The film, which was shown in schools all over Great Britain, is based around a young boy suffering a disfiguring and/or fatal accident when he trespasses on a railway line, with three different versions being made to demonstrate the dangers of both electrified and non-electrified lines.

When it was first released, all three versions were narrated and introduced by Peter Purves, later replaced by Keith Chegwin when the films were revised.

Robbie was written and directed by Ronald Dunkley and produced by James Ritchie.

All three variants of the film show Robbie, a young boy of about 8 years old with a keen interest in both trains and football, being persuaded by his elder brother Bert to climb through a hole in the fence surrounding a nearby railway line and go onto the track.

The final shot is of his football boots, which he will now never need again, hanging up on the back of his bedroom door at home.