Always ready to cheer us up on our morning commute or to wave us off as we go on a staycation, many train stations in the UK have their very own moggies living there. Some of these cats have thousands of followers on social media, and one has enjoyed a promotion to ‘Senior Pest Controller’!
Join CrossCountry as we reveal where you can expect to find train station cats in the UK.
Bolt: Huddersfield Station Cat
For a very long time, Felix has long been a friend to passengers using Huddersfield station was home to Felix – a longtime friend of the passengers. However, Felix sadly passed away in November 2023, and is handing over her duties to Bolt.
Before Bolt came along, Felix was not only the friend of passengers travelling through but was the station’s Pest Control Manager. This title came with a high-vis uniform to wear on duty, which suited her black and white fur perfectly. If you’d like to know a little more about Felix’s exciting life, you can read her book ‘Felix the Railway Cat[JR1] ’! It is filled with heartwarming tales of Felix’s life as a train station cat.
In recent years, Felix hasn’t had her adventures alone… she has a kitty pal named Bolt! With jet black fur, you can’t miss Bolt when you’re at Huddersfield station. Both cats have brought a smile to the faces of local passengers, and you can follow Bolt’s solo adventures on their very own Facebook page . With have more than 150,000 friends from all around the world, Bolt is a very popular kitty influencer.
Jess: Andover Station Cat
Jess is the resident train station cat at Andover. With his handsome fur tuxedo, Jess previously belonged to a family who lived close to the station but when the family moved to a new house, Jess continued to make the long journey back to the platform. After some purr-suasion, they agreed that the train station staff could adopt him; and he now lives in his new home.
As well as having a comfy bed where he can curl up inside the ticket office, Jess has also been given a feline rail pass and travel card! He can hop on board and travel with ease thanks to his hard work!
Always looking smart with his black and white fur, Jess can be seen all over the internet and social media – he is well and truly famous. Staff welcome donations from kind passengers to help look after this adorable fluffy tomcat.
Often found enjoying snuggles on the platform or helping to paw-out tickets in the office, if you are lucky enough to see Jess at Andover station, why not take a photo of you with your new feline friend and post it to social media? He has his very on Facebook page where you can follow his days at work and post your snaps.
Barras, Belah, Barney & Bowes: Kirkby Stephen East
Kirkby Stephen East station, a historic station located between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, is home to not one, not two, not three, but FOUR lovely cats! Over the years, there have been a number of felines who have declared Kirkby Stephen East their home, including Rabbit, Quaker, and Oats.
About ten years ago, Barras first started hanging around with Quaker and Oats at Kirkby Stephen East, and when they passed away Barras was promoted from Deputy to Chief, and really started putting his pawprint on the station. More recently, station staff discovered a tabby cat nearby who had given birth to two of Barras’ kittens, and the family were all adopted to Kirkby Stephen East.
Barras, Belah, and Bowes are named after nearby stations and bridges, while Barney is named after Barnard Castle. Taking inspiration from the local area, they have really become much beloved celebrities of Kirkby Stephen and Stainmore Heritage Railway.
George: Stourbridge Junction
After three years of voluntary service, in 2021, George was officially promoted to Chief Mouse Catcher at Stourbridge Junction station in the West Midlands. This pretty kitty had long been a friend to passengers and staff alike at the station, as his handsome face and gorgeous ginger fur brought a smile to those travelling through Stourbridge Junction.
Since his promotion in 2021, George has been a very conscientious worker, often leaving dead mice for staff members at the station. Never fear though, he is very well paid in treats, food, and fuss. He also has his very own bed in the station building, so he purrs happily through the night whilst keeping watch over the station.
If you can’t get enough of George’s handsome face, you can follow him on Facebook, X, and Instagram – make sure to give him a like!
Retired Train Station Cats
As well as these diligent train station moggies, the UK has seen plenty of train station cats in the past who have now gone to the great train station in the sky. Passengers at Charlbury station fondly remember their cat Stan, who recently passed away. Paul once kept watch over Liverpool South Parkway station, and now share memories of him in this Facebook group. Train station staff at Inverness now believe Hi Vis to be passed on and miss him dearly.
Finally, closest to our hearts at CrossCountry, we remember Hector from Redruth station in Cornwall. This local feline celebrity lived at Redruth station for several years, where he was popular with locals and holidaymakers alike. He became the station mascot and was adopted by station staff, where he kept an eye on everything at Redruth and enjoyed getting cuddles and treats from his train-traveller friends.
Additional image credits: Felix by CatsDogs Photography with permission from Felix the Huddersfield Station Cat Facebook Page.
If you’re planning to meet our favourite feline friends, don’t forget to book an Advance ticket via our website or the CrossCountry app. If you need more information, you can contact us here.
Written by Julia