The coming of the railway is the most spectacular and exciting thing Jem has ever seen. But not everyone is so enthusiastic. People don't like change, and they certainly don't like the rough gangs of navvies hanging around. But for Jem and his sister, Kate, there's nothing they can do - they're caught up in the middle of the hatred and uneasiness that is surrounding the village. Can they dissolve the tension before it erupts into violence?