THE RAILWAY CHILDREN - MORAL VALUE
There are some beautiful moral values / lessons we can see
and learn from this novel. The moral values / lessons are :
BRAVE, KINDHEARTED, STEALING IS WRONG,
PERSEVERANCE (NEVER GIVING UP), SENSIBLE (QUICK
THINKING), SENSITIVE (NOT SELFISH), HONESTY and
FRIENDLY.
Moral Value 1 - Brave
Example : In chapter 5, the children
managed to save the train and stop a
very bad accident from happening.
One day, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis saw a landslide
which blocked the railway line.The girls used their red
petticoats to make flags.The train was moving very fast.
Bobbie braved herself and ran on to the railway line and
waved her flags. The train finally stopped just twenty metres
from Bobbie. The children's bravery saved the people on the
train from meeting with an awful accident and from getting
killed.

Moral Value 2 - Kindhearted
Example : In chapter 3, the children's mother
was ill and had to stay in bed. Dr Forrest came to
check on their mother and told Bobbie her
mother needed milk and fruit and some other
special things to eat in order to get well. They
couldn't afford to buy them, so the children
decided to ask help from the old gentleman. they
wrote a letter to the old gentleman. The old
gentleman was a kind enough to provide them with all the
things they had asked and some they had not.
Moral Value 3 - Stealing Is Wrong
Example : In chapter 2, Peter and his two sisters
stole some coal from the station yard. They took
the coal back to their house.One day, the station
master caught Peter red handed stealing coal in
the station yard.Peter and his two sisters admitted
to helping Peter with his crime. The station master
warned them not to repeat it again and let them go.
The children realised that stealing was wrong.
They repented and never took any coal from the station yard
again.
Moral Value 4 - Being Good To Others
Example : In chapter 6, the children wanted
to surprise Perks with a birthday.Perks had
stopped celebrating his birthdays due to
poverty and family commitments.Perks was
good to Roberta,Peter and Phyllis. As a way to
repay his goodness, they joined hands to give

him a nice birthday.So, they went around the village asking
people to help them give Perks a memorable birthday.Many
donated nice things for his birthday. Although at first Perks
was not happy but the kindness and goodness of his
neighbours and the children touched his heart.In the end, he
relented and celebrated his birthday happily with them.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN -SYNOPSIS
Roberta(Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis lived in a
comfortable home in London. Their father was a civil
servant while their mother was a housewife.Their
parents were wonderful and kind people. They also
had a maid to do the house work.
One day, two gentlemen came to the house to see
their father. Soon after, he followed them out.He
was taken to prison. He was accused of being a
Russian spy. The children did not know why their
father left with the two men but their mother knew.
She kept it to herself and did not tell the children.

Soon, they had to move to a
modest cottage in the Yorkshire countryside. The cottage was
situated near a railway station. The children's life revolved
around the passing trains, workers at the station and the towns
people.
Their mother wrote some stories to earn some money to buy
food and for other necessities. It was hard at first to be poor
but they soon learned to live with the little they had.
They learned not to steal coal from the railway station even if
they have so little coal to keep warm. Their life was full of
adventures. For instance, they managed to stop a train when a
landslide covered the tracks. They found the injured boy
(hound) in the train tunnel and managed to get help for him.
They liked to wave at passing trains. In time they made many
new friends and forged a special friendship with one old
gentleman in particular. The old gentleman gets to know them
and helps them in various ways.
He becomes instrumental in the release of their father from
prison.Finally, one day their father returns home and
everybody is happy that now they are together again.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN-CHARACTER
ROBERTA (BOBBIE)
Roberta is 12 years old. She has a brother named Peter and a
younger sister named Phyllis.She is fondly known as Bobbie
in this novel. She is the eldest of the three. One of her
characters is, she is a very persistent person.She doesn't easily
throw in the towel when the odds seem to be against her.
There are many incidences in the novel where we can see her
persistence. For example, in chapter 3 (page 17 - paragraph 5
- lines 1-3),we can see how determined she was in getting the
things necessary for her mother's recovery when her mother

was ill. Her persistence paid off when the old gentleman
gave the things needed for her mother's recovery.
In chapter 6 (page 38 - read the whole page), Perks was not
happy with people giving him presents.He was worried
that people would laugh and make fun of him.Bobbie
persistently reasoned with Perks about the good intentions of
the village people giving him the presents untill he relented
and accepted the gifts.Finally, Perks celebrated his birthday
with a happy note.
In chapter 7 (pg 42 - the whole page), she did not give up in
finding a way to help secure her father's release from prison.
She was persistent even when her mother had given up.
She secretly wrote a letter to her friend the old gentleman
asking for his help to clear her father's name.In the end her
father was released from prison.
*Brave - Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
*Kindhearted - Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 8
*Responsible - Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
*Moral - we must not easily give up when things seem impossible. We must keep trying by finding
means and ways to make the impossible possible like Roberta.
PETER
Peter is Roberta's brother. He is the second
child in the family. Peter is a very brave and smart young
chap. He wants to be an engineer when he grows up. He has a

knack for railway engines. He was overjoyed when his father
gave him a steam engine for his birthday.
One distinct character of Peter is sharp-witted(intelligent).In
Chapter 5 (p29 - p4 - lines 1-3), It was he who gave the idea
of using something red in colour to wave and stop the train
from meeting a certain disaster.He cut his sisters' red
petticoats into six pieces and put them on to sticks.Peter
together with his sisters waved at the coming train until it
stopped.
In Chapter 6 (pg 36 - p1 - lines 1-3), Peter was honest in
giving the idea of asking the village people to give gifts for
Perk's birthday.He told his mother about their true intention of
giving Perks the presents.Many people gave gifts for Perks
birthday party.
In Chapter 2 (pg 12 - p 3 - lines 1-3), we can see
the daring side of Peter. He was daring enough to steal coal
from the railway station at night but he did itignorantly.
Peter innocently thought it was alright to take some coal from
the station.
In Chapter 8 (p46 - p1 - lines 1-4 / pg 47 - p2 - lines 1-4), we
can see how bravePeter was in searching for the boy in the red
shirt in the dark tunnel.He was shaking in fear but still he
continued the search for the boy with his sisters.
PHYLLIS

Phyllis is the youngest child in the family. She is the cutest of
the three.She is quite a bubbly character. She is very naive and
insecure.She is also very sensitive but easily forgiving.
In Chapter 5 (p29,30 & 31), we can see the brave side of
Phyllis. She together with her elder sister and brother managed
to stop the train from meeting with a terrible accident.
In Chapter 1 (p7 - p1 - last line), Phyllis felt very insecure
when they moved in to their new house at the countyside.
While in Chapter 6 (pg 38 - p1&2),Phyllis became very
sensitive when Perks refused to accept the gifts the children
had brought to him. She was so hurt by Perks's words that she
started to cry.
In Chapter 4,5,6 and 8 we can see how loving, caring and
helpful Phyllis is.
MOTHER

Mother is a homely type.We can read this
in Chapter 1 (page 1 - paragraph 2 - lines 1-3). She spends
most of her time at home, playing with the children or reading
stories to them.Usually she read the stories she wrote to
them.She is a very protective woman. She protected her
children from worrying or feeling sad about their father. She
did this by not telling them what actually had happened to
their father. She also told them that they need to play being
poor for a while in order not to cause more anxiety on them.
In chapter 2 (p12 - pg 1 - lines 2-3), we can see how
resourceful she is. Mother wrote stories and sold them to put
some food on the table.
In chapter 4 (p21 - pg 3 - lines 1-3), we can see that Mother is
a very proud person. Although they were poor, she strongly
discourages her children from telling people that they are poor
and asking strangers to help them.
She is also a very caring and loving Mother.In Chapter 1 (p1 -
p2 - lines 1-3),Mother was always ready to play with her
chlidren. She also read stories to them.
Whereas in Chapter 9 ( p53 - p1 - lines 2-4), she taught her
children their lessons as they have stopped going to school for
some time now.
In Chapter 8 (p50 - p1 - lines 8-9) , she took in the injured boy
into her house and nursed him to health.

FATHER
The children's father worked in a government
ofiice. He was a civil servant. He was an honest and
hardworking man. He was wrongly accused of being a
Russian spy and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
In Chapter 1 (pg 1 - p 3 - lines 2-4),we can see how tolerant
and wonderful he is. He never gets angry at the children nor at
his wife. The children love their father very much for he is
always happy and ready to play games with them.
In Chapter 1 (pg 3 - p1 - lines 1-3), when Peter showed him
his broken steam engine, father looked at
it carefully and smilingly told Peter that there is
hope(optimistic) that his steam engine could be repaired.He is
also a grateful man.
In Chapter 9 (pg 57 - "Yes',said Father.'It's him I must
thank.'). Father wasgrateful for his release and wanted
to thank the old gentleman for helping him to clear his name
and secure his release from prison.
PERKS
A Railway Porter
Friendly, Proud, Hardworking, Reasonable, Responsible
OLD GENTLEMAN
Friendly, Helpful, Kind, Resourceful

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN - Birthday For Perks

Bobbie,Peter and Phyllis wanted to give
Perks a nice birthday surprise. First, they wanted to make him
some cakes. Later, Peter came up with a special idea to
celebrate Perks's birthday. They went around the village to
ask people if they wanted to give Perk's presents for his
birthday. Some people were happy to give while some were
not.
People gave things like - a pipe, a tin of tea, a walking stick
and some gave some small presents.The old gentleman gave a
pound.Even grudgy old Mrs Ransome gave some red apples
and a pram. The children were happy and put all the presents
in the pram and pushed it to Perks's house.
Mrs Perks was really surprised with all the presents people
had given Perks. The children hid in a room and wanted to
surprise Perks.But to their surprise Perks was not happy but
felt offended.
Perks was a proud man. He didn't want people to laugh at him.
He did not want people in the village to think that he can't take
care of his family and they had to give him things. Bobbie
explained to Perks their reason for celebrating his birthday.

She told him all the good things people thought about him. At
the end, Perks finally realised his mistake and celebrated his
birthday with his wife, his children, Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis.
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M o n d a y , 1 9 M a r c h 2 0 1 2
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN - Saving The Train
One day, Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis saw a land slide happen
right in front of their eyes. The land slide blocked the railway
line below. It was already past 11 o'clock and the 11.29 train
hadn't passed by yet. They wanted to alert the station but there
wasn't enough time. So, they quickly came up with a plan to
alert the train driver.
The girls took off their red petticoats and cut them into six
pieces. They put them on to sticks. They had six red flags.
They pushed two of the flags into heaps of stones between the
lines. Bobbie and Phyllis each took one.Peter took the other
two.They stood beside the railway line ready to wave. After a
long time they heard the train coming.
The children waved thier flags frantically. The train came
very,very fast. Suddenly, Bobbie ran on to the line. Peter
shouted at her to get back but she did not move from the line.
She waved and waved her flags, shouting 'Stop, stop!' as the
big black engine came towards her. Finally, the train stopped
twenty metres from Bobbie. Peter and Phyllis quickly ran and
told the train driver about the landslide.Bobbie froze on the
tracks because of fright and just sat down on the ground.
At last the children managed to save the train from meeting
with an accident.The eventful day was known as the 'red-
petticoat day'.

A few weeks later, they were presented with a beautiful gold
watch each by the Northern and Southern Railway Company
at the station. Many people were there including the people
who had been on the train on the 'red-petticoat day'. The
watches were as a gesture of thanks for their brave and
sensible deed on the 'red-petticoat day'.
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S u n d a y , 4 M a r c h 2 0 1 2
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN - Bobbie's Ride
It was Bobbie's birthday, she was now 12 years old. Her
mother, Phyllis,and Peter prepared a surprise birthday party
for her.Bobbie received some very nice presents from them
and from Mrs Viney. Peter gave her half of his toy steam
engine. Bobbie took the broken half of the steam engine. She
wanted to get it mended.
The next day, Bobbie went down to the railway alone. She
wanted to ask the driver of the train to help her fix Peter's
broken toy train.Bobbie had never been close to a train's
engine before.
Bobbie climbed on to the step of the engine.The train started
to move and she fell on to a heap of coal. She cried for help
but the driver and the fireman did not see nor hear her. She put
out her hand and touched the driver's arm. He was shocked to
see her. He shouted at her demanding to know what was she
doing there.
Bobbie started to cry and the men were worried. They took
several minutes to calm her down. Later, they asked her gently
what was she doing there. Bobbie took out the the toy engine
and asked if they could help her fix it. The men agreed to help
her. Bobbie was very happy and thanked them.

SPM DIRECTED WRITING - INFORMAL LETTER
2010 : Your cousin has been chosen to take part in the
National Service Programme and is worried about going.
You have decided to write a letter to tell him/her about
the benefits of this programme and to encourage
your cousin to go.
(Your Name & Address)
Ginny Han
5, Jalan Tun Perak,
50050 Kuala Lumpur.
(Date)
10 OCTOBER 2010.
(Salutation)
Dear Sam,

(Introduction)
How are you? I hope you are in the pink of health. I was
thrilled when I got your letter. I read your letter eagerly .To be
honest, I had mixed feelings after reading your letter. One was
of happiness while the other was of sadness. Happy that you
got chosen to go for the National Service Programme. On the
other hand, sad , seeing how worried you are to join this
programme. I have penned this letter to encourage you to go
for this programme.
(Body 1)
Benefit 1 - One main point
- Two / Three supporting details
- Close
(Body 2)
Benefit 2 - One main point
- Two / Three supporting details
- Close
(Body 3)
Benefit 3 - One main point
- Two / Three supporting details
- Close
(Closing)
I hope my reasoning will convince you to go for this National
Service Programme. To be honest with you, I am a bit jealous
that I was not chosen for the programme. I surely would trade
places with you if I could. I will keep my fingers crossed that

you will take my advice and join this programme. Bye and
have fun.
Your Cousin,
(Your Signature)
* [Name] is optional in Infromal Letter. It means you
can choose to write your name or ignore it.