BOB the Railway Dog

     Flyer kindly produced by Peter Fehlberg with funding supplied by the "Modelling the Railways of South Australia Convention.

     Bob was a goodwill ambassador, a free spirit, loved by all in railway communities across Australia. Feted at banquets, official openings and public functions his railway journeys took him to every colony in Australia except the Northern Territory and Tasmania. He was a symbol of mate-ship to those in railways.
    Found amongst a load of dogs in a rail truck at Terowie en route to a rabbiter's camp Bob was adopted by railway guard Will Ferry in 1883. Soon after, William Ferry was transferred to Peterborough where he eventually became Assistant Station Master. Bob followed Will to work every day, eventually graduating from the brake-van to the engines. The lure of the steam engine whistle soon saw him traveling far and wide, and at the end of each train journey Bob went home with the driver as a guest.

   As an example of his travels, in successive weeks Bob had been seen in Broken Hill, on the Nullarbor and at Oodnadatta. He was, therefore, rightly declared by all railway communities to be 'theirs'.
He was claimed to be 'the only individual in the province permitted without pay to use the Government's railways at all times and furthermore without pass'.
      Peterborough History Group Chairperson and local resident, Heather Parker, has set in motion an idea she formulated to have 'Bob permanently sited in the town as a bronze sculpture, accompanied by an information sign board which will also guide visitors to Steamtown and other points of interest, including the Bob the Dog Break of Gauge Walking Trail at Terowie.
   The sculpture will be created by Balhannah-based artist Silvio Apponyi, whose works are displayed across the country, including Parliament House in Canberra.
      Local fundraising has begun with proceeds assisting with financing the project.
Public donations would be most welcome and can be made out to the Peterborough History Group SA Inc. who are acting as trustees for funds raised.
     After 17 years of riding the rails Bob passed on in 1895 while visiting a kindly Hindley Street butcher.
Bob's engraved collar is at the National Railway Museum at Port Adelaide and reads
'Stop me not but let me jog, for I am Bob the Driver's Dog!'

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