Skimbleshanks: the Railway Cat

Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat

The cat of the railway train

There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nine

When the night mail's ready to depart

Saying "Skimble, where is Skimble?

Has he gone to hunt the thimble?

We must find him or the train can't start!"

 

All the guards and all the porters

And the stationmaster's daughters

Would be searching high and low

Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble?

For unless he's very nimble,

Then the night mail just can't go!"

At eleven forty-two with the signal overdue

And the passengers all frantic to a man

That's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rear

I'd been busy in the luggage van!

 

Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes

And the signal went "All clear!"

They'd be off at last for the northern part

Of the Northern Hemisphere

 

Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat

The cat of the railway train

You might say that by and large

It was me who was in charge

Of the Sleeping Car Express

From the driver and the guards

To the bagmen playing cards

I would supervise them all more or less

 

Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces

Of the travellers in the first and the third

He established control by a regular patrol

And he'd know at once if anything occurred

He would watch you without winking

And he saw what you were thinking

And it's certain that he didn't approve

Of hilarity and riot so that folk were very quiet

When Skimble was about and on the move

You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks

He's a cat that couldn't be ignored

So nothing went wrong on the Northern Mail

When Skimbleshanks was aboard

 

It was very pleasant when they'd found their little den

With their name written up on the door

And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet on

And not a speck of dust on the floor

There was every sort of light you make it dark or bright

And a button you could turn to make a breeze

And a funny little basin

You're supposed to wash your face in

And a crank to shut the window should you sneeze

Then the guard looked in politely

And would ask you very brightly

"Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?"

But I was just behind him and was ready to remind him

For Skimble won't let anything go wrong

When they crept into their cozy berth

And pulled the counterpane

They ought to reflect that it was very nice

To know that they wouldn't be bothered by mice

They can leave all that to the Railway Cat

The cat of the railway train

 

Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat

The cat of the railway train

In the watches of the night, I was always fresh and bright

Every now and then I'd have a cup of tea

With perhaps a drop of scotch

While I was busy keeping on the watch

Only stopping here and there to catch a flea

They were fast asleep at Crewe

And so they never knew

That I was walking up and down the station

They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle

Where I met the stationmaster with elation!

They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police

If there was anything they ought to know about

When they got to Gallowgate

There they did not have to wait

For Skimbleshanks will help them to get out

 

And he gives you a wave of his long brown tail

Which says, "I'll see you again"

You'll meet without fail on the Midnight Mail

The cat of the railway train.

 

You'll meet without fail on the Midnight Mail

The cat of the railway train