The villagers of Titfield love the convenience their small local branch line railway offers, so when its notice of closure is posted there is uproar.

British Railways, however - and particularly the small local firm it has signed a deal with to begin a bus service instead - has reckoned without the will of the villagers.

The local squire, whose ancestors built the line, is not willing to let his family heritage go without a fight and soon, with the support of the vicar, various other influential Titfielders and wealthy eccentric Mr Valentine, mounts a bid to buy the stretch of track into the nearby town of Mallingford and run it themselves.

Awarded a one-month trial of the running of the line by the responsible government department, the villagers of Titfield are overjoyed with their new full-size train set: but the newly created bus company aren't going to let their new monopoly slip through their fingers without a fight.