Australia's Railway Dog (PDF)

In 1884 millions of rabbits were eating up the South Australian wheat crops. Because of this, 200 stray dogs were snatched from the streets of Adelaide and loaded onto a train. These 200 dogs were being sent to halt the rabbit plague. Except one dog, who never made it. He was headed for a different...

In 1884 millions of rabbits were eating up the South Australian wheat crops. Because of this, 200 stray dogs were snatched from the streets of Adelaide and loaded onto a train. These 200 dogs were being sent to halt the rabbit plague. Except one dog, who never made it. He was headed for a different kind of life. As the train---filled with dogs---paused at a country station, it was spotted by a railway guard named William Ferry. From across the rails William noticed that not all of the dogs were scruffy mutts. Some were well-bred animals, and he offered to buy one, but the man in charge said, 'Sorry. The dogs are not\ for sale.' 'Would you swap one for another?' William asked, and the man agreed. William's train went on to Port Augusta next. Here, he roved the streets until he found a scruffy pooch without a collar. The next day he caught up with the dog train again and handed over the scruffy pooch. Now William had 200 dogs to choose from and a big, shaggy sheepdog caught his eye. It was a Smithfield cross with floppy ears and a happy smile. 'I'll have him,' William said and named the dog Bob. **The clever sheepdog** William and Bob crossed the country in the guard's van and it soon became clear that Bob was no ordinary dog. Bob quickly learned to carry messages from the rear of the train to the engine driver at the front. He'd trot through the carriages, climb over the coal wagon and deliver the message. Then, just as quickly, he'd carry back the driver's scribbled reply. It was also the guard's duty to throw messages to gangs of workers camped along the line. These gangs could be anywhere, and a guard had to keep a sharp lookout for them. Bob's animal instincts always told him where they were. Before the gangs were in sight, Bob would bark a warning. Then all William had to do was toss the message to the workers as the train thundered by. Then overnight Bob's life changed. William was made an assistant stationmaster. Now, instead of rattling across the countryside, they sat in a station office and just watched the trains go by. Bob missed riding the rails and one day leapt aboard a train all on his own. He went for a short ride to a nearby station, changed trains and came back again. After that, Bob started catching daily trains north and south. No matter where he went, he always knew which train would bring\ him home. Gradually, his journeys got longer. He began to cross from South Australia into Victoria or New South Wales on his own. He was often gone for days and rarely rode in the guard's van anymore. Sometimes he rode in a carriage with the passengers.\ Most often he leapt aboard the engine and rode atop the coal wagon directly behind. Every engine driver in South Australia knew him and was happy for him to hitch a ride. Then Bob's life changed again, this time dramatically. His owner, William Ferry, got a job as stationmaster in Western Australia. Of course he'd take Bob with him, except the railway workers of South Australia didn't want Bob to go. His happy bark and wagging tail made him great company on long rail journeys. The workers hid Bob until William Ferry was forced to leave without him. **Bob the railway dog** From that day on Bob had no home and no owner. He didn't need them. Every station welcomed him and every train driver was his friend. At night, Bob would follow his driver home, get a meal and a cosy bed. Then next morning, he'd follow the driver back to the station and leap aboard another train. It was said that Bob liked the trains that smoked the blackest, belched the loudest and had the shrillest whistles! One time a ship's whistle in the Port Augusta rail yards fooled him. At the sound of it, Bob leapt aboard the boat, and was stuck on it all the way to Port Pirie. The instant the boat docked, he bounded ashore and raced to catch the very next train. Railway workers had a special collar made for him. On it was printed: *Stop Me Not But Let Me Jog For I Am Bob The Driver's Dog.* He was famous throughout Australia. Everyone who travelled by train hoped to see him leap aboard. Bob spent every day with the wind in his shaggy fur and a little soot in his eyes, always going somewhere. Yet he always came home to Adelaide. Bob was often seen trotting around Adelaide's Central Railway Station, or along Hindley Street just around the corner. Here, at Evans' Butcher Shop, he was sure of a meal. And it was here on Hindley Street that his travels came to an end. After getting yet a third meal from the butcher that day, his heart just gave out. He was an old dog now, about seventeen, yet he'd just returned from a long trip to Broken Hill. Bob's collar can be seen today at the National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide. It is one of Australia's railway treasures.