Skimbleshanks, The Railway Cat Lyrics - Singles - Cats

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 master's daughters 

Would be searchin' high and low 

Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble? 

For unless he's very nimble 

Then the Night Mail just can't go" 

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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 

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Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces 

Of the travelers 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 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 

And not a speck of dust upon the floor 

There was every sort of light, you could 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 right 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 all could 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 keepin' 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 walkin' up and down the station 

They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle 

Where I met the station master with elation 

They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned by 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 will meet without fail on the Midnight Mail 

The cat of the railway train 

You will meet without fail on the Midnight Mail 

The cat of the railway train