Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat

"Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" is the number introducing the titular Skimbleshanks, who is 'in charge' of the London-Glasgow overnight train.

Context
After the quiet melancholy of Gus' song ending, Old Deuteronomy calls for a change of pace and wakes up Skimbleshanks, who's been dozing on the car boot. This number is upbeat and fun, all the cats collaborating to act out Skimble's train passengers etc, to illustrate his story. The Cats collect bits and pieces of junk and assemble them into the shape of a locomotive engine, but unfortunately just before Skimble can present his masterpiece to Old Deut, it falls apart as the cats lose coordination and concentration. But with a laugh and a shrug, Skimble moves on.

Lyrics
Skimbleshanks, the railway cat

The cat of the railway train!

There's a whisper down the line at 11:39

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 searching high and low

Saying "Skimble! Where is Skimble?

For unless he's very nimble

Then the Night Mail just can't go!"

At 11:42 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 a 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'd 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 could 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 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 on 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

That Skimble won't let anything go wrong!

When they crept into their cosy berths and pulled down the counterpane

They all could reflect it was very nice

To know that they wouldn't 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!

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

When 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 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 will help them to get out!

And he gives you a wave of his long brown tail

And says "I'll see you again"

You will meet without fail on the Midnight Mail,

The cat of the railway train!

The cat of the railway train!