North West Frontier

A Hindu Maharajah asks Captain Scott to transport his young son to safety. The plan is to move Kishan to the Governor's residence in Haserabad as unrest swells on the North West Frontier. Scott prepares to escort Kishan with Mrs. Wyatt and the governor's support.

On arrival at Haserabad, Scott sees locals leaving on the last train to Kalapur. The outer wall is threatened and the railway yard sits under rebel pressure. The decision is made to load the group onto the Empress of India and depart.

The Empress of India is discovered, an old engine with its driver Gupta. It is readied to haul the group away from Haserabad toward Kalapur. This old engine becomes their lifeline in a dangerous escape.

Captain Scott quietly loads the passengers onto the Empress, including Mrs. Wyatt, Kishan, Mr. Peters, Mr. Bridie, Lady Wyndham, two NCOs, and the enigmatic Van Leyden. They hope to slip away before the rebels tighten their grip. The tension among the travelers is high as they prepare to move.

The Empress begins to move downhill, but its whistle draws the rebels closer. Gupta pushes the engine hard and fractures the outer gate to escape the yard. The old locomotive fights to gain the open track with the rebels closing behind.

Later that morning, they encounter a refugee train massacred by the rebels. Mrs. Wyatt disobeys orders and goes ashore to search for survivors, finding a baby hidden among his mother's body. The moment underscores the peril they face and her stubborn resolve.

The next morning, a track section is blown and rebel heliographs signal from a mountain summit. The passengers repair the line under heavy gunfire while Gupta tends to his wounds. The peril of pursuit remains constant as they push toward Kalapur.

During a stop to refill the engine's water, Van Leyden lets Kishan stand near the spinning flywheel, a dangerous moment. Scott notices the peril and keeps the prince at a safe distance. Van Leyden's unsettling behavior plants the seed of the later threat.

At night, Van Leyden again approaches Kishan in a sinister fashion, watched by Lady Wyndham. The tension grows as the threat to the child becomes more direct. The leader must maintain control of the situation.

The train reaches a bomb-damaged viaduct and crosses a fragile section by lightening the load along a rail. Van Leyden nearly causes Kishan's death again, but Scott arrests him and Gupta guides the train across. The crisis at the bridge tests the crew's resolve.

Inside a tunnel, Van Leyden uses a Maxim to hold passengers at bay while proclaiming loyalty to the Muslim cause. Kishan stays safe in the locomotive cab, and Scott confronts Van Leyden on the carriage roof after Bridie knocks him off balance. The standoff escalates before the outcome is decided.

Mrs. Wyatt shoots Van Leyden just as he is about to kill Scott. The rebels press the attack but are halted when the Empress enters a long hillside tunnel. The survivors press on toward safety despite the danger behind them.

The Empress emerges from the hillside tunnel and reaches Kalapur, where the train is met by a Hindu entourage. Gupta is taken to hospital and Lady Wyndham learns that her husband is safe. The escape finally yields a hard-won sense of relief.

At Kalapur station, Prince Kishan is welcomed by his Hindu entourage. Gupta receives medical care for his wounds, and Lady Wyndham is reassured that the governor is safe. The city starts to recover from the ordeal while the prince begins his uncertain future.

Scott quotes Kipling about living bravely and luck, acknowledging Kishan's future and his own departure with Mrs. Wyatt. The moment hints at a fragile peace after their perilous journey. The film closes on a note of duty and resilience on the frontier.