Iain Rice

[BlackRat]

Was lucky enough to know Iain through our work ( amongst other things) and would chat about setting up a great model railway museum somewhere, full of quality layouts that needed a good home after their owners passed away…..

 

I hope Iain’s work is preserved as this would be a fitting legacy.

 

Thoughts to his family. 

[nest]

Terribly sad news, his books and articles have been a great inspiration on my modelling. Also on my minor writings as well. His ease of style and sense of enjoyment always fell from the page. A true great in the hobby who will be sorely missed.

RIP

 

Nestor 

[Tim Chambers]

If only we could all expect such wonderful and heartfelt tributes! A  lovely man and one I was proud to meet on several occasions, the first as previously mentioned, when Iain was behind the counter at Hamblings in Cecil Court. A very sad loss, RIP.

[MarcD]

Sad news. He changed my outlook to model railways. I was going through some of his books only last night to get inspiration for my latest project "Tywyn King's". I will be working on the layout today at the Furness Show and will be thinking of him.

Marc

[Izzy]

Sadly I only knew Iain in passing and my abiding memory is of him and Bob Barlow first running the original version of the East Suffolk light at EXPOEM at the GW hotel in Paddington, string and all….

 

That I think was Iain’s great gift, the ability to blend the artistic with the practical and present it to everybody as achievable at every level. The encouragement this gave to all of us is of course legion.

 

R.I.P. You will be missed.

 

Bob

[mullie]

A massive influence on my modelling,  his books led to me trying finescale techniques, and are still a go to for ideas.

 

Thoughts are with his family at this time. 

 

Martyn

[2mmMark]

This is very sad news.  Iain's words, drawings and pictures have been one of the guiding lights of my railway modelling for over 40 years.  His modelling was inspiring but at a level you felt you could also achieve.

Through mutual friends, I was fortunate to get to know Iain personally. He made no secret about suffering from Parkinsons so it's some comfort to hear his passing was peaceful.

 

We got to see Iain on BBC TV in this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01q9vhy
which does get repeatead from time to time.  Worth looking out for.

Mark.

[46444]

Very sad news indeed.

 

I saw Iain in action a few times operating his layouts at exhibitions but never got to speak to him.

 

His layouts and writing were and still will be a source of inspiration. 

 

His enthusiastic writing style and wonderful illustrations certainly enabled me to develop as a modeller.

 

Condolences to his family and friends.

 

Mark 

[Kris]

His passing is a massive loss for the hobby, however his legacy will be long remembered. 

[Re6/6]

Sad, sad news. I shall miss him awfully. He was my inspiration to go finescale  through all his wonderful books.

 

Rest in peace Iain.

[NHY 581]

I grew up reading of Iain's modelling adventures and gained a huge amount of enjoyment and inspiration from his words. 

After a long hiatus from active modelling, it was to his books I turned. They were once again read cover to cover and my first layout of this period, Sheep Lane, emerged in 2016. Four more have followed since then. Composition, presentation and operation all inspired by Iain. 

 

God bless you Iain and thank you. 

 

Rob. 

[Northroader]

He was a man brimming with great ideas for modellers, and his books give me loads of inspiration. Then at shows, you would always go back for another look, “Butley Mills” and “Hepton Wharf” were the two that gave me the most interest. I was really sorry to hear of his illness some years ago now, the time since must have been very trying. Best wishes to his family.

[Brinkly]

This is such terribly sad news. Iain was a real inspiration in the hobby and someone who could capture the imagination of his audience. As many have already said, his numerous books and articles in various railway publications gave rise to many wonderful layouts and models. 

 

Iain's creative ability to design model railway plans based on prototypical maps and drawings was quite something. About 11 years ago, I commissioned him to draw Horrabridge's track plan. Iain produced two versions; the second is the version which is slowly coming together. I spent quite a lot of time with Iain discussing all sorts of modelling things with him. The loft in his home in Bridestowe housed his workshop, drawing area and Cade's Green layout, a place where I spent many an hour with him while we discussed how Horrabridge could evolve from a paper plan to a full model. 

 

I feel incredibly privileged to have known Iain, and the finescale hobby has lost one of its most influential members. 

 

Rest in peace, dear chap. 

 

Nick.
 

[RANGERS]

Shocked to read of Iain’s passing this morning, his diagnosis was never something he kept secret but he was  of my generation and to have lost one brings home our own fallibility.

 

For all his contributions in layout construction, Butley Mills and Woolverstone were my own personal favourites. Iain opened a door to how layouts could learn from the theatre in their presention - wings, proscenium arch etc - which are commonplace at shows today. Iain might not have devised this single-handedly, but he was responsible introducing it to mainstream modelling via his books and articles, and it’s probably the biggest single contribution to raising the standards of how layouts are presented today.

 

We’ve much to thank you for Iain, may you rest in peace.

[davegreenly]

Am just about to go to our usual Sunday morning session with our EM layout, and I know that everywhere I look there will be evidence of Iain's influence. RIP Iain - the hobby has lost a great influence , and a lovely man.

[Graham_Muz]

So sad to hear of the passing of Iain Rice, his exceptional modelling and accessible writing was highly inspirational to me and many more. #RIP

[franciswilliamwebb]

When I last moved house, a lifetime's worth of model railways magazines went to the tip.  All except a copy of CJ Freezer's Minories track-plan and this folder of Tregarrick clippings.  'Nuff said.

[BSW01]

I was very saddened to read of Iain’s passing. I’ve never met him, but I have several of his books and they are all very informative. I especially enjoy his books on locomotive construction, they are my go to books when I come across something that looks difficult. In fact I was only showing one of my granddaughters a book of his yesterday! There is now a huge hole in the model railway world that will take some filling. 

 

Thought to all Iain’s family and friends. R.I.P.

[Coombe Barton]

I, too, only met Iain once, at either an ExpoEm or Scaleforum at Stoke Mandeville. Must have been 2016 or 2017. Taken with his knowledge and willingness to share. And as for Tregarrick, he put the fictional reality into what he was doing and I think got many of us thinking about the back stories of what we were doing. He was an inspiration and I, for one, owe him a lot. RIP.

[RobMG]

I enjoyed reading his books and magazine articles.

He would be inducted into the model railway 'Hall of Fame' if there was one.

RIP Iain Rice

[Graham_Muz]

Just now, RobMG said:

I enjoyed reading his books and magazine articles.

He would be inducted into the model railway 'Hall of Fame' if there was one.

RIP Iain Rice

I think you will find he had already made the hall of fame out of Wills building sheets for all other inspirational and freely generous with their time modellers to enter behind him.

 

[D-A-T]

Such sad news.

 

Iain was one of, possibly the main, inspiration in my modelling journey.

 

I saw him twice; once as a young modeller with his Butley Mill layout and I dare not speak to a modelling god! And the second time was with Trerice at Scalefour North I think. This time I dared to talk to him and found him a very approachable chap. Much like I found his writing style.

 

His books on layout design and kit construction are my “go to” books on the subject. My just begun layout is very closely based on his variation of Minories, Harestone. I might change it’s name to something more Rice inspired if I can think of one.

 

Rest in Peace Sir.

[longchap]

I’ve spent the morning gardening in contemplative mood, after hearing of Iain’s sad passing when I got up. I return now to add my thoughts of sadness as well as those of thanks for all the inspiration and pleasure this generous gentleman has contributed to our way of life. Like most people, I sadly never had the pleasure of meeting him, although like so many, I have been hugely influenced by his writing and straighforward teaching style and several of his books remain in the most used section on my railway shelves.

 

Thank you Iain, for although so many of us never rubbed shoulders with you, your influence has well and truly rubbed off on us all and will continue to guide us whenever we need your help.

 

Rest in joyous peace and my kindest thoughts and wishes go to your family and loved ones.

[Anoldpom]

One of the great Railway Modellers, Thank you Iain

[ardbealach]

These two volumes by Iain are packed with so much to inspire us.  I would not have ventured to progress and complete my exhibition layout 'Whithorn' without his evocative words in the Isle of Whithorn chapter of 'Light Railway Layout Designs'.  [Alisdair]