Guest jim s-w Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Sad News indeed My thoughts go out to his family. Regards Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pirouets Posted December 28, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 28, 2009 I cannot count the number of times I have read his Buckingham Great Central book. A truely inspirational modeller to all generations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted December 28, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 28, 2009 A source of much inspiration, a sad loss - condolences to his family. R.I.P Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 R.I.P Peter Denny, he was an inspiration to me, not just in the modelling world, but in the interest of real life railways, it was thanks to this man that i picked up modelling books with good references to his layouts and the RM articles which followed. i owe this man many thanks, as he helped me to develop a deep love and interest in the Great Central Railway and the LNER and hwat happened to the GCR in future years. Had i not found those articles then i would have never taken an interest in the GCR. Many thanks go to what this modelling Legend gave us. my thoughts are with his family and friends during this very difficult time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Very sad indeed, One of the greats. RIP. Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Warrior Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 A very sad day Peter was one of the all time greats of the hobby. I remember his articles from the very first copies of RM bought in the 50's. A great inspiration. Thank you Peter. RIP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 This is very sad news. I understand that Peter Denny had held operating sessions for Buckingham until very recently and, though long retired, still occasionally conducted services as an Anglican priest. Though I never actually met him his articles and books have always been an inspiration- the original folding version of Leighton Buzzard which was the subject of a short series of articles in RM- is in my article folder and still useful even now. His seems to have been an excellent example of a life very well spent and it's clear that those who did know him have lost a very good friend. My condolences to Peter's family and friends and I hope at least some part of the Buckingham Branch can be preserved as a memorial to a great man. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 When one thinks of Buckingham, his name instantly comes to mind. Indeed it's hard to believe that the Great Central didn't actually run there. But of course in his model world, and all those of us who followed his writings in the model press, it really did. Rest easy PD. How sad. Rev. Denny was truly one of the finest modelers and, from all that I've garnered over the years, a true gentleman. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUTLER2579 Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Very sad news indeed as we were only talking about this lovely man at Wigan a few weeks ago when t-b-g was talking about his visits and how it was so enthralling that the journey down there from South Yorkshire passed in a flash,such was his anticipation of what lay ahead.Condolences to his family. R.I.P. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT3 Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Very sad news indeed, just yesterday I was re-reading his 1972 Buckingham book and the RM retrospective articles over a post xmas mice pie and thinking what an inspiration. Indeed I was turning to his work to give me ideas/inspiration to how to proceed with my own work, something I have done many times over the years. Perhaps a case could be made for Buckingham itself to go to Pendon or some such place as a permanent and fitting legacy of his work for current and future modellers to enjoy.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 A few years ago I took my then layout, Bembridge, to an exhibition where both CJF, and PD were judging best layout in the show. Bembridge came second, - good enough for me. The model railway world is the worse without them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JERRY Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 I've been seeing his layouts in the model railway press for as long as I can remember and I'm 56 !!! He was a true great, and a true pioneer of our hobby. My condolences to his family bat thois time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted December 29, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 29, 2009 Just to echo many of the comments already posted. A true gentleman, a true man of God and a true inspiration to many. RIP Rev Denny Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon hudson Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 A true inspiration Thanks for all those RM articles I remember an early 60's piece December issue, as a 6-7 year old those memories will always stay with me RIP Rev Denny Thanks!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 29, 2009 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 29, 2009 Perhaps the saddest thing, reading all of these wonderful comments, is that we did not get the chance to pass them on Rev Denny before he passed away. I will make sure, however, that these messages are passed to his family. Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted December 30, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 30, 2009 An unfortunate end to a remarkable life. I have an early 60s Railway Modeller which has several articles by Rev Denny, I am amazed at the standards he achieved 40 odd years ago. He raised the bar in modelling terms and in the way his layouts portrayed the overall picture - not just some tracks & a few buildings as so many were back then, but a true system in a landscape. Most people could only dream of acheiving the same standards even now. My condolences to his family. I wonder if any scheme is in place to preserve the Buckingham layouts for the future? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted December 30, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2009 Perhaps the saddest thing, reading all of these wonderful comments, is that we did not get the chance to pass them on Rev Denny before he passed away. I will make sure, however, that these messages are passed to his family. Stu I was lucky enough to be able to tell the great man just how much his modelling and his writing had inspired me, fairly recently. He certainly wasn't the type to seek any sort of glory or fame from his work. He only wrote articles because he hoped that it might help others to build models and I don't think that he really grasped what an impact he made on the hobby. At least I had the chance to tell him and to thank him and I did so! When I visited I told him how I had read most of his articles and books and that I hoped that he didn't mind that I had brought something along and would he mind signing it for me. His reply (with a wonderful twinkle in his eye) was that he would be delighted to but he hoped I hadn't brought them all as signing them would have taken all afternoon! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddy Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Like many others, I am very saddened by the news of Peter's passing. In future years this will I am sure be seen as the end of an era in our wonderful hobby. Peter summed up all that was good and great about railway modelling and we are all that much richer for him having walked amongst us. As the years passed a generation of modellers had grown up never having read of Buckingham or at least thinking of it as an almost legendary creation, and then the Railway Modeller last year prompted a last wave of prominence for the layout and the man. Thank you Peter, Rest in Peace Articles 1948 - MRC 10 - North Bucks (Great Central) Branch - Pt 1 (cont 11) 1951 - RM 01 - A Great Central Signal Box in 4mm Scale (cont 02) 1952 - RM 01 - Portability Pt 1 (cont 02*,03*,04,05*) 1952 - MRN 05 - The Buckingham Branch Line 1953 - RM 11 - At Home with the Buckingham Branch (also Cover Photo) 1954 - MRN 03 - Train Turntables for Point to Point Layouts 1955 - RM 08 - How to Make '0' Gauge Flat-Bottom Track 1955 - MRN 10 - The Tamar Valley Light Railway 1955 - RM 03 - Building Coach Bodies in 00 Gauge 1956 - RM 07 - Building the Tamar Valley Light Railway 1956 - RM 08 - Build a Viaduct in the Garden 1957 - RM 04 - Open Wagons 1957 - RM 07 - Garden Railway Buildings & Personality Parade 1958 - RM 07 - Progress at Buckingham 1958 - RM 08 - Buckingham Branch Developments 1958 - RM 12 - It Started at Christmas (TT Layout) 1959 - RM 04 - Paint your own Backscene 1959 - RM 06 - A Simple Folding Baseboard 1959 - RM 07 - Making the Grass Grow 1959 - RM 09 - Controlling the Points 1960 - RM 02 - A Small Loco Depot 1960 - RM 05 - Building Leighton Buzzard Part 1 (cont 06, 07) 1960 - RM 09 - Proposed Gas Works at Buckingham 1961 - RM 06 - Two Tracks to Buckingham 1961 - RM 06 - A Kitchen Table Workshop 1961 - RM 06 - A G.C. Signal Box 1961 - RM 06 - Covering Up 1961 - RM 06 - Making Trees 1961 - RM 06 - Building a Small Gasworks 1963 - RM 06 - Buckingham Great Central : All Change 1963 - RM 08 - Great Western - Great Central 1963 - RM 10 - Springing Triang bogies 1963 - RM 12 - Developing a Triang TT Layout 1964 - RM 02 - Making Semaphore Signals 1964 - RM 04 - Small Loco Depot (Grandborough Jcn.) 1964 - RM 10 - Grandborough Junction 1964 - RM 12 - On the Right Lines (TT Layout) 1965 - RM 06 - Operating Buckingham 1967 - RM 08 - Trepolpen Valley Light Railway 1969 - RM 09 - Buckingham Revised 1970 - RM 07 - Station awnings 1970 - RM 11 - Automatic Turntable for Buckingham 1971 - RM 02 - Developments at Buckingham 1972 - RM 04 - Leighton Buzzard (Linslade) Renewed 1972 - RM 06 - The Denny Fiddle Yard 1972 - RM 09 - Buckingham goes AC - The "Computer" 1975 - RM 04 - Buckingham Miscellany 1 - A Country Seat 1975 - RM 05 - Buckingham Miscellany 2 - Carrying Coals to Buckingham 1975 - RM 06 - Buckingham Miscellany 3 - A Great Central Goods Warehouse 1975 - RM 07 - Buckingham Miscellany 4 - More Motive Power 1975 - RM 08 - Trepolpen Valley Light Railway - A New Look at the Garden 1977 - RM 08 - Buckingham Saga - Operating Inside and Out 1978 - RM 09 - Modelling Old-Time Coach 1978 - RM 10 - Axle Guards from Plastic Sheet 1978 - RM 11 - Special Goods Facilities at Buckingham 1978 - RM 12 - Embellishments at Buckingham 1979 - MRN 05 - Buckingham 1980 - MRN 01 - Grandborough Jcn Yard - large Brian Monaghan Colour Photo 1980 - MRN 10 - Buckingham in Operation ??“ incl. 1952 Operating Schedule 1981 - MRN 06 - Trepolpen Valley Light Railway 1982 - MRN 09 - Signalling at Buckingham (cont 10, 12) 1984 - MRN 01 - The Manual Control of Points and Signals 1985 - RM 08 - Buckingham on the Move - Transfer to Retirement Village 1987 - RM 08 - Buckingham - A New Survey. Conducted tour of the Rlwy. 1989 - RM 07 - Building a Model Gasworks 1989 - RM 10 - Peco 40th Anniv. Supplement ??“ Letter from Peter Denny & Photo 1990 - MRJ 43 - (Photo) John Charman at MRJ Exhib. with Peter Denny 1990 - RM 11 - Preview of MRJ Central Hall Exhibition 1991 - MBT 01 - Buckingham in Retrospect. Complete article incl. colour 1992 - MRN 09 - A New Signal Box for Buckingham 1997 - MRE12 - Narrow Gauge Vanguard in the Garden (Garden Railway) 2001 - RM 11 - Buckingham : Retrospect & Up-date (50 Years of Peco) 2009 - RM 01 - Buckingham Great Central ??“ 60th Anniversary of the RM Special Articles & Books 1961 : June 1961 Railway Modeller - Index of Early Denny Articles 1961 : The Denny Special - June 1961 issue of "Railway Modeller" 1972 : Buckingham Great Central - 25 Years of Railway Modelling - Peco 1979 : Encyclopedia of Model Railways - Article and Colour Photos - Octopus 1993 : Peter Denny's Buckingham Branch Lines Part 1 1945-1967 - Wild Swan 1994 : Peter Denny's Buckingham Branch Lines Part 2 1967-1993 - Wild Swan 1995 : Article in "Model Railways and their Builders" by Jack Ray ??“ Atlantic 2001 : BRM Spring Special 2001 - Classic Layouts ??“ Pages 48 & 49 2009 : Peco DVD xtra No5 : Visit to Buckingham and Interview with Peter Denny Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 1963 - RM 06 - Buckingham Great Central : All Change 1962?? In future years this will I am sure be seen as the end of an era in our wonderful hobby. I know what you mean by that, but there is a sense in which we should celebrate his passing as well. He remains an inspiration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 I too was saddened to learn of the passing of Rev Peter Denny, in the early '60's I well remember reading his many articles in the model press, mainly in the "Railway Modeller". Along with Edward Beal, Frank Dyer, Mac Pryke, Ken Norwood, Cyril Freezer, Alex Bowie and Mike Bryant and possibly one or two others who's names I forget he was a great insperation, and alas all now gone. Another name from the past is P.D.Hancock with his neat combination of narrow gauge and the North British Railway. I wonder if he his still modelling? Mick Nicholson. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted January 1, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2010 I feel very sad at PD's passing. He was one of those who inspired me to go beyond the trainset. Thoughts are with his family. God bless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted January 1, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 1, 2010 A very sad loss - he was one of the most inspirational modellers for those of us who started out in the hobby back in the '60s. His modelling achievements (given what was available then) were just staggering, and his magazine articles were always interesting and informative. RIP and sincere thanks Peter. Condolences to his family. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted January 1, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2010 I am very sorry to hear of Rev Peter Denny's death. His modelling was an inspiration to many and I fondly remember reading and re-reading his articles in Railway Modeller many years ago. I hope Buckingham et al is preserved in some way. I never had the pleasure of meeting the man but I have a handwritten letter from him in which he enclosed a sample of the old Merko brick paper. One day we will have a running session on that great layout in the sky. Rest in Peace Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted January 4, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 4, 2010 A sad day indeed - the articles about his modelling start before I was born, as a mere lad in the early 60's I was in awe of his skill. The results were aspired to and still are - I doubt that there are very many to match his skills and inspiration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I don't think it's possible to exaggerate the contribution the Rev Peter Denny made to the hobby. He was one of a generation that was willing to make almost everything from scratch as there were no kits - or certainly very few that were of use to him. (There were also, when he started, few relevant published drawings or historical prototype information.) He tackled every aspect head on, and rebuilt many times because his first efforts didn't quite satisfy him. He was the undoubted doyen of Great Central modelling. Many (including myself) have followed in his tracks, some humbly (like me) others soaring to new heights of accuracy. However he laid the foundations and inspired many to pick the GC as 'their' railway. However, he also had a much wider impact in the modelling world, particularly in the field of realism. If you go back to his articles in the late 50s/early 60s and compare photos of Buckingham with the 'average' layout of that time you will see what I mean. I was lucky enough to see Leighton Buzzard at the MRJ London exhibition, but never saw Buckingham in the flesh, nor met its creator. That was my loss - on the other hand I was an avid reader of his published works. My condolences to his family and friends - he was a great man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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