Mike Sharman

[5050]

Just read on the Scalefour Society forum that Mike has sadly passed away -

 

https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6573&p=69743#p69743

 

Very sad news, he was an inspiration to many modellers (definitely to me!) and a very nice man too.  RIP Mike.

 

EDIT - as stated in the post below, only available to S4 members.  Very sorry, I had forgotten this.  I'm sure more details will be forthcoming soon.

Edited September 13, 2019 by 5050

[chris p bacon]

1 minute ago, 5050 said:

Just read on the Scalefour Society forum that Mike has sadly passed away -

 

https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6573&p=69743#p69743

 

Very sad news, he was an inspiration to many modellers (definitely to me!) and a very nice man too.  RIP Mike.

 

Very sad to hear.

 

The link will only work if you are logged in.

[Flood]

My Dad taped an episode of Small World in the mid eighties (repeat of the Sept 1980 programme) with an insight into the modelling of firstly Peter Denny and then Mike Sharman. For me it has always been a fascinating programme to watch their particular railway interests and scratch building of locos and stock.

 

True railway modellers.

[Dave Hunt]

Back in the eighties and nineties I knew Mike and Hilary well and helped Mike with some research on early locomotives. They were a lovely couple and Mike was a truly fine modeller. A great loss.

 

Dave

[AY Mod]

From https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/profile/7112-flood/&status=79009&type=status

 

Quote

You're quick off the mark on this Forum. Here is the formall announcement of Mike's  passing which I was in the process of posting:

 

I have to convey the sad news that the finescale model railway hobby has lost one of its pioneers and innovators – Mike Sharman, who passed away on 12th. September after a long battle with debilitating illness. This is not the place to set out his many achievements in the hobby; his kitchen-table pragmatism made fine scale modelling possible for a lot of people, and fuller appreciations will appear in the model press in the coming weeks.

 

For queries, please contact me in the first instance.  Comments, reminicenses and good wishes will doubtless be posted on this board and will be passed on.

 

Iain Rice, on behalf of Hillary Sharman.

 

Contact details: Phone: 01837 861234 e-mail: iainarice@gmail.com

.Any queries or messages can be passed on

 

[St Enodoc]

One of the true greats of the hobby.

[Barry O]

Mike was an officer and a gentleman. 

Both he and Hillary were passing acquaintances at various Model railway Shows both in the UK and the continent.

 

His models were very, very good, indeed they were rather an engineering work of art.

Watching his multi-gauge layouts was always fascinating.. and could be quite amusing when watchers didn't understand that certain locos and coaches could only travel on certain tracks for gauge reasons.

 

RIP Mike

Thoughts are with Hillary at this time.

Baz

[drduncan]

I only had the pleasure of seeing Mike's Mixed Gauge layout (or a bit of it) once at a show, a very long time ago.  It left me with the desire to try my hand at mixed gauge, which ,after far too many years, I have finally started to do something about.   He inspired a generation to give fine scale a go.  My condolences to Hillary and their friends.

Duncan

[Denbridge]

RIP Mike. I remember 1st seeing his superb models at the Central Hall exhibition where he had his amazing Workshop layout. That must have been around 1969. 

A not so well remembered fact is that Mike built most of his incredible locos twice. He sold the first EM collection to someone in the USA after switching to P4. He then went on to replace them and add many more. I do hope a way is found to keep that collection together.

[HonestTom]

RIP. I saw his mixed gauge layout at an exhibition many years ago and it's stuck in my memory ever since. A genius of modelling.

[Legend]

Always sorry to hear of passing of someone. Thoughts are with his family.

 

I didn't know the man , but his modelling was a source of inspiration. I first came across Mikes work in the New England partwork, which I think was called "History of Model and Miniature Railways " , probably around 73/74.  His layouts of Victorian trains , mixed gauge were a prominent feature in that publication  all hand built . Made you think anything could be possible and resulted in me fantasising over all sorts of layouts I could build . Of course I didn't have a fraction of the modelling abilities he had , but nevertheless he was a huge source of inspiration .  His name stuck with me from that point .   RIP

[Tony Wright]

Another of the greats gone!

 

Both he and I enjoyed many a bit of banter at Missenden. 

 

My condolences to Hillary and all who knew this wonderful gentleman.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Tony Wright
to clarify a point

[Stevebr]

Really sorry to hear this. Another of my heroes from the 70’s fades away. RIP Mike

[Colin_McLeod]

RIP Mike.

I never met you nor saw your layout, but via the printed word you were an inspiration.

Condolences to your family and friends.

[AMJ]

Saw his inspirational modelling at York many years ago. I also have a copy of the BBC video as mentioned above.

[Martin S-C]

I was terribly saddened by this news. Mike was one of those rare modellers who combined skill with a great sense of "just get on and do it". He achieved so much in his time with us and inspired me with his articles in the 60s and 70s Railway Modeller. I was lucky to briefly talk to him and see one of his Victorian layouts at a Scaleforum that must have been back about the late 90s or early 2000s.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Martin S-C

[Scottest]

I had the pleasure and privilege of being a RAF colleague of Mike in the very early 70s at RAF Lyneham. Not only was his modelling skill valued, he was a very fine, well respected aircraft (propulsion) technician, at that time on the C130. Mike was very proud of the fact that he had been a Boy Entrant  at a time when the Service valued such. My Memsahib and I were often made welcome at Cricklade,and our Christmas thoughts are with Hilary, and family.

 PB