'Great sadness' as heritage railway cat dies

A heritage railway is paying tribute after its much-loved station cat died.

Onslaught had become "part of the fabric" of Great Central Railway's (GCR) Loughborough Central base, which she frequented for about 12 years.

She was euthanised "surrounded by love" on Wednesday following a period of illness.

The railway said Onslaught was "a familiar face" who spent her days "greeting visitors, coercing staff for a share of their lunch or happily lazing in the sun".

The cat was named after HMS Onslaught, a destroyer vessel used by the Royal Navy during World War One.

"Countless members of the GCR family, along with many visitors, came to know and love her over the years and would look out for her whenever they visited," a spokesperson said.

"She wasn't 'just a cat'. She was a colleague, a mascot, a source of comfort on difficult days and a friend to so many people."

They continued: "Heritage railways are built by people, but places like ours are also shaped by the characters who make them unique.

"Onslaught was undoubtedly one of those characters."

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