The Railway Children · Chapter
The End explained
Life at Three Chimneys changes after the old gentleman visits his grandson.
What happens
Life at Three Chimneys changes after the old gentleman visits his grandson. The children resume waving to the 9:15 train, and the old gentleman arranges for all passengers to wave back, hinting at good news. Bobbie feels something momentous is about to happen and encounters unusually kind greetings from townspeople. The chapter concludes with the family adjusting to a new routine with servants and Mother having more time for lessons and play.
Themes in this chapter
Kindness and Community
The entire community—from the old gentleman to the draper's boy and the blacksmith—shows unexpected warmth and support to the children, signaling a collective joy.
Childhood Innocence and Adventure
The children's ritual of waving to the train and their imaginative interpretations of the passengers' waves highlight their innocent wonder and sense of adventure.
Characters to notice
- Roberta (Bobbie)
Senses something significant is about to happen; feels restless and seeks solitude; goes to the station to talk to Perks.
- Peter
Teases Phyllis about her bootlace; runs to wave at the 9:15; comments on the unusual waving from the train.
- Phyllis
Suggests resuming waving to the train; has trouble with her bootlace and stocking suspender.
- Mother
Now has time for lessons and play; writes rhymes for the children; notices Bobbie's distress and lets her off lessons.
- The Old Gentleman
Arranges for all passengers on the 9:15 to wave at the children; visits his grandson Jim, changing life at Three Chimneys.
- Perks
Greets Bobbie warmly with a newspaper; expresses joy at seeing something in the paper.
Key passages
“The thing I don’t like,” said Bobbie, on this fourth day, which was a Tuesday, “is our having stopped waving to the 9:15 and sending our love to Father by it.””
Bobbie expresses regret that they stopped waving to the morning train and sending their love to their father.
Shows the children's ongoing emotional connection to their father through the train ritual.
“To the children it almost seemed as though the train itself was alive, and was at last responding to the love that they had given it so freely and so long.”
The children felt as if the train was finally acknowledging the affection they had always shown it.
Highlights the children's personification of the train and their deep emotional investment.
“I feel just exactly as if something was going to happen.”
Bobbie has a strong premonition that an important event is about to occur.
Foreshadows the impending revelation or change in the story.