Bob Symes RIP

[steam-driven boy]

Robert Alexander Baron Schutzmann von Schutzmansdorff (6 May 1924 – 19 January 2015)

Reported elsewhere, yesterday we lost one of the truly great charismatic communicators and skilled practitioners of our hobby.
I remember many television broadcasts imbued with equal measures of warmth, enthusiasm and fun.  I have some of the DVDs of his best known modelling programmes, and there's quite a lot of this on YouTube.
A quick internet search resulted in this rather nice photo page from before his move to Wales:
http://gullwingphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/bob-symes-steamdays.html
There's an interview in Model Rail 200 September 2014, fixed in my memory his late 1930s trek on foot (by way of the 8Km Karawanks railway tunnel!) from Austria to Haifa Port where he joined the Royal Navy.
One video of the Pendon Museum states that this is Bob, sporting lederhosen, studying the timetable on Pen Tor Road station platform:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1364/4733918172_64c605a151.jpg

Regards, Gerry.

[Ensign Elliott]

Sad news indeed. I remember watching a series about model railways on Channel 4 in the late 80s/early 90s with my Dad. I think they were building a layout of Horsed Keynes on the Bluebell line?? Bob Symes was the presenter.

[Bob Tidbury]

Very sorry news indeed I'm sure everyone on the Forum Send their sincere condolences to his family he was a real inspirational to all of us in the model railway world and he will be missed .
Bob

[Papyrus]

  Another good man gone...

I always enjoyed his TV programmes - full of gentle enthusiasm for the hobby, and railways in general. He always came across as the sort of person anybody would like to have in their family.

Thanks for passing on the information.

Chris

[Agrippa]

Sad news, he was a real gent.

[Paddy]

Very sad news - my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

God bless

Paddy

[Bealman]

Yes indeed.... his influence spanned the globe. There are many Aussie modellers who are, well, Australians, modelling Australian railways, but they are familiar with his name.

RIP.

[Steve.T]

Sad, I too have seen many of his programmes and videos (or DVD's I guess in present terms).

[RHEINGOLD]

A Top Man very enthusiastic and a great advert for the Hobby.
Not many like him any more.
Will be very sadly missed not only by family and friends but also many in the Hobby.
Les

[daveg]

Sad indeed.

My condolences to all.

Dave G

[robert shrives]

Hi all,
I also add my support to family at this sad time. I spent many happy hours in his company and worked on both his lines. Indeed a true gent with many happy stories of better times. I will truly miss him.
Robert

[DarthBadger]

Sad news indeed. I remember watching a series about model railways on Channel 4 in the late 80s/early 90s with my Dad. I think they were building a layout of Horsed Keynes on the Bluebell line?? Bob Symes was the presenter.

Aww CRAP! (sorry!)

I'd missed this.

The man was a true inspiration!

RIP!

[penncalco]

This is very sad news, I only knew of him from a few DVDs I bought at exhibitions, I enjoyed the gentle manner and enthusiasm that he used when he was talking about the hobby, I always thought the hobby needed easy going people like him to represent us.

[robert shrives]

Hi All ,
I undertstand that the family have noted a charity for donations to celebrate his passing to the engine shed in the sky : (http:/www.myeloma.org.uk)   Myeloma was diagnosed late last year and Bob passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday.

thanks for any donations you make
Robert   

[Hailstone]

One of the giants of our hobby is gone - R.I.P.

Alex