Tag Archives: Railway Girls

SUNDAY SCENE: MAISIE THOMAS ON HER FAVOURITE SCENE FROM A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE FOR THE RAILWAY GIRLS

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What could be more Christmassy than a children’s party? In the latest book in The Railway Girls saga series, the friends organise a series of parties to make Christmas extra special. By Christmas 1942, following the victory at El-Alamein, there was a new sense of hope in the air, but there were still severe shortages to contend with at home.

At Miss Brown’s suggestion, some ancient curtains had been borne down from the attics and the WVS had cut them up and sewn them into velvet and chintz sashes for the children.

‘Some will have party clothes and others won’t,’ said Miss Brown. ‘This way, everyone gets something special to wear and afterwards it can all go to salvage.’

One set of red velvet curtains had been used to make a Father Christmas suit for Kenneth. One of the WVS ladies produced a curly white wig, which she allowed Cordelia to chop up and turn into a beard. Last year, Kenneth would never have offered to dress up in this way. He had been far too much of a stuffed shirt. It brought home to Cordelia that she wasn’t the only one who had changed.

She couldn’t have been more delighted with how the party went. From the moment she saw the children walk into Darley Court’s grand entrance hall, where their eyes popped open at the sight of the holly-bedecked bannisters, mantelpiece and hearth, and the two huge flags hanging proudly symbolising the friendship of two great nations, she knew the afternoon was going to be everything she’d hoped for.

She had asked if a piano could be provided.

‘But I never expected a baby grand,’ she whispered to Persephone.

Persephone grinned. ‘This is Darley Court, you know. Only the best for our guests.’

Persephone and Alison took turns to belt out popular tunes, ‘Run, Rabbit, Run’ for musical chairs, ‘It’s a Hap-Hap Happy Day’ for pass the parcel and ‘(We’re Gonna Hang Out) The Washing on the Siegfried Line’ for railway stations.

The Americans, bless their generous hearts, had provided heaps of chocolate bars. Not only could every game have first, second and thirds prizes, but there were going to be enough left over for every child to have one to take home.

While hunt the thimble was in progress, to the accompaniment of ‘Bless ’Em All’, Cordelia and her team of helpers put out the sandwiches and fairy cakes in the next room. The food might not be Christmassy, but the room was decorated and one of the land girls was going to play carols while the children tucked in.

Once all the sandwiches and little cakes had been demolished, there was a loud knock on the door.

‘Who’s that?’ asked the children, looking round.

‘Is it Father Christmas?’ asked one tot.

‘No, honey, it’s the US Army,’ announced a handsome young American soldier, walking in, followed by more soldiers, much to the delight of the children – and also, Cordelia noticed, to the delight of the women helping. Cordelia’s heart sank. Yes, the arrival of the soldiers was exciting, but was Kenneth in his guise as Father Christmas going to be upstaged?

Persephone called for silence.

‘In a moment, I’m going to ask all the children to stand up and tuck their chairs under, so we can walk outside in a nice line, because we’ve got a special visitor.’

Cordelia frowned. This wasn’t part of her plan.

Everybody trooped outside and there, coming up the drive, was an American jeep in the back of which was a big chair and sitting on it was –

‘Father Christmas!’ shouted the children, jumping up and down in excitement. ‘It’s Father Christmas.’

A little girl tugged at Cordelia’s hand. ‘Is he the American Father Christmas? Is he different to our Father Christmas?’

But Cordelia was too choked with tears of pride to answer.

 

THE RAILWAY GIRLS IN LOVE AND THE CHALLENGE OF WRITING THE BOOK

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“What was the most challenging aspect of writing The Railway Girls in Love?” That’s what Jane Cable asked me. I imagine she – and you – think maybe it was difficulties with the plot. But no. The plot was sorted out eighteen months previously. The book is part of a series, you see, and I have to be on top of the plot at all times, and that includes knowing what is going to happen in future books.

Maybe, then, you’re wondering if there was a particular character I found tricky to put on the page. Again, no. Having already written two books about my Railway Girls, I feel I know them inside out.

What, then, was the most challenging thing? Was it when my editor mistakenly sent me the wrong version of the track-change document for editing? Nope. That ended up meaning that I had two track-change documents open side by side, but it couldn’t be described as a challenge.

The most challenging thing – and I can’t begin to describe how I struggled to cope – was that The Railway Girls in Love was my spring 2020 lockdown novel – and the public library was shut. If I tell you that all but a few scenes of both The Railway Girls and Secrets of the Railway Girls were written in the local library, you’ll perhaps start to understand why the library closure posed a problem. For me, writing is about discipline, and discipline is about routine – and my routine was to go to the library every morning and knuckle down to work. I was astonished by how hard I found it to work at home. It’s not as though I live in a madcap household full of noise and disruption – quite the opposite. I can’t explain it. All I can say is I found it remarkably tough to work at home instead of tucked away in my little corner of the library.

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And now, dear Frost reader, you may be asking why I asked Maisie Thomas that particular question. It was because the more I thought about The Railway Girls books, the more I realised they were about the challenges these women faced. It could be said that is the essence of a saga – the increasing obstacles heaped on the characters, who have to beat them all to find their happy ending.

That could all sound rather grim. As could living through wartime Manchester with its air raids, worries about dear ones at home and abroad, and all the suffering and privations that entails. But The Railway Girls in Love, although dramatic at times, poignant at others, is a genuinely uplifting read as these vastly different women help each other and themselves to live out their hopes and resolve their fears.

The third book in the series, this one brings the stories of Joan, Mabel and Dot to resolution with a happy ever after for one of them (as much as can be achieved in wartime, that is) and at the very least happy for nows for the others. It has recently been announced there will be more Railway Girls books (hooray!), focussing on three of the other characters, but I can’t help thinking there is still more to tell about these three too.

I am sure you can tell I am a huge fan of these books. Why? Rich in research, with period detail woven into the story rather than distracting from it, writing that carries you along without you even noticing it. Add to that characters you really care about and gripping plot lines, they really are the most accomplished and enjoyable books.

 

The Railway Girls in Love is published by Arrow on 15th April.