Alistair Rolfe

[hayfield]

A true gentleman, kind, helpfull, generious, will be greatly missed not only by his close family but by all those who met him.

[amsie]

Very sad news indeed. As others have said, I met him only the once a few years ago, and he sat with me for ages talking about Southern EMU's and soldering brass kits.

 

One can only leave after meeting him thinking what a decent chap he was!

[brightspark]

How very sad.

I first met Alistair in the 70's when we used to play Trains at the Great Cockrow Railway in Chertsey. I used to dig ditches and mix concrete and occasionally play with the little engines. Alistair used play in the Signal Box and became a fully passed out Signalman. This is no mean feat as the examiner was fairly high up in the S&T of the old Southern Region. It was rather sad that Alistair was diagnosed with cancer at the same time that he was offered a job as a signalman on the (big) railway. He was quite pleased that he got top marks in the exam. Apparently they were very impressed by his knowledge of bell codes. (If you get a chance to go the Cockrow, do have a look at the signal box's. It is a full working system and Alistair was involved in setting it up)

 

Even as a schoolboy he was a very able modeller and was one of the people that inspired me to move on from "shake the box" modelling to kit bashing etc, and was always very kind and constructive with his critisim.

I occasionally met him over the intervening years and it was always a pleasure to see him at shows. Either behind the REC's Alton layout or on the first the Wills stand and then on his own MTK stand. I always looked for something off him, but never did and he didn't seemed to mind. Just wanting a chat and catching up with news, or asking me to man the stand while he went off for a break. Something I was always glad to do....I just wish that I could have sold more for him. It was amazing that he used to transport everything by train.

 

He also owned a railway coach that was burnt out by vandals. Last time I spoke to him he was talking about the planned rebuild. Does anyone know of it?

 

I'll finish off with the his next layout project that was (always) being planned. I used to rib him about it and we came up some daft ideas about modelling trains going through fog bound nights so that you wouldn't have to model too much detail. Just have window lights flashing past.

Well his big idea was Weybridge in the late 1950's early 60's. The layout would allow fast through expresses pulled by Southern Steam and of course his beloved juice trains.

 

Goodbye Alistair. Thank you.

[Xerces Fobe2]

Very sad such a decent man who was always helpful with great knowledge and enthusiasm for EMUs.

 

A hard act to follow.

 

Nigel.

[coachmann]

Alistaire did tell me about his burned out coach but with my memory I cannot remember exact details. I seem to recall it was a Stanier composite, and maybe it is with the LMS Carriage Association at Matlock.

[jonhall]

Alistaire did tell me about his burned out coach but with my memory I cannot remember exact details. I seem to recall it was a Stanier composite, and maybe it is with the LMS Carriage Association at Matlock.

 

I believe it was LMS 6839 Brake Corridor Composite built 1935 and it was stored at the Avon Valley (from the VCT webite).

 

I would like to echo the comments about Alistair, a great shame to have lost him so soon.

 

Jon

[Kempenfelt]

Very sad news, I can only echo everyone elses comments, a thoroughly decent bloke and a big loss to our hobby!

 

His coach I believe was part of the Royal Scot set and possibly the only survivor of this train! The vandilism experienced was truely gutting yet he was still insistant on preserving this for everyones future. It is I still believe at the Avon Valley Railway but has been reduced to a chassis. I hope that in time this coach can be restored as Alistair had hoped and can be yet another reminder of what Alistair brought to our world.

 

RIP Alistair

[charliepetty]

Thank you Alistair for your help and support over many projects, your suggestions (the polite ones) were helpfull.

 

See you around somewhere, sometime. Be good! Charlie Petty DC Kits

[Pete the Elaner]

Alistair's passing is a sad loss to our hobby.

My condolances to his family & close friends.

[Baby Deltic]

Very sad news indeed. I met Mr Rolfe at many shows and bought bits off him.

[dibber25]

I've only just heard, thanks to a phone call to the office from Dave Smith. Sincere condolences to Alistair's family and friends. I knew him from way back, when he worked in the Accounts Department at Ian Allan. He didn't drive and on the occasions when Mr Allan himself wasn't around to do so, I often gave Alistair a lift home. He was a genial and delightful colleague who kept very quiet about his model-making skill. He re=mastered a number of former Wills kits in the SE Finecast range to bring them up to modern standards. I think he saw the MTK range as something of a challenge - hence his choice of name for the range. Somewhere, I have a Bristol-ECW railbus kit which Alistair produced for me from the original MTK bits. I shall have to see if I can build it now, just as a reminder of a first class chap.

CHRIS LEIGH

[muddys-blues]

I've only just heard, thanks to a phone call to the office from Dave Smith. Sincere condolences to Alistair's family and friends. I knew him from way back, when he worked in the Accounts Department at Ian Allan. He didn't drive and on the occasions when Mr Allan himself wasn't around to do so, I often gave Alistair a lift home. He was a genial and delightful colleague who kept very quiet about his model-making skill. He re=mastered a number of former Wills kits in the SE Finecast range to bring them up to modern standards. I think he saw the MTK range as something of a challenge - hence his choice of name for the range. Somewhere, I have a Bristol-ECW railbus kit which Alistair produced for me from the original MTK bits. I shall have to see if I can build it now, just as a reminder of a first class chap.

CHRIS LEIGH

 

Hi Chris, I agree with the Railbus sentiment, this is how I feel about a 2 Car Gloucester Class 100 DMU kit I got off Alistair, I am more determined than ever now to do the kit justice to remind me of the great conversations that I had with Alistair on the phone, he really did devote time chatting to you when you would order items from him.

 

I am sure in saying that he considered all of his customers as Friends as well.

[Andy Kirkham]

Alistair's name was not familiar to me, but on reading these tributes I realise that he must have been the chap I well remember chatting to at Railwells a few years ago. It was a real pleasure to meet him, even only briefly, and I am truly shocked and saddened to hear of his passing.

 

Andy

[LaGrange]

RIP, one of the nicest and most genuine people Ive ever met in the scene

[5Bel]

Hi All,

 

Very sad news. A true gent. I had the pleasure to talk to him numerous times at shows, always helpful, knowledgeable and polite. Even when I asked him about producing the 4DD!! Also had the pleasure of building one of his kits. My condolencies to his family.

 

Ian.

[Sc59401]

Another very sad to hear of this, just found out today on my return to work after a week's holiday. I never met Alistair in person but we had a fairly lengthy correspondence a while ago about Swindon-built DMUs as he was planning to upgrade and reintroduce the MTK Class 126. He was keen to correct the many shortcomings of the original kit and came over as a thorough and gentlemanly engineer. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

[S.A.C Martin]

Very sad news - my sincere condolences to both his friends and family.

[Rail-Online]

Hi,

 

A sad and sudden loss, Alistair was indeed a talented young man, an excellent toolmaker, draftsman, communicator and modeller.

 

He will be missed.

 

 

For any modellers able to attend the details of the funeral are:

 

 

Funeral services will be held for

 

Alistair Rolfe

 

At Briwnant Chapel, Thornhill Crematorium, Cardiff

 

On 15th September 2010 at 3.45pm

 

******

 

The funeral cortege will leave A.J. Stone & William Ham Funeral Home at 3.10pm. 1A Neville Street Canton Cardiff CF11 6LP

 

******

No Flowers please but if wished donations can be made to the Marie Curie Hospice, Holme Tower, Bridgeman Road, Penarth CF64 3YR

 

******

 

Please contact Lynne & Chris Brunot if attending Tel 029 2086 3376

 

 

Bye Alistair.

Tony

[Andy Y]

No Flowers please but if wished donations can be made to the Marie Curie Hospice, Holme Tower, Bridgeman Road, Penarth CF64 3YR

 

 

Thank you Tony,

 

I have made a small donation of £20 from the kitty to Marie Curie in recognition of the regard Alistair was held in by many members.

 

 

 

[10800]

Very sad news, RIP Alistair.

[CHARLIE5]

This a sad time for the hobby.Alistair was always kind and supportive.

 

RIP Alistair.

[45156]

Thank you Tony,

 

I have made a small donation of £20 from the kitty to Marie Curie in recognition of the regard Alistair was held in by many members.

Nice gesture Andy - I never knew this gent, although I must have passed him by at exhibitions on several occasions when I was in my "looking not building" period - but reading the tributes on here, it looks as if our hobby has lost one of the true enthusiast suppliers, and will be the poorer for that.

[hayfield]

I've only just heard, thanks to a phone call to the office from Dave Smith. Sincere condolences to Alistair's family and friends. I knew him from way back, when he worked in the Accounts Department at Ian Allan. He didn't drive and on the occasions when Mr Allan himself wasn't around to do so, I often gave Alistair a lift home. He was a genial and delightful colleague who kept very quiet about his model-making skill. He re=mastered a number of former Wills kits in the SE Finecast range to bring them up to modern standards. I think he saw the MTK range as something of a challenge - hence his choice of name for the range. Somewhere, I have a Bristol-ECW railbus kit which Alistair produced for me from the original MTK bits. I shall have to see if I can build it now, just as a reminder of a first class chap.

CHRIS LEIGH

 

 

Chris Alistair sold me one of these kits, how about doing a thread on the build, I built a MTK Wagon basher (still needs glazing)and still have some old MTK seats left for the Bristol. From memory the new castings are much better than the old ones.