THE play now arriving at Waterloo Station is The Railway Children from York.

Damian Cruden’s award-winning co-production for York Theatre Royal and the National Railway Museum (NRM) will transfer to the Welcome To Yorkshire Theatre at Waterloo from July 4 to September 4, with the possibility of the run being lengthened into the new year.

First performed in the converted freight depot at the NRM in summer 2008 and revived there last summer, Mike Kenny’s adaptation of E Nesbit’s novel will be staged in a newly created theatre space at the old Eurostar terminal at Waterloo.

Welcoming this high-profile transfer, Liz Wilson, the Theatre Royal’s chief executive, says: “We’re very proud that our production of The Railway Children is now travelling to London.

“We proved the enduring appeal of the story with over 50,000 attending the production that we staged with the National Railway Museum, so I have no doubt that it will be a huge hit in London. It will be great to see a bit of Yorkshire storming the London stage.”

Damian Cruden will direct the London production, with the cast likely to show changes from the two York runs on account of actors’ prior commitments.

“Bringing The Railway Children to London is very exciting. We’ve had great success with the show over the last two years and it’s a pleasure to share the work with a wider audience,” he says.

“It’s a testimony to all those artists involved over this production’s creation that it has found its way to such a fantastic venue as Waterloo will be. The work undertaken to achieve this project, in partnership with the Touring Consortium, has been complex and challenging and it’s a great achievement.”

The big star of the show, a Stirling Single steam train, will travel from its home at the NRM to take centre stage in the London production.

Sue Dalton, the museum’s cultural planning manager, says: “We’re thrilled that our locomotive, Stirling Single, will be used once again to wow the crowds in this production. Audience feedback told us that Stirling Single’s grand entrance was the highlight of the show for many – and we’re sure she won’t fail to impress at Waterloo Station.”

This summer’s production will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the cherished Yorkshire film that starred Jenny Agutter, Bernard Cribbins, Sally Thomsett and Dinah Sheridan. Lionel Jeffries’ Academy Award-nominated childhood adventure has been digitally restored by Optimum for release on DVD, Blu-Ray and iTunes on May 3.

• The Railway Children will run at the Welcome To Yorkshire Theatre, Waterloo Station, London SE1 from July 4 to September 4 on Mondays and Wednesday to Saturday at 7.30pm; Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm; and Sundays at 1pm and 5pm. The July 4 show will start at 5pm.

• The entrance is to the right of the main entrance to Waterloo Station. Tickets cost £20.50 to £45.50, including a £1 donation to The Railway Children’s Charity, on 0871 2970740. For more details, visit railwaychildrenwaterloo.com