These two stray dogs were the unlikely travelling companions for rush hour commuters this morning after boarding a train from Thornton Heath station to Victoria.

At one point they even managed to wander on to the train tracks but are now safely locked up in the pound!

Travellers contacted Southern Rail with requests for ‘urgent help’ for the unaccompanied dogs, a male and a female, who are a Dogue du Bordeaux breed which is a type of Mastiff.

One commuter said: “These two dogs are wandering about Platform 2 @ Thornton Heath Station and I can’t find any staff to report to. Please help them.”

Southern staff replied that they were dealing with the situation but in the meantime the dogs boarded the train.

 Kim on the Southern’s Twitter account said: “The dogs managed to board a train to London Victoria where they got on to the tracks unfortunately.”

It’s also emerged that station staff told one passenger that they couldn’t leave the dogs at Thornton Heath so they ‘delibrately’ put them in the front carriage of the train. However when they emerged at Victoria the dogs decided to take a wander on the tracks before being recaptured.

Later another Tweet was sent out by a passenger saying the dogs were: “Being looked after by the train driver/staff @SouthernRailUK. Beautiful dogs and so docile!”

One train passenger who took this picture of them at the station  at 7.30am said: “These two dogs are unattended at Thornton Heath Station and there are no staff here to report to. Does anyone recognise them? They seemed to wander off of the tracks from the direction of Norbury.”

Another resident had tried to put a leash on the two large dogs outside her Thornton Heath house at at 5am after hearing them barking since midnight.

 She dialled 999 but was told to contact Croydon dog warden, which she did but was told the office didn’t open until 9am. She managed to slip a lead on one of the dogs but they started to fight and then walked off.

Despite their appearance the dogs were  described as ‘super friendly’ by people who encountered them on their escapade.

The best Tweet was the one (pictured left) which accuses Southern of ‘lying’ after the rail operator announced a train had been cancelled due to ‘animals being on the railway.”

Leading to this response form Nafis from Southern:  “Unfortunately two dogs boarded a train from Thornton Heath earlier on today to Victoria and ended up on the tracks. The RSPCA were called and they are both safe but it led to delays/cancelled services .”

One passenger said: “It  amazes me that two large dogs can board a train and travel to Victoria and nobody does a damn thing. It must have looked unusual  but not surprising as no-one ever sees anything nowadays.”

The Chronicle understands that the dogs owners  live in Thornton Heath and routinely walk their pets off lead without collars.

*The dogs are pictured on the platform at Thornton Heath Station.