and observant, she tries to steady Peter and Phyllis when their father suddenly disappears and their mother moves them to a country cottage. She is the first to sense that the adults are hiding a serious trouble from them.

Appears from the start

Bobbie's younger brother, an energetic boy who likes engines, engineering, and taking the lead. He can be impulsive and proud, and the loss of the family's former comforts weighs on him even as the move to the country promises new things to explore.

Appears from the start

The youngest of the three siblings. Phyllis is affectionate, imaginative, and apt to say exactly what she thinks. Her literal questions and unexpected observations often expose what the older children are trying to leave unsaid.

Appears from the start

The children's resourceful mother. After her husband's unexplained absence, she takes the family to Three Chimneys and supports them by writing stories. She insists that their reduced means are not a disgrace and shields the children from the full cause of the upheaval.

Appears from the start

The children's loving father, whose work concerns government affairs. He is taken away after a tense visit from two strangers, leaving his family with no explanation that the children can understand.

First appears in chapter 2

A porter at the nearby station whom the children meet while exploring the railway. Gruff in manner but approachable, he knows the practical rules of the line and is willing to answer their many questions.

First appears in chapter 3

An elderly gentleman who regularly travels on the morning train. The children wave to him from beside the line, and he begins to return their greeting, though at first they know nothing about him beyond his friendly face at a carriage window.

First appears in chapter 2

The stationmaster, responsible for the railway property and the safe running of the station. He is stern when he catches Peter taking coal, but listens to the boy's explanation and treats an honest confession fairly.

First appears in chapter 5

A distressed Russian writer whom the children encounter at the station. He speaks little English and has been separated from his wife and child after suffering imprisonment and exile for his political beliefs.

First appears in chapter 11

A schoolboy taking part in a paper chase near the railway. Wearing the red jersey of the pursuing group, he enters the tunnel with the other runners and fails to emerge, prompting Bobbie, Peter, and Phyllis to search for him.