Terror at Wigan Wallgate

[strange6]

Chaos errupted today at Wigan Wallgate when a pigeon with a live rat at the end of its foot was flapping around the platform. I don't know how the rat had got on the end of its foot but it looked to be attached by some of its insides and was dangling on the end of the pigeon's foot. Anyway, the pigeon was trying to get rid of it and was flying around the platform trying to get under the station roof. All the women getting off the train were screaming away and the guard was trying to climb on the bench in order to get rid of the rat. Everybody on the train was in uproar - it was just so, so funny! Even the driver was popping his head out of the window in fits of laughter.

 

[yorksrob]

Nature red in tooth and claw ! If only someone had some footage

 

[4SRKT]

I thought this thread was going to involve a 142 when I read the header.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I thought this thread was going to involve a 142 when I read the header.

Both pigeons and rats these days, like grey squirrels and feral cats, tend to avoid the use of a Class 142 Pacer, in case the RSPCA has to rescue them from conditions unsuitable for the use of livestock.

 

[WestCoast]

I thought this thread was going to involve a 142 when I read the header.

It usually does to be fair - a packed merseytravel pacer always involves terror!

Sounds like a funny tale anyway, can't imagine a flying live rat was a nice scene for the squeamish!

 

[strange6]

It usually does to be fair - a packed merseytravel pacer always involves terror!

Sounds like a funny tale anyway, can't imagine a flying live rat was a nice scene for the squeamish!

The pigeon didn't look impressed

 

[12CSVT]

It must be well over 20 years since I last saw a rat in Wigan (dead or alive). 25254 if memory is correct.

 

[4SRKT]

It must be well over 20 years since I last saw a rat in Wigan (dead or alive). 25254 if memory is correct.

Most exciting thing you'll see these days probably actually IS the much maligned 142

 

[Dai.]

The pigeon didn't look impressed

Would you be impressed if you had a rat caught round your foot by its insides?


It sounds like it caused uproar!

 

[WestCoast]

Most exciting thing you'll see these days probably actually IS the much maligned 142

And if you're very lucky, you might see a posh pacer (142 only) with the luxurious seating from the old ATN.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Check out the crow on the left here...!!

Picture taken on 23rd October 2010 in Epsom; purely by chance - I was having a practice with a friend's high end DSLR by taking pictures of the local avian activity and after we transferred the pictures into my computer we noticed this.

 

[Lampshade]

Most exciting thing you'll see these days probably actually IS the much maligned 142

I saw a 156 there a few months back hock:

 

[185]

When Northern send in Rentokil, can they also exterminate the 142s?

 

[WestCoast]

When Northern send in Rentokil, can they also exterminate the 142s?

"The PACER has been EX·TER·MIN·NAT·ED" sounds like something off Doctor Who!

 

[MCR247]

"The PACER has been EX·TER·MIN·NAT·ED" sounds like something off Doctor Who!

Maybe they could add it to an announcement at some stations:

The train now standing at platform has TER MIN AT ED

 

[CNX]

It sounds like Wallgate urgently needs to appoint a couple of station moggies.

 

[43021HST]

It sounds like Wallgate urgently needs to appoint a couple of station moggies.

Oh no health and safety wouldnt like that (There was a story a while back about the Health and Safety gestapo whinging about a station cat in Southend and its feaces being a danger to human health)

If anyone can find the story for me that would be of great help, cheers.
By the way CNX nice avatar picture

 

[CNX]

Oh no health and safety wouldnt like that (There was a story a while back about the Health and Safety gestapo whinging about a station cat in Southend and its feaces being a danger to human health)

If anyone can find the story for me that would be of great help, cheers.
By the way CNX nice avatar picture

But presumably 'elf 'n safety' considerd a station over run with vermin, flying or otherwise, not to be a hazard! Staions have had cats for years.

The former avatar pic, not one of my better ones, was D1054 at Swansea on the 0903 to Paddington, Saturday 22nd February 1975. The new one is D1021 on the 1720 Swansea-Paddington, Saturday 7 July 1975.

 

[First class]

Oh no health and safety wouldnt like that (There was a story a while back about the Health and Safety gestapo whinging about a station cat in Southend and its feaces being a danger to human health)

If anyone can find the story for me that would be of great help, cheers.
By the way CNX nice avatar picture

Talking about cats, BROMBOROUGH station has one that has "sort of" been adopted.

LIVERPOOL CENTRAL also has a feral one at the back which is occasionally fed.

 

[strange6]

Talking about cats, BROMBOROUGH station has one that has "sort of" been adopted.

LIVERPOOL CENTRAL also has a feral one at the back which is occasionally fed.

Good idea to have station cats so long as their wastage is cleaned up.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . There was a story a while back about the Health and Safety gestapo whinging about a station cat in Southend and its feaces being a danger to human health)

If anyone can find the story for me that would be of great help, cheers.

On this thread from last June? (The Station Cat won in that dispute).

 

[43021HST]

On this thread from last June? (The Station Cat won in that dispute).

Yep thats the one, glad to hear that. Maybe this would be a idea to start a thread about station cats, and what stations own them, its probably existed before but who cares. I dont have the time to start a thread at this time of night anyone care to do the honours?

 

[strange6]

Yep thats the one, glad to hear that. Maybe this would be a idea to start a thread about station cats, and what stations own them, its probably existed before but who cares. I dont have the time to start a thread at this time of night anyone care to do the honours?

I can tell you about Burscough Bridge Signalbox and the box cat. It was called Whiskey and you could quite often see it asleep on a cushion on the window shelf as you rode past the box. it belonged to one of the signalmen but the cat decided that the box was going to be its home and so stayed there for a good few years. I believe it was an excellent ratter, perhaps too good for its own good the day it ended up being cut in half by a train.

 

[WestCoast]

I can tell you about Burscough Bridge Signalbox and the box cat. It was called Whiskey and you could quite often see it asleep on a cushion on the window shelf as you rode past the box. it belonged to one of the signalmen but the cat decided that the box was going to be its home and so stayed there for a good few years. I believe it was an excellent ratter, perhaps too good for its own good the day it ended up being cut in half by a train.

Great story, shame about the ending though

Every station could have a cat, although you'd probably not get one to live in Wakefield Kirkgate!

 

[Hydro]

Romsey had a fat old cat that lived on a chair in the booking office when I worked down that neck of the woods. It's probably still there, asleep as usual.

 

[Statto]

Maybe they could add it to an announcement at some stations:

The train now standing at platform has TER MIN AT ED

As always, the train will be back.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just before Middleton station closed in 1964, there were two cats there who were very fat and old. We used to give them treats when our train came in at night from Manchester. I never knew what happened to them, but the regulars of the two pubs near the station used to feed them.