Alongside the animal was a bag of oats and another stuffed with hay. All this, together with his own baggage, set Joe quite a problem as he somehow had to get it all to London. After managing in the darkness to get as far as Newcastle station he received some very strange looks from the ticket man when he asked for one and a pony first class to London. After managing in the darkness to get as far as Newcastle station he received some very strange looks from the ticket man when he asked for one and a pony first class to London.

The scene went something like this. The man at the ticket office couldn't believe he had heard correctly and it must have sounded like a theatrical sketch. 'One and a pony first class to London please' 'Pardon?' 'One and a pony first class to London'.

The ticket man smiled dutifully at a joke from the comedian which he didn't fully understand. Then he peered at Joe, finally got off his seat, put his nose to the window and peered again, and this time he saw the pony and realised the famous man wasn't joking. 'Hang on a minute … I can't issue a first class ticket for that thing!' Joe bristled. 'Not so much of "that thing", if you don't mind. This is 'The Magpie', a very valuable trotting pony and I've got to get it to London, so let's have no nonsense'.