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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: StufromEGDL on June 29, 2015, 06:43:18 PM

Title: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: StufromEGDL on June 29, 2015, 06:43:18 PM
Hi Gang,

It has been reported elsewhere that Ian Allan has passed away aged 93.

A full article is posted here....see post #9
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100671-ian-allan/ (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100671-ian-allan/)

I suspect many of us owe a little bit of our passion for the hobby to this man.

Later,
Stu from EGDL.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: D1042 Western Princess on June 29, 2015, 06:59:44 PM
A sad day. Obviously I didn't know him personally, only through his many books, (sadly) but a great loss to the publishing world.
My feelings are with his friends and family.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: port perran on June 29, 2015, 07:22:38 PM
Very sad to hear of his passing.
So many of us will have been influenced by him and his books.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: austinbob on June 29, 2015, 07:51:10 PM
Quote from: StufromEGDL on June 29, 2015, 06:43:18 PM
Hi Gang,

It has been reported elsewhere that Ian Allan has passed away aged 93.

A full article is posted here....see post #9
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100671-ian-allan/ (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100671-ian-allan/)

I suspect many of us owe a little bit of our passion for the hobby to this man.

Later,
Stu from EGDL.
That is sad. I always used Ian Allan books in my train spotting days and even  in recent years. I hope that his legacy can be carried on in some way... :'(
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Sprintex on June 29, 2015, 08:00:01 PM
No idea who he is/was other than seeing the name occasionally posted on here, but obviously he was an eminent individual.

RIP


Paul
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Malc on June 29, 2015, 08:07:57 PM
Quote from: Sprintex on June 29, 2015, 08:00:01 PM
No idea who he is/was other than seeing the name occasionally posted on here, but obviously he was an eminent individual.

RIP


Paul
He had a chain of book shops that sold loads of railway items, including models and ran a successful publishing business, specialising in railway and transport topics. I believe he was also instrumental in reopening the Ffestiniog railway, if my memory serves.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: austinbob on June 29, 2015, 08:22:54 PM
Quote from: Sprintex on June 29, 2015, 08:00:01 PM
No idea who he is/was other than seeing the name occasionally posted on here, but obviously he was an eminent individual.
RIP
Paul
Paul. Your education is sadly lacking. Ian Allan was the inspiration for many trainspotters in the UK and probably resulted in many of them adopting model railways (including N gauge and some of those unmentionable other gauges). A very sad loss.

I really hope that his legacy can continue in some way. He produced an amazing range of trainspotters' books for steam and diesel and even coaching stock.
Every trainspotter in the UK eagerly awaited the next issue of either the regional or the overall UK manual of current locomotives.
Trainspotters, like me, would cross off every 'spot' they made. It was quite a competition between 'spotters' and which locos they had 'copped'. - Happy days.
:D
:beers:
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: port perran on June 29, 2015, 08:40:06 PM
I think he could be called the "Father of Trainspotting".
I had every Combined Volume from 1959-1970 I believe though some have now gone missing (also a couple of reprints). Plus the invaluable Locoshed Books and LocoShed Directories.
And , of course, we would all eagerly await the yearly Locospotters Annual which would usually be in our Christmas stockings.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Sprintex on June 29, 2015, 08:54:31 PM
Quote from: austinbob on June 29, 2015, 08:22:54 PM
Ian Allan was the inspiration for many trainspotters in the UK . . .

That explains it then, never been into ticking off numbers in a book ;)


Paul
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: austinbob on June 29, 2015, 09:02:02 PM
Quote from: Sprintex on June 29, 2015, 08:54:31 PM
Quote from: austinbob on June 29, 2015, 08:22:54 PM
Ian Allan was the inspiration for many trainspotters in the UK . . .

That explains it then, never been into ticking off numbers in a book ;)


Paul
Shame - you missed a load of fun. Still - trainspotting is not for everyone l.
:)
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Portpatrick on June 29, 2015, 09:10:25 PM
An era passes, though the name and the books live on - hopefully for a long while.  The Ian Allan name appears on a number of books on my shelves.  Though perhaps there is as more OPC and even a number of the old David and Charles labels.  And I frequented the shop near Waterloo from 1983-89 when I worked in that area.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Newportnobby on June 29, 2015, 10:42:12 PM
Very sad to hear this news, although Ian had a damned good innings!
I used to take the cheaper Locoshed and Shed Directories books with me when spotting and transfer each outings results to my Combined Volume when I got home.
No self respecting 'gricer' would be without his volumes.
I still have a good few of them and refer to them on a regular basis even now.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Bealman on June 30, 2015, 02:20:30 AM
This little book (on the left) was a bible to me as a kid. It was one of his publications, and I have it here with me right now.
[smg id=10900 type=preview align=center width=400]
[smg id=26554 type=preview align=center width=400]
Sorry to hear the news, but, as Mick says, he had a good innings!
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: railsquid on June 30, 2015, 02:43:28 AM
When I hear of someone passing away after a long and productive life, it's not so much sadness, more a wistful admiration I feel for time well-lived which has brought benefit to others.

For whatever reason my trainspotting days were ruled by Platform 5 publications, but I did inherit a combined volume (I think) from an uncle, which tragically has disappeared somewhere. More recently, my first British N gauge purchases were at the shop in Waterloo.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: austinbob on June 30, 2015, 07:20:20 AM
Quote from: Bealman on June 30, 2015, 02:20:30 AM
This little book (on the left) was a bible to me as a kid. It was one of his publications, and I have it here with me right now.


I wish I'd kept mine, complete with all the underlined locos I'd 'copped'. Sigh...
:)
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: D1042 Western Princess on June 30, 2015, 07:30:02 AM
Quote from: Sprintex on June 29, 2015, 08:00:01 PM
No idea who he is/was other than seeing the name occasionally posted on here, but obviously he was an eminent individual.

RIP


Paul

Hello Paul, it was Ian Allan who, virtually single handed, began the modern era of 'trainspotting' and railway enthusiasm. He saw how people liked to collect loco numbers and other railway information and thus collected together lists of then currently operating locomotives, putting them together in books, which sold to enthusiasts like hot cakes.
He also produced atlases of the UK rail routes and, as they say, one thing led to another, until Ian Allan became perhaps the leading name in railway publishing and, eventually, covered most transport matters.
His firm also opened several book/model shops around the UK.
Best wishes,
Greg.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: D1042 Western Princess on June 30, 2015, 07:38:07 AM
Quote from: austinbob on June 30, 2015, 07:20:20 AM
Quote from: Bealman on June 30, 2015, 02:20:30 AM
This little book (on the left) was a bible to me as a kid. It was one of his publications, and I have it here with me right now.


I wish I'd kept mine, complete with all the underlined locos I'd 'copped'. Sigh...
:)

I remember it well - every new edition saw hours of work carefully transferring the numbers underlined from the old book to the new and (as ever) once or twice messing up and accidentally (by genuine mistake, I promise) underlining one I hadn't seen! :-[
I expect we all did that though, if we are honest.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Bealman on June 30, 2015, 07:42:06 AM
The book I refer to in the photographs is not a trainspotting book - it's a little manual about building model railways.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: austinbob on June 30, 2015, 09:25:34 AM
Quote from: Bealman on June 30, 2015, 07:42:06 AM
The book I refer to in the photographs is not a trainspotting book - it's a little manual about building model railways.  :thumbsup:
Oops.. Should have looked closer. Must have nostalgic trainspotting on the brain!
:-[
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: PhilD on June 30, 2015, 10:19:15 AM
What a shame! He also published (on an annual basis, I think) a book of British Civil Aircraft registrations. In the late 50s and early 60s I spent many a happy hour armed with binoculars, a red pen, ruler and a pile of egg sandwiches) on top of the Queens Building at Heathrow spotting aircraft numbers and underlining them in the book!
And in those days you could stand about 100 yards off the end of the runway on the North side to watch the planes take off and land. The early jets made everything shake so you could barely standup!
Life was lot simpler then!
Cheers
Phil
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: trkilliman on June 30, 2015, 10:43:41 AM
Aged 12 I was given the Ian Allen 1966 Trains annual by an aunt on my birthday. WOW, I was so pleased with it. An article called the Broccoli specials from Ponsandane, Cornwall had me mesmerised.
Written by the late Dick Riley it told of the immense vegetable traffic when we used home grown produce, in the days before air-freight. (I was amazed back last year to see blackberries from BOLIVIA in my local supermarket)!

Anyway, I gave said annual away when I reached 17 and my attentions moved to girls with big eyes and blond hair.  A few years ago I found a good copy and just had to buy it. There is a certain inner glow to be had from re-reading text that you had previously enjoyed so much.

Now living in West Cornwall and just 22 miles from Ponsandane I have made a sort of pilgrimage there a few times. The loading platforms in a delapidated state remain, but not for much longer I understand. I would like to find some plans for Ponsandane Goods shed build in 1937, demolished around 1974...anyone?

Ian Allen, SO many of us were inspired by his books...R.I.P.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Newportnobby on June 30, 2015, 10:44:04 AM
Some quick pics of my Ian Allan books. Check out the prices :goggleeyes:
Mind you, I only got half a crown pocket money so it took ages to save up for them.
I also have the Observers book George showed (1966 edition) and the same from 1964.

(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/22/thumb_26566.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=26566)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/22/thumb_26567.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=26567)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/22/thumb_26568.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=26568)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/22/thumb_26569.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=26569)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/22/thumb_26570.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=26570)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/22/thumb_26571.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=26571)

And before some wag comments on the 1944 edition, that was only purchased a few years ago :P
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Malc on June 30, 2015, 10:49:41 AM
 :angel: would we say anything , Mick?
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Papyrus on June 30, 2015, 12:14:15 PM
Quote from: austinbob on June 30, 2015, 07:20:20 AM
Quote from: Bealman on June 30, 2015, 02:20:30 AM
This little book (on the left) was a bible to me as a kid. It was one of his publications, and I have it here with me right now.


I wish I'd kept mine, complete with all the underlined locos I'd 'copped'. Sigh...
:)

Ditto...  :(

There probably isn't anyone in this country who is interested in railways who doesn't have at least one of his books on their shelves. He was an inspiration to so many of my generation. Long may he sit on a cloud watching the celestial trains go by.

Chris
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Jerry Howlett on June 30, 2015, 02:15:29 PM
I still have 2 of them including the same locoshed book as Newport Nobby.  The combined volume quite often gets bought out when Mrs "H" is doing general knowledge crosswords.. Lots of loco classes named after various subjects.

RIP Mr Allan.

Jerry
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: D1042 Western Princess on June 30, 2015, 09:26:59 PM
Quote from: PhilD on June 30, 2015, 10:19:15 AM
What a shame! He also published (on an annual basis, I think) a book of British Civil Aircraft registrations. In the late 50s and early 60s I spent many a happy hour armed with binoculars, a red pen, ruler and a pile of egg sandwiches) on top of the Queens Building at Heathrow spotting aircraft numbers and underlining them in the book!
And in those days you could stand about 100 yards off the end of the runway on the North side to watch the planes take off and land. The early jets made everything shake so you could barely standup!
Life was lot simpler then!
Cheers
Phil

I remember it well - Viscounts, Vanguards, Comets, VC10s, Britannias, Boeing 707s - great days and NO security problems. Well, nothing like those today, anyway.
We only went there three times on school trips (made a change from Bristol zoo!) but I happy memories.

P/S Sorry Mods, wandered a bit off topic there.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: PhilD on July 01, 2015, 06:13:16 AM
Add Dakotas, DC4s, Constellations, Fairy Rotodyne plus the USAF fighters escorting President Eisenhower's plane into Heathrow. Plus airlines that no longer exist - TCA, PanAm, TWA, BEA, BOAC etc

Cheers
Phil
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: D1042 Western Princess on July 01, 2015, 07:51:35 AM
Quote from: PhilD on July 01, 2015, 06:13:16 AM
Add Dakotas, DC4s, Constellations, Fairy Rotodyne plus the USAF fighters escorting President Eisenhower's plane into Heathrow. Plus airlines that no longer exist - TCA, PanAm, TWA, BEA, BOAC etc

Cheers
Phil

:-[  How could I have forgotten the Fairey Rotodyne?  :-[

P/S   For those younger folks than us here (just about everyone I'm guessing) who has no idea of what we mean


! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Z1UnRZDyo#)



Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: PhilD on July 01, 2015, 09:18:37 AM
That's gold! Fairy had their factory near where I lived and occasionally it would fly into Heathrow.

This thread had got me thinking now - what about the Russian Tupelovs (can't remember the numbers now!) and the Handley Page Herald.

My mum and dad and I used to live in Heston under the approach to what was then the main runway at Heathrow. No night curfews, planes landing overhead every 2 minutes in summer, engine run-ups from the maintenance area at night, cracked windows and vibrating door knockers when the planes went over. I could lie in  the back garden and watch the planes going over!

Cheers
Phil
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: D1042 Western Princess on July 01, 2015, 09:30:49 AM
Quote from: PhilD on July 01, 2015, 09:18:37 AM
That's gold! Fairy had their factory near where I lived and occasionally it would fly into Heathrow.

This thread had got me thinking now - what about the Russian Tupelovs (can't remember the numbers now!) and the Handley Page Herald.

My mum and dad and I used to live in Heston under the approach to what was then the main runway at Heathrow. No night curfews, planes landing overhead every 2 minutes in summer, engine run-ups from the maintenance area at night, cracked windows and vibrating door knockers when the planes went over. I could lie in  the back garden and watch the planes going over!

Cheers
Phil

All of which brings us back to Ian Allan and his spotters books which must have done for aircraft fans much the same as they did for rail fans.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Calnefoxile on July 01, 2015, 01:59:47 PM

Here's his obituary in the Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11708536/Ian-Allan-trainspotter-obituary.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11708536/Ian-Allan-trainspotter-obituary.html)

Quite a remarkable man.

Regards

Neal.
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: Newportnobby on July 01, 2015, 03:42:58 PM
I was also a member of the Ian Allan Locospotters Club and had the liveried lapel badges from every region I managed to visit. As my Dad worked in the Wolverton Carriage & Wagon Works I used to get 1/4 fare travel until I was 16, along with 6 free passes per year.
Of course, aged 16, other interests took over ;) :angel:
Title: Re: Ian Allan...RIP
Post by: kiwi1941 on July 06, 2015, 12:58:18 AM
Obituary for Ian Allan at:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/05/ian-allan (http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/05/ian-allan)