Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat: Lyrics
ALL: 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"
SKIMBLESHANKS: All the guards and all the porters And the station master'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!
ALL: Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes And the signal went "All Clear!"
SKIMBLESHANKS: They'd be off at last to the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere!
ALL: Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat The Cat of the Railway Train
SKIMBLESHANKS: 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
ALL: 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
SKIMBLESHANKS: 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 just behind him and was ready to remind him For Skimble won't let anything go wrong
ALL: 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
SKIMBLESHANKS: 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 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 station master with elation
They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police If there was anything they ought to know about
ALL: When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait For Skimbleshanks would help them to get out!
And he gives 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!"
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"
SKIMBLESHANKS: All the guards and all the porters And the station master'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!
ALL: Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes And the signal went "All Clear!"
SKIMBLESHANKS: They'd be off at last to the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere!
ALL: Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat The Cat of the Railway Train
SKIMBLESHANKS: 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
ALL: 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
SKIMBLESHANKS: 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 just behind him and was ready to remind him For Skimble won't let anything go wrong
ALL: 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
SKIMBLESHANKS: 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 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 station master with elation
They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police If there was anything they ought to know about
ALL: When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait For Skimbleshanks would help them to get out!
And he gives 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!"
