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 Station Masters daughters
Would be searching high and low
Saying "Skimble, where is Skimble?
For unless he's very nimble then
The Night Mail just cant 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
Id 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 could 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 establishes 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 the folk were very quiet
When Skimble was about and on the move

You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks
He's a Cat that cannot be ignored
So nothing went wrong on the Northern Mail
When Skimbleshanks was aboard

It was very pleasant when they'd find their little den
With their name written up on the door
And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet
And not a speck of dust on the floor
There was every sort of light
You could make it dark or bright
And a button that you turn to make a breeze
And a funny little basin youre 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 cosy berth
And pulled up the counterpane
They ought to reflect that its very nice
To know that they wouldnt be bothered by mice
They could 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
For I was 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
I was busy all the while they were sleeping at Carlisle
Where I met the Station Master with elation
They might see me at Dumfries, where I'd summon 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 would 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

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat
The Cat of the Railway Train!