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Railway & Modelling Obituaries

Bob Symes


Giles

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Such sad news to hear that Bob passed away today, it's come as a great shock to me, although I am too young to remember him on TV I did watch the YouTube videos that were put up of himself and his splendid railway(s) and boy they were inspiring, although I did meet the man himself some time ago, I was very young and can't remember, which is a great shame as I would have loved to have met him again. May he rest in peace.

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Truly one of the great names in our hobby. Remarkably, his work was being featured in Model Railway Constructor in the early 1960s when I bought my first copy, and was featured most recently in Model Rail in the autumn of last year when Chris Nevard visited him at his new home. Modeller, innovator, broadcaster and slightly cranky genius, Bob was one of the great, perhaps the greatest, elder statesmen of our hobby. Condolences to his family and his many friends. 

CHRIS LEIGH

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I was only thinking of him on Saturday as he used to present prizes at the Guidford exhibition at its previous venue.

I do remember his programmes when he was involved in making a model of Horsted Keynes many years ago which gave me  much inspiration .

 

I also remember chatting to him at the Guildford shows. He presented an award to us for our narrow gauge layout Bourne Valley which must have been 20 years ago.

 

A really nice person.

 

RIP.

 

Ian

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A true gentleman. He had a lovely way about his presentation. As others have said, another hero of my youth gone.

 

God bless.

 

Rob

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Sad news.

 

He presented us with 'Best Layout In Show' at Astolat (Guildford) show about 10 years ago for our 70's BR EM diesel layout Shirebeck.

 

Fond memories of him almost dancing along the viewing side as we played trains.

 

His infectious enthusiasm for all things railway was renowned throughout the hobby.

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I do remember his programmes when he was involved in making a model of Horsted Keynes many years ago which gave me  much inspiration .

 

I think that was in a 1970s series called 'Model World' which was repeated endlessly on kids TV in the summer holidays in the late 1980s. I seem to remember that Jack Kine from the BBC special effects department did some of the work on the layout.

 

Model World also featured the infamous class 47. I rather wanted one of those when I was 12......

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RIP Bob while in hospital for a period last year I searched youtube and watched every thing I could find with bob in, What a truly inspirational man the likes of which we will never see again. His unique ability was to make everyone no matter whether they had built a massive layout or the smallest kit feel they had achieved something, the fact you were modeling was the main thing to him. Steve

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His vision to reopen the Waverley Route in the early 1970's finally has been partly realized. Without gas turbine dmus as he proposed! Maybe he can be remembered when it reopens?

 

Dava

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These nearly 50 posts in such a short time are a testament to the man and his impact. His BBC interlude to the tune of "Wheels" made a huge impression on me as a child, and the Payerbrook and Fairlie was a wonderfully compact layout chock-full of action. A good innings but nonetheless very sad news.

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