The ‘Tuxedo’ cat is called after Barras – the next stop on the line.
Director of Stainmore Railway, Sue Jones, said: “People from all over have actually pertained to see our station cats from as far as New Zealand and Japan – numerous come not for the station however simply to see the cats.
“We’ve had primary station cats for years. It started with one cat in 1997, Rabbit, and after that others have actually pertained to us as feral. The primary cat takes them on as an apprentice and tames them to get utilized to human beings.”
Unfortunately, Quaker passed away in 2009 and handed on the distinguished function to Quaker, who then ended up being primary station cat.
Quaker made good friends with another moggy who was then appropriately called Oats. During this time Barras, the existing chief station cat, made a look when he was around 6-years-old.
Sue said: “He settled in well and was ultimately enabled into the mess room as long as he didn’t being in Quaker’s chair in front of the fire. He has a vocabulary of his own
“He is an extremely well constructed cat and his neck is too huge to take a basic cat flea collar. He is very strong and muscular however the fragile chief station cat Quaker was still certainly in charge.”
Sadly, Quaker and Oats passed away of old age and Barras was promoted from deputy to chief and ended up being rather the character. He was constantly getting in battles and in 2015, he almost consumed among his 9 lives.
He went missing out on and was thought to have actually been assaulted by a Lurcher dog. He was chosen 4 days prior to being dealt with at Pendragon Vets in Kirkby Stephen.
The moggy was really ill and and lost 2 thirds of his body weight. A Just Giving page was established to help pay his expenses which raised around £1,000. An excess of £500 from the funds was contributed contributed to Eden Animal Rescue.
Sue included: “We have actually given that chosen to get Barras neutered nevertheless on May 1 we found a Tabby cat, who we have actually now called Belah, after Belah Bridge, who brought to life 2 of his kittens – Barney (called after Barnard Castle) and Bowes (a station on the line).
“They now reside in the mess room. Belah was a feral cat and didn’t understand what to do when then kittens showed up so Barras has actually done an excellent job of nursing them constantly- he’s quite the modern-day daddy.
“He’s doing an excellent job of taming Belah too and she’s handled the hunter function in the family now.”
The historical station and steam train, opened in 1861, and is now taken care of by volunteers of the Stainmore Railway Company.
To discover more, please go to the Stainmore Railway Company.
