THE trailer for the sequel to much-loved classic film The Railway Children has been released. 

Iconic locations from the first film, including Haworth, The Bronte Parsonage and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, will all feature in The Railway Children Return.

Jenny Agutter, who played Bobbie Waterbury in the original film, will resume her role while Sheridan Smith, Tom Courtenay and Game of Thrones’ John Bradley will also star.

The new generation of Railway Children are Beau Gadsdon, KJ Aikens, Eden Hamilton, Austin Haynes and Zac Cudby.

A BAFTA-award winning line-up is behind the film, with director Morgan Matthews, writer Danny Brocklehurst and producer Jemma Rodgers for Studiocanal.

The film, which will be released in April next year, is described as an “enchanting adventure for a new generation” which will take audiences on a heart-warming journey, in which a group of children are evacuated to a Yorkshire village during World War Two.

The trailer sees the steam train arrive in Oakworth, as Bobbie says she remembers arriving in the village "like it was yesterday" - a moment sure to stir up fond memories for viewers of the original film.

Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus earlier this year, Rodgers admitted the team were “slightly terrified” about making a sequel to such a beloved film, but it’s hoped it will open up a whole new generation of people to the story.

She said: “There’s a huge sense of responsibility, I think we’re all massive fans of the original.

"The story of this film has echoes of the original film and it’s got a contemporary storyline at the heart of it, that hopefully connects us enough to the original film, but also has a lot of interest to a new audience.

“Hopefully what we’re doing will create a new audience for the original film as well. Because we’ve got Jenny, and obviously all the original locations, it feels like a natural progression from the original film.”

She added: “The locations are the whole reason this new film exists. I used to live in Haworth, so I knew it was all here.

"So when I went to StudioCanal, I said we could do a sequel and use all the original locations, they’re all exactly the same as they were. I think people who’ve not been around here, kind of didn’t know that it was all still here. Particularly the stations are even better for 1944 because the livery is more appropriate for 1944 than it was for the original film.” 

And the sequel promises to be filled with just as much heart. Nobody could fail to be moved by the tear-jerking moment when Bobbie cries out ‘daddy, my daddy’ when her father returns and the family are re-united. 

Jemma said: “The whole story of the children having to be moved from their family out to the country and the fact the fathers are at war, there’s a lot of in-built emotion because it’s set in World War Two.

"You forget about the impact that it had for children then to be moved away from their homes. It’s definitely got some teary moments.

"It’s basically about children who have to grow up too fast because of things that grown-ups are in control of, and how they deal with that, which is very similar to the situation we’re in now.”

Jemma said the reaction has been “amazing” and added: “We knew there would be a big pick-up, and I’d always said to people, you have no idea the identity of this film is part of this part of the country and it’s more than just a film.”

She added: “Hopefully we’ve done it proud. My biggest hope is that there’s enough love and emotion and entertainment in this film to make it feel like a natural successor to the original without pretending that we’re ever going to be the original.”