Cecil Parkin travels to the small country railway station of Hatley to take over as its station master. He is pleased to find that his old girl-friend May Blanchflower runs the station buffet, less so that she is now married to porter Jack Skinner. Certain aspects of the station's running leave a lot to be desired but this is as nought compared to the news that new transport minister Doctor Beeching intends to close small stations like Hatley.

At the peaceful country railway station in Hatley, life appears uncomplicated until the day the newspaper arrives with the news that Dr Beeching, the Minister of Transport, is rumoured to be planning to close down a large proportion of the national rail network.