Owen Gibbon

[BigMal]

Sad to hear that Owen Gibbon has passed away. A prolific 0 Gauge modeller and stalwart of the NEC exhibition and many other shows around the country.

 

My condolences to brother John and other family members.

 

RIP Owen

Edited July 3, 2021 by BigMal

[Chris M]

Very sad news. Owen was a great guy who did a huge amount over many many years to help our hobby. He was a key person setting up and breaking down the Warley Show . Owen also organised the rather wonderful annual show at Swindon Museum together with his brother John. He was also very involved in many more exhibitions. He will be sadly missed by many of us in the hobby. He was always up for a laugh and keen to encourage fellow modellers. His huge enthusiasm for the hobby was a great source of encouragement for folk like me. Things were rarely dull when Owen was around!

 

My condolences to John and other family members.

[4109]

So very sorry to learn of Owen's sudden passing. 

The show circuit won't be the same now. We were always bumping into him and John at shows they were either exhibiting at or helping to run. 

The socializing afterwards was particularly good especially at either York or the Rhondda back in the day, great memories.......... 

He was always trying to persuade me to switch to 7mm, never quite succeeded but darned close!

Raised a glass to him last night.... thanks for the good times, now rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to John and their family.

 

  

[Siberian Snooper]

A sad loss,  I first met the brothers at the Bristol show, when it was held in the warehouse on Bristol harbour.  The last time I bumped into them, I was returning from Ireland and stopped off at the nascent Corris Railway in the early 00s.

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

I learned about Owen's passing yesterday and was devastated. As others have stated, he was a great guy, lots of fun and generous with it. I've spent many a time with him during exhibition weekends and the last time I met up with him and John was at a Midland Railway Society weekend based in Gloucester a couple of summers ago. A huge loss personally and to our hobby.

 

Dave

[Barry O]

I first met Owen in 1978 at York Show. Both he and John were on a layout from the north gwent (aka Viet Gwent group)

 

From then on both he and John became very good friends.

 

We all had the same passions.. Rugby Union ( he played with the Pontypool front row for a while), Cricket, and ..model railways. Owen also enjoyed a beer or two.. particularly with mates..

 

He helped getting Guildex to work and , as the Gauge O Guild Events sub committee  Chairman delivered quality events for the Guild with positive financial outcomes. After a torrid time with the Guild he was cajoled to start a part of a bigger group.. the Association of Large Scale Railway Modellers.  Who have progressed well over the years.

 

He was one of a small group who set up and ran the Rhonnda Model Show.. where everyone enjoyed themselves. He had helped with Warley from the move to the NEC, then started the show at Steam in Swindon.

 

Both John and Owen worked hard at these shows as well as at York Show providing support to Mike Cook.. a mantle taken on by others without probably realising how hard they worked to keep the York show going.

 

He and John provided a number of Exhibition layouts ( mainly in 7mm) using both steam and diesel settings. At least two of the layouts were colliery based and could easily tie operators in knots.

 

Both he and John have been members of Warley and Leeds clubs for a number  of years.

 

At Leeds we have lost one of our key door (money taking) team.. hopefully John can continue to bring the fantastic array of pictures to the show this year.

 

Owen should be remembered as a person who wanted things to be "right". Who was prepared to speak up when things were not correct.. and I will miss him as a really great mate!

 

Gods' speed O

 

Baz

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Barry O

[Nicktoix]

An hour on the phone to Owen would be a short call. It would cover an exhibition invitation, general exhibition organisation, model railway gossip, help with modelling and of course rugby.
He was a good friend and I will miss him

RIP

Nick

[Stephen Freeman]

I think the last time I saw them was probably at Warley NEC (2013?) or it could have been Poynton (2012?) when they were helping Bob Harper with Maristow, both myself and our son got to have a little play with it. Not the first time Owen pressed ganged me into operating I might add. They had a small diesel layout which they exhibited (amongst others, though I think the main layout was not too exhibitable being in their basement) and I helped out for a while at a Crosby show but that was even further into the past. We were shocked at the news which was totally unexpected and our sympathy is with John.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Stephen Freeman

[MartinWales]

Heard about Owen's passing yesterday-one of the few people on the circuit I could have a conversation with in Welsh. 

 

Byth dy anghofio!

[1E BoY]

Sorry to hear of Owen's passing. I served with him on the Gauge O Guild Events Committee in the 1990s and although we both moved on to other things, we would catch up each year at several shows including Bristol and Warley.

 

Owen was a great ambassador for the hobby and for O gauge in particular.

 

I for one will miss the banter.

 

Condolences to John and the family. 

[Not Jeremy]

What terrible news, a great bloke and so much part of the hobby and exhibition scene, he seemed indestructible.

 

Which I know none of us are.

 

RIP Owen and condolences to John, his family and close friends

[innocentman]

Such a shock to her the passing of Owen.

 

A great friend and wonderful modeller. Spent many hours operating Ynysybwl Fach at shows with both Owen and John up and down the country. Can't recall Owen with a controller in his hand that often. Usually found around the front of the layout talking to friends or explaining the operation of the pit and its features to Joe Public. 

 

RIP my friend.

 

Andrew

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by innocentman