Shields Depot mouse?

[318259]

Hello,

I used to go past Shields Depot on the train every day.

There's a big sign on the side of the building facing that tracks that say (obviously) 'Shields Depot'.

On the sign, there used to be a really detailed picture of a mouse holding a flag. When First took over ScotRail, they took it down and replaced it with their boring purple 'f' logo.

Does anyone know the story behind the mouse on the sign, what it meant, or why it was taken down?

 

[kjhskj75]

Maybe Terence Cuneo painted it.

 

[sprinterguy]

As kjhskj75 says, this will be Terence Cuneo's mouse, which was a trademark that could be found in all of his later paintings. In the 1960s, Terence Cuneo was commissioned to paint a publicity image for the launch of the new class 303 "blue trains", which were based at Shields Road. Years later, Cuneo's famous mouse motif was applied to the side of one of the 303 trains (In 1991, perhaps?).

 

[DaveNewcastle]

One of the East Coast electric sets had (and maybe still has) a mouse pained on its side, and carried the nameplate "Terence Cuneo".

 

[66C]

Was this Shields Roads motif? Motherwell had it leaping salmon and Eastfield its scottie dog.

 

[sprinterguy]

One of the East Coast electric sets had (and maybe still has) a mouse pained on its side, and carried the nameplate "Terence Cuneo".

Indeed, 91011/91111 was named "Terence Cuneo" (re-applied in sticker form under GNER), until the names were removed in National Express days. I didn't think that the painted mouse on the side of the loco survived beyond Intercity days?
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Was this Shields Roads motif? Motherwell had it leaping salmon and Eastfield its scottie dog.

I'm not sure that the Shields Road mouse was as official as the others.

 

[scotraildriver]

The mouse is now above the entrance to the depot offices/canteen.