Seven year old Beth Renshaw has waited three long years for her father to come home from the Second World War. Three year old twins, Susie and Sarah only know their father from a photo on the mantelpiece. It's December 1945 and the war is over, but there is still chaos in Europe. Many families don't know if their loved ones survived. the small family hasn't heard from Corporal Peter Renshaw for many long months. The steam train comes to her small village twice a day bringing soldiers back to loved ones and Beth, her mother and the twins have met many trains, hoping it would be the one to bring him home. The night of Christmas Eve is dark and cold. Snow has fallen and a blizzard has set in, whistling and wailing through the trees.