David Morris of MRM King's Cross and Eames of Reading

[Brian Kirby]

I have just heard from my old friend and colleague Bob Treacher, the very sad news that my former KX boss Dave Morris, has passed away at the age of 74. David was the son of the late E.W.("Ted") Morris, who with the late John Gauld, had estabilished the model engineering business and shop E.A.M.E.S. of Reading, after World War 2. Ted was the original M.D., David became the third director in the late 1960s, and eventually Managing Director on his father's retirement. Eames produced a wide range of kits, components and accessories for the model railway trade, later adding Brackenborough bus and Jamieson loco kits to the Reading stable. In 1971 they bought and took over the OO Scale Models shop at 14 York Way in King's Cross, running the two shops as separate businesses, but with the same directors, the KX shop became Model Railway Manufacturing Co.Ltd.

      John Gauld was firmly based in, and ran, the shop in Tudor Road, Reading (just west of the station), Ted and David would take turns to commute to the London shop. Day to day running at KX was overseen by Tony Dyer, who sadly died six months ago (see earlier obituary below), our directors would arrive mid-morning and leave late afternoon, their's was a long day travelling by train, or by car if stock was needed, via the Reading shop in both directions.

      Eventually Ted and John retired, promoting David to M.D., but with a much heavier workload for one person. David was always very good to his staff, and treated everyone decently and was fair-minded in business. By coincidence both shop premises were to become required for redevelopment, the Reading shop was to be demolished for road improvements, the York Way shop escaped a similar outcome, and survived derelict for over a decade, it has now become a branch of the Nando's restaurant chain. Relocation of the model shops was considered, but instead David decided to close both firms down, so as to try something new.

      The shops closed in 1989, David then embarked on a new career as a self-employed lorry driver, but alas this was to be cut short, when David unfortunately suffered a severe stroke in middle age. He fought back to a partial recovery, but walking and other movement was difficult. He was supported, and is survived by his loving wife Sue, and sons Adrian, Ian and Julian.

                                                Brian Kirby.

    

[DavidB]

Thanks Brian - sad news.. E.A.M.E.S. was the model shop of my early childhood - my father and I went there most Saturday mornings as part of our weekly shopping trips from Tilehurst into Reading.  A visit to E.A.M.E.S. and a shared bar of Bourneville on platform 5 watching hydraulics and Blue Pullmans were a much-loved part of my childhood.  And my life-long love of making models from scratch all began with Airfix wagon kits picked from the racks in the side-room at E.A.M.E.S..  I always coveted the Rivarossi O Gauge Casey Jones 4-6-0 kit that was displayed in the main room of the shop for a long time.  It took me another 35 years to achieve my ambition of buying one.

 

Thanks to David Morris for the memories - and to Brian for sharing the news.

 

David

[RANGERS]

Hard to reconcile it's almost 30 years since a wander round Kings Cross Models was an integral part of any trip to London. I feel very old now!

[08221]

Such sad news. Used to nip into the Kings Cross shop a couple of times each week on my way home from Holborn to Bletchley to pick up bits and bobs for my modelling work.

 

Bless everyone who has suffered a loss with this news, it was a wonderful era - never to be forgotten.

[St Enodoc]

Hard to reconcile it's almost 30 years since a wander round Kings Cross Models was an integral part of any trip to London. I feel very old now!

Yes, it was a compulsory stop before or after meetings in the East Side Offices. I never knew David (or the others) by name but I offer my condolences to his family and friends.

[Bobtreacher]

I have just heard from my old friend and colleague Bob Treacher, the very sad news that my former KX boss Dave Morris, has passed away at the age of 74. David was the son of the late E.W.("Ted") Morris, who with the late John Gauld, had estabilished the model engineering business and shop E.A.M.E.S. of Reading, after World War 2. Ted was the original M.D., David became the third director in the late 1960s, and eventually Managing Director on his father's retirement. Eames produced a wide range of kits, components and accessories for the model railway trade, later adding Brackenborough bus and Jamieson loco kits to the Reading stable. In 1971 they bought and took over the OO Scale Models shop at 14 York Way in King's Cross, running the two shops as separate businesses, but with the same directors, the KX shop became Model Railway Manufacturing Co.Ltd.

      John Gauld was firmly based in, and ran, the shop in Tudor Road, Reading (just west of the station), Ted and David would take turns to commute to the London shop. Day to day running at KX was overseen by Tony Dyer, who sadly died six months ago (see earlier obituary below), our directors would arrive mid-morning and leave late afternoon, their's was a long day travelling by train, or by car if stock was needed, via the Reading shop in both directions.

      Eventually Ted and John retired, promoting David to M.D., but with a much heavier workload for one person. David was always very good to his staff, and treated everyone decently and was fair-minded in business. By coincidence both shop premises were to become required for redevelopment, the Reading shop was to be demolished for road improvements, the York Way shop escaped a similar outcome, and survived derelict for over a decade, it has now become a branch of the Nando's restaurant chain. Relocation of the model shops was considered, but instead David decided to close both firms down, so as to try something new.

      The shops closed in 1989, David then embarked on a new career as a self-employed lorry driver, but alas this was to be cut short, when David unfortunately suffered a severe stroke in middle age. He fought back to a partial recovery, but walking and other movement was difficult. He was supported, and is survived by his loving wife Sue, and sons Adrian, Ian and Julian.

                                                Brian Kirby.

Further to Brian's report of David's sad passing, if any friends of David would like to attend the funeral and wake the details are as follows. Friday 5th May at Reading Crematorium, Henley Road, Caversham, RG4 5LP followed by the celebration of David's life at the Bull & Chequers, Woodley Green, RG5 4QP. Sue and her sons would be very pleased to meet any of you. 

I would just like to add that my time at EAMES, both part time whilst I was in the Army  and full time upon my retirement was the best job I had ever had. This was down to the top three guys, namely Ted, David and John. I learnt so much from them which stood me in good stead for when I started my own business following the demise of EAMES and KX. God rest you David. 

[Bobtreacher]

Further to Brian's report of David's sad passing, if any friends of David would like to attend the funeral and wake the details are as follows. 2.30pm Friday 5th May at Reading Crematorium, Henley Road, Caversham, RG4 5LP followed by the celebration of David's life at the Bull & Chequers, Woodley Green, RG5 4QP. Sue and her sons would be very pleased to meet any of you. 

I would just like to add that my time at EAMES, both part time whilst I was in the Army  and full time upon my retirement was the best job I had ever had. This was down to the top three guys, namely Ted, David and John. I learnt so much from them which stood me in good stead for when I started my own business following the demise of EAMES and KX. God rest you David. 

I forgot to say that dress code is informal and no flowers, there will be a collection box afterwards for those wishing to donate.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Bobtreacher

[robertcwp]

I can only recall one visit to the Reading shop but i was a regular visitor to the King's Cross one in its final years and recall it being a very good shop. In particular I remember going there at lunchtime on the day of the King's Cross fire, using the up escalator from the Piccadilly Line on the way. 30 years ago now.

[Trebor]

the KX shop is now a nandos chicken emporium.... they call this progress.......

[Horsetan]

the KX shop is now a nandos chicken emporium.... they call this progress.......

 

Could be worse. It could have been an even more downmarket KFC parody chicken shop, or a Turkish barbecue purveyor, or.... (insert suggestion here)

[roythebus]

Sorry I've just picked up on this thread. Sad to hear of David's passing, that's more or less all the "old gang" gone now! I haven't heard anything about Jeff Packham, Mike Sheppard or Simon Kelly who worked at the Kings Cross shop with me in the 1960's, they used to be the upstairs staff making superb models.

 

14 York Way was, I am led to believe, a "house of ill repute" before it became OOscale Models in the mid 1960's, run by Keith Dan who moved his business from Biggleswade to there.

 

Rest in peace David.

[Clive Mark]

Very "old fashioned proper model shops of the past". I used to spend lunch hours rushing in the tube to get to Kings Cross. Good place. Tony Dyer was such a genuine man. The Reading shop was also the "sort of thing" you will never find today thanks to "progress".

[The Pilotman]

I don't remember any of the staff but I do remember the Reading shop. A proper treasure trove where you could spend hours browsing.

[Captain Kernow]

I hadn't spotted this thread until today. What sad news. I remember working with Brian in the shop for a few months during my university summer holidays in the late 1970s, and what a superb place it was, with really friendly and helpful colleagues. David (and Tony) were indeed very fair bosses, the kind of people you would naturally hold in respect for their knowledge, experience and firm but fair nature.

 

Belatedly perhaps, but may they both Rest in Peace.

[mgnman]

I have only just stumbled on to this subject. I was sad to hear about David. I knew him slightly a long time ago when I was a small boy, as my father Doug Digby was one of Uncle Ted's helpers in the Reading shop when he was home on leave (he was a BOAC navigator). I used to meet Ted, and Auntie Elsie was a family friend for many years before her death. Do any of the ex-EAMES crew remember my Dad? I believe I also met 'Jamie' Jameson too. Terrible to think that most people from that time are now gone.

[RobMG]

I too have only just discovered this post.  I grew up in Reading, and used to go to Eames a lot.  It was a unique place. There never was , and never will be again a model shop like it.   I knew David well he was a really nice bloke, as was his dad Ted.  John was more difficult to get to know, to me he always seemed rather distant.   I loved that place.  

Every Saturday morning I would meet up with my Dear friend , the  Late Martin Brent, who some people may have heard of.  We'd spend a happy hour in there. Then nip into town for whatever, before going back to Martins house or the pub  'The New Inn at Kidmore end . Then back to Martins to tinker with our 1930's MG's  another of our common interests.  

They were great days.  Martin died  20 years ago and I miss him to this day.    

I miss Eames too, we didn't need to go anywhere else, what Eames didn't have in stock they would get very quickly.

There was another person who worked in there, I used to get on well with named Paul  does that ring a bell with anyone ???

 

Rob

[PMP]

I recall Martin Brent very well. I really liked his layouts and style, that he passed away twenty years ago is a sobering thought.

 

I believe Paul Karau as in Wild Swan/Cygnet May have worked there for a short while.

14 hours ago, RobMG said:

Every Saturday morning I would meet up with my Dear friend , the  Late Martin Brent, who some people may have heard of.  We'd spend a happy hour in there. Then nip into town for whatever, before going back to Martins house or the pub  'The New Inn at Kidmore end . Then back to Martins to tinker with our 1930's MG's  another of our common interests.  

They were great days.  Martin died  20 years ago and I miss him to this day.    

(Snip)

There was another person who worked in there, I used to get on well with named Paul  does that ring a bell with anyone ???

 

Rob

 

[RobMG]

Yes I was thinking Paul Karau, but I thought I could be wrong, but I remember he was very interested in and knowledgable  of GWR wagons, and talked about writing a book on them.  

It was 2000 when Martin died, He lived Ledbury Herefordshire  by that time.   He'd retired and was building O gauge kits,  for a retirement living.  I visited him a few times there.  

One I had a phone call from him to say he'd been diagnosed with Luekaemia, and was about to go into hospital for treatment.

He was very hopefull and confident he would carry on for a good few years.   Unfortunately that was not to be.   One day His wife Janice phoned me to say, he'd caught an infection and had died.   
It was a very sad blow,  and as I have said  I miss him still. We were best friends for many years..

Rob

[roythebus]

Martin Brent was chairman of The Model Railway Club for a number of years. I served on the committee with him in the lat 1970s/early 1980s.