Ray Towell

[Guest B Exam]

Ray Towell of the NRM fame sadly passed away yesterday after a suffering a massive stroke earlier in the weekend.

 

Ray was a true giant of railway preservation and I'm glad to of met him.

 

RIP Ray.

[DaveF]

 Very sad news.

 

I knew Ray well when he was at Market Overton and later at Carnforth.  He was always very friendly and helpful.

 

David

[PhilH]

That's a shame, very friendly man.

 

I recall a day back in 2005 when we had that western thing 'City of Truro' down on the Mid Hants. I drew the short straw and had to drive it for a day. RT was the minder and we hit it off right from the start, probably due to a mutual love of the pee take. I was inducted into his style of oiling up which was to take every gallon of oil we had and slosh it liberally into every one of the seemingly three million oiling points present on the thing. 

 

We had a cracking day, including a competition for who could hurl the most foul invective at a photographer who was stood in the four foot seemingly oblivious to the fact that we were getting rather close to him. I handed over the steering wheel to him for a trip and can well remember his sartorial elegance whilst driving, namely slouched in the corner in his trademark long mac with arms long enough to reach all the controls on the engine, no mean feat on that thing.

 

Happy days, RIP Ray.

['CHARD]

I only just found out about Ray's passing when I noticed this obit video.

R.I.P Matey

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naVBHV7U1yk

[jsp3970]

Oh no.

 

I just saw this thread and passed the news on to my father. Both of us knew Ray from Steamtown and I agree that he was one of the friendliest people you could ever meet.

 

When Ray went to the NRM I got a full tour, including the workshop area,, but sadly that was the last time I saw him.

 

RIP Ray.