James (Jimmy) Anderson, EKMRC

[davefrk]

Sad to note that an old friend passed away last week and his well attended funeral was today. Jimmy Anderson was I believe one of the founding members of the East Kilbride Model Railway Club near Glasgow. Many members and ex-members like myself attended and spoke kindly of Jimmy, some of us didn't realise he was 87.  

I joined the club in 1976 and Jimmy was the most welcoming of characters, he was a very good modeller and his buildings and structures on many of East Kilbride's layouts were well admired and indeed won numerous trophies, anyone who knew Jimmy would say he was quite a character, he could be the sole of the party yet he liked the simple life, no complications with Jimmy he just got on with the job. He was born in Motherwell and worked in the drawing office of Blantyre Engineering most of his days, my company which was also engineering was just along the road from his and we often engaged in engineering talk at the club. Blantyre Engineering did work for the LMS railway, the steel coal hoppers for the post war modernisation of a number of sheds in Scotland were down to them and Jimmy used the original drawings for the Wick shed coaler to produce a model for the shed on the layout 'Nerston Junction'. Other layouts he built structures for were Aviemore and Beattock both of which won trophies.

Jimmy had been ill for some time and hadn't been around the exhibition circuit much in the past few years but some members did visit occasionally. which he did appreciate I'm sure.

We will all miss his sense of humour and especially his casual put downs like 'Och yer arse is over the veranda' when someone suggested something silly.

So Jimmy 'all our arses will be over the veranda tonight'.

All the best.

 

Dave Franks

For all who knew Jimmy.

[adc]

Some photos of Jimmy's models as found through the years on layouts from East Kilbride Model Railway Club.

 

As Dave mentioned Jimmy's model of the Wick coaler first made an appearance on 'Nerston Junction'

 

 

But it would then find its self teleported to other layouts including Redford

 

 

where his signal box could be also be found. 

 

 

I don't think I can remember an East Kilbride layout that didn't have a Jimmy signal Box on it, both Crawford Bridge and Gala Water had one too.

 

 

 

While Jimmy hadn't been able to attend the club in a while, he did finish the bridges for our new layout Stanley Junction

 

 

Alan

[SPENCER A]

[SPENCER A]

The above photo of Jimmy "THE BUNNET" was taken in 2009 at his presentation to mark his retiral from the chairmanship of EKMRC - a position which he held for many years.

The club presented him with a fibreglass hull of the Waverley paddle steamer. It took him a couple of years to complete and as usual with Jimmy the finished model was of the highest standard.

He was a superb modeller and one of the nicest people you could meet.

RIP Jimmy - you're sorely missed.

[Guest 40-something]

I only knew Jimmy since 2009 when I joined EKMRC and immediately he made me feel welcome.  Great character, very funny, very humble and a bloody good modeller.  He gave me one of his signal boxes a good while back, and it resides on my modelling table on show.

 

RIP Jimmy