In the shadow of Toronto’s CN Tower and downtown sky scrapers, a little bit of Edwardian England is playing out on some disused tracks.

York Theatre Royal’s Olivier Award-winning production of The Railway Children chugged into the new Roundhouse Theatre a week ago, but is already captivating Canadian audiences with its Yorkshire charm, nostalgic set and undisputed star of the show, Vicky.

Vicky is the vintage steam engine on loan from the National Railway Museum. Bringing her to Ontario was no easy feat, admits artistic director Damian Cruden, who has directed the show in York, London’s Waterloo Station and now Toronto.

But transatlantic travel was no obstacle for this 85-ton train – despite a short spell in customs on her way over.

Although the Roundhouse lines are now disused in favour of nearby Union Station, Toronto’s crisscrossing tracks were once the central nervous system of the whole of Canada.

It’s the perfect setting for E Nesbit’s tale of a well-to-do family forced into poverty and sent to live beside a railway line after their father was wrongly jailed for espionage.

Vicky is in good company for her 26-week run here, with several retired Canadian cousins on display outside, and the aptly-named Steam Whistle Brewery next door. Producer Matthew Gale says that as soon as he set foot in the Roundhouse, he knew “this is where it has to be”.

Bad press for the city during last year’s G20 riots made The Railway Children an attractive regeneration prospect for Toronto’s City Hall.

The next task was constructing the $1 million Roundhouse theatre over real tracks; a 1,000-seater tent with air conditioning, heating and toilets.

When The Railway Children finally opened last Tuesday, it was to good ticket sales, a standing ovation and glowing reports from local media.

We saw the 7.30pm press-night performance on Saturday. As the audience sat on opposite platforms, the cast came out to chat, doing a jolly good job of convincing two Yorkshire immigrants they were from England.

In fact, says Damian, they are all Canadian, with most of them acquiring their British accents from watching Coronation Street.

The audience was particularly enamoured with Natasha Greenblatt and Kate Besworth, who play young sisters Roberta and Phyllis, and the women’s hats.

“The actors were fantastic to work with. They were as British actors are; very disciplined and creative,” says Damian.

“They worked hard on their accents and I think have done very well, better than most in the UK would be able to do a Canadian accent. Some do watch Coronation Street and I think that does indeed help.”

While the typically unpredictable Canadian weather hasn’t dampened spirits, there have been acoustic challenges working in a tent, admits Damian.

“The space was very different to ‘tame’, especially with the weather being so bad, and I’ve never had to consider the issues that permafrost raises to presenting theatre,” he said.

Randy Alldread, of Mirvish Productions, reckoned that despite Canadians not being as familiar as we Brits with the story of The Railway Children, the play was going very well with eight performances a week.

“It’s a new commodity here,” he said. “Although it’s a big part of British culture, it’s not as well known here, but everybody seems to be loving it and I think every performance has had a standing ovation.”

• For more details (and tickets!), visit toronto-theatre.com/theatres/roundhouse-theatre/theatre.php