• The Railway Children

  • By: E. Nesbit
  • Narrated by: Virginia Leishman
  • Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (692 ratings)

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The Railway Children  By  cover art

The Railway Children

By: E. Nesbit
Narrated by: Virginia Leishman
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Publisher's summary

Father has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Now Mother has moved Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis from London to an old English country house. Missing the hustle and bustle of the city, the children are ecstatic to find that their new home is near a railway station. Making friends with both the porter and the station master is great fun. So is waving to a kindly old gentleman who rides through on the 9:15 every morning. When mother gets sick, it is he to whom they turn for help. And later, when a fortunate twist of fate returns their father to them, they are surprised to find the old gentleman involved once again.

Written by an unconventional woman whose friends included H. G. Wells and George Bernard Shaw, this classic has been popular since it was first published almost 100 years ago. Virginia Leishman’s enthusiasm translates these adventuresome children into heroes for modern listeners.

Public Domain (P)1999 Recorded Books

What listeners say about The Railway Children

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent narration

I downloaded the book for a long car ride. It kept my children so engaged they never once asked "When are we going to be there? " We drove over 3 hours without stopping and our youngest is 6. It made the trip very pleasant and were disappointed when the story ended.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Magical family classic.

Though I stumbled upon this story recently, it affected me similarly to Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved story "A Little Princess" did when I read it as a child and reread still. (Audible has an unabridged recording of that title narrated equally well by Virginia Leishman.) It's a delightful story, beautifully and gently told in the time of British trains that will appeal to readers young and old.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enchanting Performance

This was a delightful performance of an enchanting book. This is one to snuggle in with children or grandchildren and set out adventure after adventure, where all comes right in the end. I loved this as a child and it is still a great antidote for bad days!

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6 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Nice for children

Sweet story, good narration. It might be a bit tame for kids in today's fast paced, hi-tech world, but maybe it's not a bad thing to be reminded of a more innocent time.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Delightful

I throughly enjoyed this book, which holds up well against the passage of time. At its core, the tale is one of trying to do good for everyone who crosses your path and holding a family together despite injustice & financial woes. The ending is a happy one for all involved, so I'll probably be reading this one to my grandkids

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Justice Triumphs

Have seen this movie several times, but reading the book gives more details. Great for kids.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Delightful

What a delightful old story of mutual family love and respect as told through three young children

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Lovely!

What a lovely story! It may be best suited for the younger crowd. However, the whole family listened to it during our most recent road trip and enjoyed it. The narrator’s voice was pleasant and easy to understand, a joy to listen to, actually. I am glad I purchased this audiobook.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fit for any age

very clean, the reader did a good job at making you feel apart of story.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely charming book

I absolutely loved this book. It brings back fond memories of reading The Secret Garden. The author does such a wonderful job with each and every character. The narrator is subtle and I love that she doesn’t try to force her self to change her voice for the different characters. You can tell that the narrator knows that the author did such a wonderful job separating each character that huge voice changing is not necessary and allows for the story to flow gracefully. I recommend this book for anyone who loves books similar to Little Women, The Secret Garden, and Black Beauty. The classics never fail to prevail!

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1 person found this helpful