Bob the Railway Dog facts for kids
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| Other name(s) | Bob, Terowie Bob |
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| Species | Dog |
| Breed | Koolie/ Smithfield cross |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1878 Adelaide Hills, near Macclesfield |
| Died | 29 July 1895 (aged 16–17) Hindley Street, Adelaide |
| Occupation | Railway traveller |
| Employer | South Australian Railways |
| Notable role | Driver's companion |
| Years active | 1881–1894 |
| Owner | Railwaymen, Terowie |
Bob the Railway Dog, also known as "Terowie Bob," is a famous dog from the history of the South Australian Railways. He traveled all over the railway system in the late 1800s. Many railway workers knew him, and his story is still remembered today.
Contents
Bob's Early Life and Railway Adventures
Bob's journey with the railways began when he was a young dog. He became very fond of the workers building the railway near Strathalbyn. He followed some of these railway workers to the train line. His owner, who ran the Macclesfield Hotel, brought him home a few times. But Bob, who was about nine months old, always found his way back to the railway.
His real railway career started after he was sent from Adelaide to Quorn. He was one of fifty dogs meant to help get rid of rabbits near Carrieton. People believed Bob was a stray dog found in Adelaide. He was later traded for another dog by William Seth Ferry, a security guard at Petersburg (now called Peterborough). Ferry officially registered Bob on September 24, 1884.
William Ferry became an assistant station master in Petersburg in February 1885. By this time, Bob was already very used to riding on trains.
Bob often traveled to and from Petersburg. He liked to sit in the front of the coal area on the train's engine. He traveled thousands of miles this way. The Petersburg Times newspaper said he loved the big whistle and the smoke coming from the smokestack. Bob ate well and would accept food from anyone.
Bob didn't like the smaller city trains because their driver's areas were too small. But he was known to make sure he had a whole train car to himself on other trains. He would bark loudly at every station, making passengers think the car was reserved just for him. His bark was strong, and sometimes strangers thought he was being mean when he was just trying to be friendly. Bob didn't have one owner, but the train drivers were his friends. They let him ride for free.
Some stories say Bob traveled to many parts of Australia, even as far as Oodnadatta and Queensland. It's unlikely he went to Western Australia because there wasn't a railway connection then. However, he did take several boat trips along the Murray River and around the coast. He was even a special guest at an exhibition in Melbourne in 1881. Since Ferry didn't get Bob until 1884, this might have been a different dog or a mix-up with dates.
Bob's Accidents and Close Calls
Bob had several accidents during his time on the railway. When he was younger, he fell a few times. After that, he became very good at jumping onto or between moving trains. Once, he reportedly fell from a train between Manoora and Saddleworth. He managed to walk two miles to Saddleworth with a hurt leg.
In Port Pirie, his tail got stuck, though no one knows exactly where. In another incident, Bob lost an inch off his tail after slipping. On a different trip, his fur caught fire!
During a visit to Adelaide, Bob spent time at Goodwood Cabin. He fell down the cabin's stairs and rolled under a passing train, coming out safely on the other side.
On one of his visits to Port Augusta, Bob reportedly took a steamship to Port Pirie. He seemed to think the ship's whistle was a train whistle.
The Petersburg Times also wrote about a time when a new worker cut off all of Bob's fur except for his neck and tail tip. He was supposed to look like a tiny lion, but his bark gave him away.
What Kind of Dog Was Bob?
Over the years, many people have wondered about Bob's breed. Reports suggest he was a mix of a Koolie and a Smithfield. Some even thought he was a Bearded collie.
Henry Hollamby, from Macclesfield, wrote in the Southern Argus newspaper that he was Bob's breeder. He claimed Bob's father was a German collie dog. He said he gave the dog to James Mott, the owner of the Macclesfield Hotel. Later research seems to agree with this.
A Poem for Bob
A poem about Bob was published in The Advertiser newspaper on August 17, 1895:
Home-keeping dogs have homely wits,
Their notions tame and poor;
I scorn the dog who humbly sits
Before the cottage door,
Or those who weary vigils keep,
Or follow lowly kine;
A dreary life midst stupid sheep
Shall ne'er be lot of mine.
For free from thrall I travel far,
No fixed abode I own;
I leap aboard a railway car;
By every one I'm known;
Today I'm here, tomorrow brings
Me miles and miles away;
Borne swiftly on steam's rushing wings,
I see fresh friends each day.
Each driver from the footplate hails
My coming with delight;
I gain from all upon the rails;
A welcome ever bright;
I share the perils of the line
With mates from end to end,
Who would not for a silver mine
Have harm befall their friend
Let other dogs snarl and fight,
And round the city prowl,
Or render hideous the night
With unmelodious howl.
I have a cheery bark for all,
No ties my travels clog;
I hear the whistle, that's the call
For Bob, the driver's dog.
Bob's Special Collar
Bob had a special collar. A traveling salesman bought it for him after Bob was "dog-napped" by a farmer. The collar had two tags and two brass plates. One plate said:
Stop me not, but let me jog, For I am Bob, the drivers dog
The other plate said:
Presented by McLean Bros & Ricc
It was said that a brass worker on the railway made the plate. Some believe William Ferry and his nephew wrote the little poem.
After Ferry left to work in Western Australia in 1889, the railway workers in Terowie continued to keep Bob registered. Ferry later said, "somebody hid him at Alberton, so I should not get him. I never saw him again after that."
Bob's Final Journey
Bob reportedly died on July 29, 1895. The Advertiser newspaper said he had retired to Adelaide. He was known to eat regularly at a butcher's shop run by Mr. Evans on Hindley Street. He died there at the age of 17. The Chronicle newspaper noted that after his afternoon meal, Bob barked at another dog, then let out a sad howl and dropped dead. People around the world, even in Great Britain, wrote about him. He was called "the king of outcasts."
Other stories say Bob lived out his last days with the Silverton Tramway Company Ltd, which connected Broken Hill to the South Australian Railways and Petersburg.
After he died, Bob's body was preserved and later shown at the Exchange Hotel in Adelaide. His collar was first given to the Lord Mayor of Adelaide. Later, it was passed on to the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen.
Remembering Bob Today
Railway workers and historians still remember Bob today. His collar is on display at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, along with photos and other items.
In 2009, the community of Peterborough (formerly Petersburg) raised money for a statue of Bob. It was revealed in November and stands at the eastern end of Main Street.
In Terowie, Bob is remembered with a series of information boards called "Bob the Railway Dog Trail." These boards are at different interesting spots in the town.
Bob's story was also told in a fictional book published in 2011.
Other Famous Dogs Like Bob
Patsy Adam-Smith suggested that the poem on Bob's collar might not be unique. She mentioned seeing an old book that described a dog working with a fire brigade. That picture had a similar poem: "Stop me not but onward let me jog, for I am Bob, the London Firemans Dog." A poem about "Bob the Firemens Dog" was published in a New Zealand newspaper in 1877, which supports this idea.
There was also Bob, Her Majesty's Scots Fusilier Guards Dog, and Greyfriars Bobby from Scotland, who also has a statue.
Bobbie the Wonder Dog was famous for his loyalty. He traveled 2,551 miles (4,105 km) to return to his owner's home.
See also
- Animals taking public transportation
- Dog on the Tuckerbox
- Fido (Italian dog)
- List of famous dogs
- Owney the Postal Dog, a famous American dog from the same time
- Red Dog, a famous Australian dog
- Station Jim – a dog who collected money for railway workers' families
- Street dogs in Moscow, dogs in Moscow who ride trains
