Grahame Hitchen, 'bgman'

[Siberian Snooper]

I'm much saddened, to wake and find that poor BG had passed yesterday. RIP.

 

[queensquare]

This is incredibly sad and unexpected news. I first got to know Grahame after he built the station building for my old friend Henry Tasker's Bath layout after Henry had got permission from his wife to knock through from the double garage which houses the layout into the guest bedroom to make room for it!

 

As others have said he was a very fine modeller with a daft sense of humour which made him great fun to be with. He will be greatly missed by all his many friends in the modelling community and in particular his family who our thoughts are with at this very sad time. The RMWeb Taunton bash will be the poorer for his absence.

 

RIP Grahame

 

Jerry

 

[Siberian Snooper]

As I have posted on the other thread, I was saddened to find that BG has passed on, especially as he seemed to be on the road to recovery. I don't think that I've knowingly met him, but we may have seen each other at a show.

 

 

[Adrian Stevenson]

Grahame’s modelling skill and sense of humour brought a great deal of pleasure to everyone he knew and this shines through in all the comments here. G and I shared a lot of pm’ s talking about both modelling and electric bikes. We got to meet up last year while Lez and I were on holiday and had planned to meet up again this year. He will be greatly missed. 
Please pass on our condolences to his family.

 

[Re6/6]

Posted by Simon Castens on the Larkrail thread. A lovely picture of Grahame to remember him by.

 

[10800]

The last time I saw Grahame was at the Scalefour area group event last September. Here he is in earnest conversation with Iain Rice. This is an uncharacteristic look because he was usually grinning or laughing at his own banter.

 

[Northroader]

Really sorry to hear this, just knew him through posts on various threads, but enjoyed shared interests and his humour. Will leave a big hole on the RMweb circle of friends in the coming months. Condolences to his family, it must have been a great strain seeing him through his illness.

[Not Jeremy]

That is a lovely picture Rod, also nice as it features Iain's dog "Lexie" on what must have been one of her last outings.

 

I have found another picture of Grahame, slightly blurred but very characteristic of his positive approach to everything.

 

Taken at the Warminster show that Jerry Clifford put together in 2019 - I think Graham was parting with some cash(!)

 

 

Several other hobby characters are in shot too.

 

Simon

 

PS the face on the grassy knoll in the Larkrail photograph is none other than Tim Woodland - I knew that I knew that wasn't a new face!

Edited January 29, 2022 by Not Jeremy
More Timmery

[Mikkel]

Terrible news. I had to log off for a while.  Thanks for all the fun and advice and great modelling Grahame. It's a greyer world without you.

[NHY 581]

Small Cardiff show 2020. 

 

The shock resulting from the appearance of an ex-L&NER locomotive at Bleat Wharf. 

 

John can't bear to even set eyes on the intruder. 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob. 

[Captain Kernow]

46 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Small Cardiff show 2020.

Ah, the last show the three of us (John, Grahame and I) went to before Covid.

 

Whilst I do look forward to resuming trips up the M5 with John to keep me company, I shall miss Grahame's presence in the car (usually on the back seat, pulling faces) very much indeed.

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by Captain Kernow

[PaulRhB]

59 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

I only knew Grahame through witty asides on various threads but what a lovely way to remember him. 
Those pearly gates will be looking properly weathered soon. 

[Simond]

I heard of Grahame loss this morning on WT.  It is truly sad news. Grahame was a great modeller and a super bloke - mega helpful. Though we only knew each other through WT & RMWeb, we had corresponded for a while, and were looking forward to meeting at a show sometime. I had no idea he had been so ill.

meanwhile, the custom GW transfers he kindly made for me are on my Riding Van, and will serve as a memento.

[2ManySpams]

As others have said far more eloquently than wot I can, Gbloke was a smashing chap. Fun and mischievous, but a highly skilled modeller. Will be sorely missed.

 

 

Here we see him in a natural habitat contemplating all things Pannier with CK and other reprobates. Definitely caught in serious mode, but I suspect issuing some humourous comment shortly afterwards.

 

My condolences to his family.

 

RIP GBloke.

[BlackRat]

 Very sad news indeed.

 

Last saw Grahame at the small Cardiff show, prob the last ‘show’ before lockdown.

 

Like many, I have  been looking forward to getting together with the ‘gang’ in Taunton this coming spring.

 

Such a shame he won’t be there but I’m sure he will be remembered by all of us attending.

[Captain Kernow]

Dear all,

 

I have an update regarding the funeral arrangements for Grahame.

 

The funeral will take place at Exeter & Devon Crematorium (Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 6EU) on Friday 25th February at 2pm.

 

Crematorium website here - https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/crematoria-and-cemeteries/crematoria/find-a-crematorium/exeter-and-devon-crematorium/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=listings&utm_content=07530&utm_campaign=local_listings

 

It is possible that there will be a wake afterwards, but information on this will follow in due course.

 

Grahame's daughter Lisanne has asked for no flowers please, but donations can be made to either the Bristol Heart Institute (she is going to let me have precise details of this in due course) or to the British Heart Foundation.

 

Lisanne is happy for condolence cards to go to the following address:

 

Lisanne Hitchen,
16, Poltimore Drive,
Exeter,
EX1 3DY
 

If anyone is planning to attend the funeral, please could you send me a PM and I will ensure that your names are collated with those of other guests and passed on to Grahame's family. I would stress that Grahame's daughter would be happy to see some of his friends from RMWeb and elsewhere attending.

 

Finally, Lisanne and family are aware of all the kind comments and tributes that have been made about her father here on RMWeb and they are very grateful to everyone for these. She has also been very touched to see the various lovely photos of her dad that some people have posted, so if anyone has any more photos of Grahame, please do continue to post them on this thread.

 

If anyone has any other queries about the above arrangements, please feel free to PM me.

 

Many thanks,

 

Tim

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Captain Kernow

[checkrail]

So sad to hear.  Reading the tributes above has been moving, and has taught me more about him.  His various contributions to my layout thread, most recently on 9 January, were always friendly, supportive, informative and often amusing, but what most shone through for me was his endearing light heartedness.  RIP.

[Captain Kernow]

Here are a few of my photos of Grahame, sorry if some of them are not in focus.

 

At LarkRail in Bath in July 2017. Not quite sure what he's got on his head, may have been a complaint directed at the catering staff!

 

A slightly different view to that already posted above, at the Cardiff Small Layouts show in January 2020:

 

Three taken at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in October 2018.

 

In earnest discussion with Mike Romans ('The Stationmaster'):

 

Part of a group photo at one of the stations:

 

Waiting at Winchcombe for the train back to Cheltenham Racecourse and the car home (Grahame travelled up with me and John F):

 

[2ManySpams]

I suspect in that last photo he was smiling at the Gourmet Baps sign...

[Re6/6]

56 minutes ago, 2ManySpams said:

I suspect in that last photo he was smiling at the Gourmet Baps sign...

....and as I recall, they were delicious!

[NHY 581]

4 hours ago, 2ManySpams said:

I suspect in that last photo he was smiling at the Gourmet Baps sign...

 

 

It raised a titter with me.....

[Siberian Snooper]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

It raised a titter with me.....

 

 

"Titter ye not!"

 

Lercio, aka Frankie Howered.

 

 

[Mallard60022]

That was a lovely day. I saw a Spam and the special Tender wot it had had made. There were also G.F. goodies on the other Platform where the Bog Cart came in. Not seen BG since that day, sadly.

 

 

 

 

Proper job Engin'

Edited February 4, 2022 by Mallard60022

[Andrew P]

On 01/02/2022 at 10:29, Captain Kernow said:

Dear all,

 

I have an update regarding the funeral arrangements for Grahame.

 

The funeral will take place at Exeter & Devon Crematorium (Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 6EU) on Friday 25th February at 2pm.

 

Crematorium website here - https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/crematoria-and-cemeteries/crematoria/find-a-crematorium/exeter-and-devon-crematorium/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=listings&utm_content=07530&utm_campaign=local_listings

 

It is possible that there will be a wake afterwards, but information on this will follow in due course.

 

Grahame's daughter Lisanne has asked for no flowers please, but donations can be made to either the Bristol Heart Institute (she is going to let me have precise details of this in due course) or to the British Heart Foundation.

 

Lisanne is happy for condolence cards to go to the following address:

 

Lisanne Hitchen,
16, Poltimore Drive,
Exeter,
EX1 3DY
 

If anyone is planning to attend the funeral, please could you send me a PM and I will ensure that your names are collated with those of other guests and passed on to Grahame's family. I would stress that Grahame's daughter would be happy to see some of his friends from RMWeb and elsewhere attending.

 

Finally, Lisanne and family are aware of all the kind comments and tributes that have been made about her father here on RMWeb and they are very grateful to everyone for these. She has also been very touched to see the various lovely photos of her dad that some people have posted, so if anyone has any more photos of Grahame, please do continue to post them on this thread.

 

If anyone has any other queries about the above arrangements, please feel free to PM me.

 

Many thanks,

 

Tim

 

I'll get my Parents to have a look out for him from the Rose Garden, and say hi from me.

 

I never to my knowledge met Graham, but he was a fairly regular poster on several of my threads, great humour and knowledge and will be sadly missed by many.

 

It just makes me realise how lucky I was with my Stroke and Heart attack.

[Culmhead]

Haven't logged on to Rmweb  for a few weeks (or was that months), but very saddened to hear of Grahame's untimely death.  I last spoke to him at SWAG 2019, he was great company, full of ideas and new challenges. My sincere condolences to his family, he will be sorely missed. RIP.

Aidan.