West Midlands Railway names Stourbridge Shuttle after famous feline for International Cat Day

West Midlands Railway (WMR) has today (8 August) named one of its Stourbridge Shuttle trains “George the Station Cat” to celebrate International Cat Day.

Alongside the name plate, the plaque features a portrait of the well-loved ginger tom cat who resides at Stourbridge Junction station.

The Shuttle – also known as the Town Car - was formally named during a paws-itively purr-fect ceremony at Stourbridge Junction station this morning, attended by George, WMR representatives and local MP Cat Eccles.

Displayed prominently, the name will be seen by hundreds of passengers making the journey between Stourbridge Town and Stourbridge Junction every day. Taking just three minutes, the route is one of Europe’s shortest branch lines.

To much app-paws, West Midlands Railway announced a competition to name the second Town Car unit which runs on the same line. Residents have until Friday 22 August to make their suggestion via the WMR website, when the winning submission will be chosen.

With the important role of ‘senior mouse catcher’, George’s visits to the platform began in 2017 where he quickly found a place in the hearts of passengers and staff. He later became an official member of the station family when his owner organised for him to be adopted by supervisor, Ian Tomlinson, before they emigrated to Spain.

Ian Tomlinson, WMR supervisor and George’s owner, said: “When George started appearing at the station in 2017, we were all besotted with him. I was delighted to formally adopt him when his owner moved to Spain.

“When I retire, I will be taking George to live with me, so naming the train after him is a fantastic way to leave his mark – or pawprint – here in Stourbridge. Although, I’m sure we’ll be making plenty of visits!”

On top of his daily duties, which include napping in the ticket office and guarding the platforms, George is also a social media star, with more than 100,000 followers across X, Instagram and Facebook. George has been known to use his social media platform to raise money for good claws-es, such as Stray Cats West Midlands, Samaritans and Black Country Food Bank.

The beloved pet also played a key role in the successful campaign for Stourbridge Junction to triumph in the World Cup of Stations, an annual competition run by Rail Delivery Group, in 2021.

The newly named “George the Station Cat” train is part of the Class 139 fleet with the unit number 139002. The fleet came into service in 2009 and is maintained and operated by Pre Metro Operations Ltd on behalf of West Midlands Railway.

International Cat Day is organised by charity International Cat Care to celebrate felines around the world and champion their welfare.

To enter the competition and make your own train name suggestion for the second Stourbridge Town Car, visit www.wmr.uk/george before the deadline of Friday 22 August.