Railway Modelling Hall of Fame

[Nearholmer]

Inspired by something said by Poggy in another thread, can I propose a very un-British idea?

 

In the US, they seem to have a Hall of Fame for every field of endeavour, where the most influential or prominent exponents are lionised.

 

So, if we had such a thing for our hobby in Britain, the sole criterion for inclusion being "influential", which ten (only ten) people would be included?

 

To start the ball rolling, I will nominate:

 

- W J Bassett-Lowke, for being the first to really identify it as a hobby distinct from either model engineering or buying toy trains for children, and for being the first to commercialise it; and,

 

- Henry Greenly, for, among a vast number of other things, being the editor, and the author of a good portion of the content, of the first model railway magazine, and being the first to define a set of compatible wheel and point work standards for 'indoor' scales/gauges.

 

Does the assembled throng accept these nominations, and who else should be included?

 

Kevin

[Metr0Land]

P D Hancock for Craig and Mertonford, has a big impact on the teenage, me seeing his layouts in RM

[MarkSG]

I think you'll find this distills down to the usual suspects.

 

In addition to those already named, I'd add:

 

Frank Hornby, for making train sets affordable and accessible to the masses (and introducing the scale/gauge combination that is still by far the most popular in the UK)

 

John Ahern, for pioneering the scenic model railway with the Madder Valley

 

Peter Denny, for pioneering finescale with Buckingham Great Central

 

Cyril Freezer, for popularising the terminus-to-fiddle-yard design.

Edited April 30, 2018 by MarkSG

[Penlan]

Edward Beale - First, my favourite, 'Modelling the Old Time Railways' (1955), he also wrote 'West Midland, A Railway in Miniature' (1951) and 'New Developments in Railway Modelling' (1947).

The '....Old Time...' book I borrowed to death from Winchester Library in the 1950's. 
I have my own 2 copies now 

 

Mentioned already, John Ahern, but don't forget his books too, 'Miniature Landscape Modelling', my copy is dated 1955, and of course 'Miniature Building Construction' 1950.
I really must look at getting some new books, soon 

Edited April 17, 2018 by Penlan

[Nearholmer]

Can I test the water for a person who might be thought of as an "unusual suspect"?

 

Stephan Bing - As both: a representative of the entire Bing family enterprise, which taught the whole world, including Frank Hornby, how to make affordable, high-quality toy and model trains, and produced the first commercial 00 range; and, as the founder of Trix in Britain, thereby embedding the trend away from larger scales towards 00/H0.

Edited April 17, 2018 by Nearholmer

[Captain Kernow]

Andy York.

[bertiedog]

There's lots of others both trade and club, Stewart Reidpath, Arthur Hambling, Mike Sharman, Bob Symes, Lillian Lawrence, (Curly Lawrence LBSC), Martin Evans (model engineer), J Maskelyne (Model railway news), Terry Walshal (Tubal Cain Model engineer) Guy Williams, Pete Waterman, John Ahern, Ian Rice, Mr Pritchard of Peco, Rev  Wilbert Awdry......plus many others.

 

Stephen

[ikks]

There's lots of others both trade and club, Stewart Reidpath, Arthur Hambling, Mike Sharman, Bob Symes, Lillian Lawrence, (Curly Lawrence LBSC), Martin Evans (model engineer), J Maskelyne (Model railway news), Terry Walshal (Tubal Cain Model engineer) Guy Williams, Pete Waterman, John Ahern, Ian Rice, Mr Pritchard of Peco, Rev  Wilbert Awdry......plus many others.

 

Stephen

and andy York!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

[Nearholmer]

Is that fourteen nominations (if I counted correctly)?

[Penlan]

The OP states..

........ the sole criterion for inclusion being "influential",
Then crucially limits it with 

........ which ten (only ten) people would be included?

There are many we would like to include, but over time, 'ten' is a very small number,

and it depends which area of modelling your into as to who might be influential.
There is obviously a hardcore, Denny, Hornby*, etc.,  but only ten? 

Some of those mentioned in previous posts may be completely unknown

to the younger generations (anybody below 50  ).

* I include Hornby, because many, many people in the past developed their 'Hobby'

from Hornby '0' Gauge, Hornby 3 rail etc.,  if your of certain ages,

Then past that 'Hobby' down through the family.

Edited April 17, 2018 by Penlan

[Nearholmer]

Indeed. I’m going see how many nominations arise over, say, a day or two, then list them all, and invite people to play a balloon game with them.

 

Ten is deliberately very few. Less than one per decade, if we date the start of the hobby as around 1900, and even if we date it from the first model railway magazine in 1909.

Edited April 17, 2018 by Nearholmer

[caradoc]

Roye England has to be there for Pendon, surely ?

[Dava]

Can Paul Towers and Chris Leigh at least present the awards [lifetime editor-modeller contributors]?

[John B]

My own opinions only, 10 nominations for Hall of Fame inclusion would be:

 

George (and Doris) Illife Stokes

Peter Denny

P D Hancock

Frank Dyer

Iain Rice

Bob Barlow

Roy Link

Roye England

Peter Kazer

Barry Norman.

 

Purely personal and subjective, of course 

[APOLLO]

I'll nominate the late David Jenkinson for his Settle - Carlisle enthusiasm, books, articles & layouts.

 

Most others who perhaps deserve have been mentioned.

 

Brit15

[F-UnitMad]

Some of my nominations wouldn't be eligible I expect, as they either aren't British, or their influence on my modelling wasn't regarding British Outline.

 

I would include some like PD Hancock, who should be top of the list anyway in my book, despite my never modelling narrow gauge. His whole style of writing was as inspirational as his modelling ability.

But also in my list would be Chris Ellis, Editor of Airfix Model Trains and it's successors, who's articles introduced me to the world of American Short Lines, & Lance Mindheim, for his modelling, layout ideas and writings about modern American switching operations.

[Ravenser]

Personally I think  20-25 would be a more realistic number to cover those who've made a significant contribution to the hobby.

 

Thus far we've been a bit 4mm-centric. I think Jack Ray might be worth a nomination - not just for Crewchester but also for his huge contribution to the GOG

 

Iain Rice is a definite nomination

 

Beeson maybe?

[LBRJ]

I suppose it would be easy to list dozens, and what really defines influential is a large variable.

 

But for a "first ten" from the earlier days of the hobby

Henry Greenly

Edward Beale

A R Walkley

Frank Hornby

Sydney Pritchard

C J Freezer

John Ahern

Peter Denny

P D Hancock

Roye England

[Oldddudders]

Wot the hell happened to George Mellor?

[Nearholmer]

Why, is there some doubt as to the manner of his passing?

[CKPR]

Iain Rice

Peter Denny

Roye England

P.D.Hancock

Edward Beale

C.J.Freezer

'Pop' Keyser

John Aherne

Mike Sharman

Barry Norman

[sb67]

How about Gordon Gravett or Allan Downes being in there somewhere? Also Ian Futers has been a great influence, I can remember his P4 weathered diesels back in the 80's.

Steve.

Edited April 17, 2018 by sb67

[bertiedog]

Is that fourteen nominations (if I counted correctly)?

Ten is too few, a very nominal number, and any hall of fame has to allow for new entries as well. I would concede that some are model engineers but it's a fine line as too how influential each was.

Stephen

[Nearholmer]

The rules is the rules. I know; I spent all of ten milliseconds making them up. Ten it is.

 

Arbitrary? Certainly. And, the criterion subjective? Absolutely.

[F-UnitMad]

How about.... Allan Downes ...

Just so long as he's not allowed to tell any jokes...   

 

See the Jokes Thread for details. 

 

Coat, hat etc.

 

Edit: seriously, though - I do agree. I always enjoyed his articles in RM, and as a result I cut up numerous Weetabix boxes to make model buildings, back in the day.

Edited April 17, 2018 by F-UnitMad