Cosher Bailey’s Engine

1. Cosher Bailey had an engine
It was always wanting mending,
And according to the power,
She could do four miles an hour

Chorus: 
Did you ever see, did you ever see
Did you ever see such a funny sight before?

2. On the night run up from Gower
She did twenty mile an hour
As she whistled through the station
Man, she frightened half the nation.

[Chorus]

3. Cosher bought her second-hand
And he painted her so grand
When the driver went to oil her
Man, she nearly burst her boiler.

[Chorus]

4. Cosher Bailey's sister Lena
She was living up in Blaina
She could knit and darn our stockings
But her cooking it was shocking.

[Chorus]

5. Cosher Bailey had a daughter
Who did things she didn't oughter
She was quite beyond the pale
But over that we'll draw a veil.

[Chorus]

6. Cosher Bailey went to Exford
For to pass matriculation
But he saw a pretty barmaid
And he never left the station.

7. Oh the sight it was heart-rending
Cosher drove his little engine
And he got stuck in the tunnel
And went up the bloomin' funnel.

[Chorus]

8. Cosher Bailey's little engine
Couldn't even sound its hooter
Just to make the steam go higher
He made water on the fire.

[Chorus]

9. Yes, Cosher Bailey he did die
And they put him in a coffin
But, alas, they heard a knocking
Cosher Bailey, only joking.

[Chorus]

10. Cosher Bailey's brother Matthew
Had a job at cleaning statues
But when he was cleaning Venus
He slipped and broke his elbow.

[Chorus]

11. Cosher Bailey's sister Hanna 
Well, she played the grand pianna 
She went hammer, hammer, hammer, 
Till the neighbours said, "Goddamn her!"



Crashsaw Bailey (1789 - 1872) was an English Industrialist who became one of the great iron-masters of Wales.  In 1845 he was instrumental in setting up the Aberdare Railway, and also promoted railways between Coleford and Usk, via Monmouth.  He was well known for being hostile to trade unions and opposed his workers organizing themselves along these lines.  The nonsense song written about Crashaw Bailey was soon corrupted to "Cosher Bailey" and verses were added on by anyone who knew how to make a rhyme.