Station Cats

[nerdowell]

Don't know if they still have one but Whitley Bay or Tynemouth on the T&W Metro had a stately...and quite portly black and white cat who'd sleep outside the shop on the platform. Friendly thing he was

 

[Andy873]

And some power boxes too, judging by the cat that makes a couple of appearances in John Schlesinger's film about Waterloo, "Terminus"

That's a great video, cats or no cats, thanks for sharing it.

Found another one, from The Cornishman, 14.9.1933

Another superb newspaper find. I love how the cat "offered no explanation" and the fact that he didn't just alight from any old carriage, no it had to be the dinning car - wonder how many tit bits he got on his way home!

I'm left now with this vision of cats travelling all over the place by train, nice to see though most were put on a returning train back to the station they came from.

Thanks all.

 

[Andy Pacer]

I spent some time in Lincolnshire, and remember this being reported in the local paper. Someone from the railway was quoted as saying something along the lines 'he has managed to master changing trains, which is more than can be said for some of the passengers'

Shag also has this memorial on platform 1 at Grantham. I don't know if this is where he's buried following his unfortunate incident with a taxi.

 

[weepingwillowb]

A very sad one in 1921. At Dawlish station an express train ran into a goods train; amazingly no-one was injured, but when the wreckage was cleared away, the body of a small white cat with grey spots was found.

A happier cat at Achanalt on the Kyle of Lochalsh line, 1934.
​

 

[edwin_m]

A very sad one in 1921. At Dawlish station an express train ran into a goods train; amazingly no-one was injured, but when the wreckage was cleared away, the body of a small white cat with grey spots was found.

View attachment 168541
​

I'd say that's a little unfair on the cat - far more likely it was in what was normally a place of safety and caught up in the wreckage of the collision.

 

[ainsworth74]

Re-opened for @Crossover to give us an update on one of the networks station cats.

 

[Crossover]

Thanks @ainsworth74

It has been posted on their social media this morning that Bolt, the station cat at Huddersfield station has "taken a retirement package" and has left the station on Sunday for the final time to go and live with Jacqui, his station Mum (who I believe was pivotal in the station acquiring Felix a number of years ago) and Buddy (Jacqui's cat I think)

The decision has been taken due to the extensive works that are taking place at the station as part of TRU (TransPennine Route Upgrade) works and that the station will be a building site for the next couple of years, having already been one for the last two years too and that staying at the station would be too confusing and stressful for Bolt

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks @ainsworth74

It has been posted on their social media this morning that Bolt, the station cat at Huddersfield station has "taken a retirement package" and has left the station on Sunday for the final time to go and live with Jacqui, his station Mum (who I believe was pivotal in the station acquiring Felix a number of years ago) and Buddy (Jacqui's cat I think)

The decision has been taken due to the extensive works that are taking place at the station as part of TRU (TransPennine Route Upgrade) works and that the station will be a building site for the next couple of years, having already been one for the last two years too and that staying at the station would be too confusing and stressful for Bolt

This is a really important update - thanks for posting!

Buddy regularly visits the station so presumably those trips out are going to be on hold for a while.

 

[mike57]

It has been posted on their social media this morning that Bolt, the station cat at Huddersfield station has "taken a retirement package"

A shame, but probably a sensible decision.

Just down the line at Manchester Victoria badly needs the services of a station cat. I was sat on the platform in the rush waiting for my train and there were multiple mice running about the platform much to the consternation of a few of the passengers.

Cats are still a good way to control rodents, as well as hunting them the mere presence of cat seems to act as a deterrent. The goto method these days seems to be poison, which accumulates in and harms the very things that will help reduce the population that you want rid of. I take the reassuances given with repect to poison with a pinch of salt, however careful and targeted you think you are wildlife will always find a way. The second scenario is a poisoned but not dead rodent being eaten by whatever is preying on them.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Gipsy Hill had a station cat called Fanny (I know) until about a decade ago. Of late I have seen a little black cat starting to claim the down platform at Honor Oak Park as its territory.

My Dad swears by a story from the 1989s that he was on the northern line platform at Bank and a cat walked out of the tunnel.

 

[Cletus]

There's a cat at Gipsy Hill called Fanny that's still tweeting.

https://twitter.com/TheGipsyHillCat

 

[Sad Sprinter]

There's a cat at Gipsy Hill called Fanny that's still tweeting.

https://twitter.com/TheGipsyHillCat

That’s good she’s still going, she must be getting on a bit now

 

[frankmoh]

A long time ago now I remember often seeing a stray cat at Elmers End who I also used to see on my street. Seemed to be capable of walking up the stairs over the footbridge too. This was in 2015 or so, no clue what that cat is up to now.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

A long time ago now I remember often seeing a stray cat at Elmers End who I also used to see on my street. Seemed to be capable of walking up the stairs over the footbridge too. This was in 2015 or so, no clue what that cat is up to now.

Perhaps it’s running HS2.

 

[341o2]

Shag also has this memorial on platform 1 at Grantham. I don't know if this is where he's buried following his unfortunate incident with a taxi. View attachment 168512

There's something similar in a corner of the viewing area opposite the Swanage loco turntable and shed.
Flanders and Swann mentioned the station cat in The Slow Train "No churns, no porter, no cat on a seat."

 

[thesignalman]

The signal box cat at a box near Cricklewood where I worked in the 1970s did not look after itself and was a tad odourous. One relief signalman didn't like that and apparently the cat was last seen on an empty wagon train for Temple Mills.

There were many other cats I came across at other boxes, none of which suffered from that problem. Some were very fussy about food though, though none as fussy as the daily visiting squirrel at Harpenden Junction who would throw biscuits on the floor if they weren't chocolate-covered.

J

 

[John Luxton]

On the subject of Station Cats I visited the Great Central Railway for the first time about a month ago and came across this fellow snoozing in the shade at Loughborough Central:

DSC_0859 Station Cat, Loughborough Central Station - GCR

Caught snoozing in the shade. Name anyone? Click here for more photographs of the Great Central Railway: www.jhluxton.com/Railways-and-Tramways/Heritage-Railways-...

www.flickr.com

Anyone know his name?

 

[urbophile]

I have met Fanny the Gipsy Hill cat.
Paul (Newman) was the station cat at Liverpool South Parkway for many years. I think he came from a house nearby, but spent most of his time, and made many friends, at the station. Sadly he died, at least a year ago and probably more. As far as I know he doesn't have a successor.
I read somewhere recently (maybe on this site) that the Huddersfield station cat had taken early retirement owing to the disruption caused by the station's upgrade.

 

[Steddenm]

I have met Fanny the Gipsy Hill cat.
Paul (Newman) was the station cat at Liverpool South Parkway for many years. I think he came from a house nearby, but spent most of his time, and made many friends, at the station. Sadly he died, at least a year ago and probably more. As far as I know he doesn't have a successor.
I read somewhere recently (maybe on this site) that the Huddersfield station cat had taken early retirement owing to the disruption caused by the station's upgrade.

I remember Paul sometimes laid on a cushion on top of the barriers as you went out, sometimes sat outside Costa awaiting some cream presumably.

Stourbridge Junction, I think still has their cat, and Brading(?) on the Isle of Wight also had a cat that had made home on the footbridge over the platforms.

Dún Laoghaire-Malin in Ireland also had a black and white cat for years when the ferry was operational from there. Three days before Stena pulled the HSS he went walkies. Staff at the station said he got the last HSS to Holyhead, and Holyhead port staff said they do remember a random cat that appeared overnight.

 

[cin88]

Rufford has a station/box cat, now named Billy, although that's not what I was known to call him when he was making a nuisance of himself in the box or frightening the life out of me with his deft leaps through the always open window. He had a funny habit of waiting until I was writing in the Train Register before jumping through the window.

The pest control contractor was quite bemused at the fact that he'd have to make a monthly visit to Rufford to check the always empty rodent traps as he was certain that given the location, plenty of rodents should find themselves caught. That was until Billy rather nonchalantly strolled past us both en route to his favourite shaded spot with a larger large rat in his mouth

 

[sad1e]

My Dad swears by a story from the 1989s that he was on the northern line platform at Bank and a cat walked out of the tunnel.

Long trek from East Finchley or Golders Green for the cat , Must have used a few of it's 9 lives dealing with the 4th rail.

 

[thesignalman]

Must have used a few of it's 9 lives dealing with the 4th rail.

I have watched many cats crossing third and fourth electric rail lines safely - I suspect they have a sixth sense.

John

 

[341o2]

Like foxes, when the line to Bournemouth was electrified, a fox led the hunt across the tracks. Several hounds were electrocuted because they follow the scent rather than looking where they are going.

 

[thesignalman]

Like foxes, when the line to Bournemouth was electrified, a fox led the hunt across the tracks. Several hounds were electrocuted because they follow the scent rather than looking where they are going.

That may have been more luck than judgement on the part of the fox. I once had the unpleasant task of removing a dead fox that had become wedged between the third and running rails.

John

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Long trek from East Finchley or Golders Green for the cat , Must have used a few of it's 9 lives dealing with the 4th rail.

That’s what I thought, but I just asked my dad about it again and he maintains the story

 

[John Luxton]

I remember Paul sometimes laid on a cushion on top of the barriers as you went out, sometimes sat outside Costa awaiting some cream presumably.

Stourbridge Junction, I think still has their cat, and Brading(?) on the Isle of Wight also had a cat that had made home on the footbridge over the platforms.

Dún Laoghaire-Malin in Ireland also had a black and white cat for years when the ferry was operational from there. Three days before Stena pulled the HSS he went walkies. Staff at the station said he got the last HSS to Holyhead, and Holyhead port staff said they do remember a random cat that appeared overnight.

Stourbridge Junction cat is George has a bit fan follwing on Facebook. Must get round to going to see him one day.

I wonder if the Dún Laoghaire cat had originated in Wales had a sixth sense and decided to go home before being cut off?

If the story is to be beleived the TITANIC's ship's cat apparently left the ship with her kittens before the disaster though some refute the claim and suggest she did go down with the ship.

Cats do seem to be highly inteligent animals - or at least us cat lovers think so!

 

[Steddenm]

Stourbridge Junction cat is George has a bit fan follwing on Facebook. Must get round to going to see him one day.

I wonder if the Dún Laoghaire cat had originated in Wales had a sixth sense and decided to go home before being cut off?

If the story is to be beleived the TITANIC's ship's cat apparently left the ship with her kittens before the disaster though some refute the claim and suggest she did go down with the ship.

Cats do seem to be highly inteligent animals - or at least us cat lovers think so!

Talking to station staff and port security at Dun Laoghaire today (yes security are still there albeit the port has been closed for years) and they both say that the cat had indeed come over on a ferry from Wales at some point by climbing on board the shuttle bus, and had made her home at the port security desks.

She ventured a lot over to the railway station and sat on the unused platform there whilst it was sunny but if it was wet she'd stay in the terminal building.

One day they turned up to the port and said the cat was nowhere to be seen and a few days later they received a phone call from Holyhead port asking if they'd lost a cat. CCTV showed the cat had climbed aboard somebody's trailer whilst loading and she had jumped out at Holyhead. She died a few years ago at the station in Holyhead, found in the four foot at 4am. She hadn't been struck by a train.

The story was made briefly into a small book available on Stena ships shops, but alas is no longer available. I've emailed Stena who published the book asking if they've got a PDF copy of it as it shows a remarkable resilience of the cat and that of travelling.

Irish Rail had named her Taistealaí (Irish for "traveller", and when she returned to Wales, she was renamed the Welsh for the same word, Teithiwr.

 

[John Luxton]

Talking to station staff and port security at Dun Laoghaire today (yes security are still there albeit the port has been closed for years) and they both say that the cat had indeed come over on a ferry from Wales at some point by climbing on board the shuttle bus, and had made her home at the port security desks.

She ventured a lot over to the railway station and sat on the unused platform there whilst it was sunny but if it was wet she'd stay in the terminal building.

One day they turned up to the port and said the cat was nowhere to be seen and a few days later they received a phone call from Holyhead port asking if they'd lost a cat. CCTV showed the cat had climbed aboard somebody's trailer whilst loading and she had jumped out at Holyhead. She died a few years ago at the station in Holyhead, found in the four foot at 4am. She hadn't been struck by a train.

The story was made briefly into a small book available on Stena ships shops, but alas is no longer available. I've emailed Stena who published the book asking if they've got a PDF copy of it as it shows a remarkable resilience of the cat and that of travelling.

Irish Rail had named her Taistealaí (Irish for "traveller", and when she returned to Wales, she was renamed the Welsh for the same word, Teithiwr.

Thats a lovely story at least she made it home again and obviously had a good life. Thanks for the details.

 

[Skiddaw]

Awwwwww.... bless her.....

 

[Mat17]

Fitzwilliam seems to have a black and white cat loitering around the platforms quite often. I've also seen it sat amongst the ballast at the side of the line. I'd consider it an unofficial station cat, as it probably lives nearby but clearly considers the station as part of its territory!