T.S. Eliot describes Skimbleshanks as having "bright ginger" fur. In the stage musical Cats , he is often costumed in a brown and orange striped bodysuit to represent his tabby markings, often with a vest and a watch chain to emphasize his gentlemanly and conductor-like nature. He is portrayed as sprightly, agile, and alert, moving with a "friendly hop and a friendly skip."

A: While the human crew (the driver, guards, and bagmen) technically operate the machinery, the poem suggests the train cannot leave without Skimbleshanks’ approval. He is the "boss of the Railway Train." Section 2: Roles and Responsibilities

Skimbleshanks is the unofficial Superintendent or Night Watchman of the Night Mail train. He is not employed by the railway; rather, he has adopted the train as his domain. His job is to ensure everything runs smoothly, on time, and without a hitch. He is so integral that the poem suggests the train literally "cannot start" without him.

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat " is a celebrated narrative poem from T.S. Eliot’s 1939 collection, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats

According to the poem’s internal logic, the train would devolve into chaos. Without his inspection, mice would run wild; the guards would lose their timetables; the engine would “hum and haw” and likely not start at all. His strike would cause a catastrophic failure of the entire rail system.