George Behrend RIP

This from Andy Roden...

George Behrend, the author of that seminal book on the Great Western Railway, Gone With Regret and many other fascinating volumes on railways, passed away on Monday.

George had been in good health until a couple of years ago (he came all the way down to Cornwall to talk about the Save Our Sleeper campaign ) and his recollections of railways at home and abroad were astonishing and utterly fascinating.

The book for which he is justly renowned will provide both an epitaph and, one hopes, continued inspiration for future generations of railway writers and staff: after finally tracking a copy down, Gone With Regret certainly inspired me immensely and I know it has done the same for many others too.

I’m sure plenty of ‘Eye’ readers will wish to raise a glass in tribute to George Behrend, now sadly Gone With Regret.

UPDATE: This from Richard Burningham of the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership...

Noticing the news of George Behrend’s sad passing reminded me of one of his other books.

One with perhaps (for those of the green badge persuasion) the best railway book title ever - “Don’t knock the Southern”.

UPDATE: This from Nicky Gardner of Hidden Europe magazine...

We were very pleased to see the mention of George on your website this morning.

You might appreciation our words in honour of George published here.

Drummond deserts Eye - Shocker

This from Clarence Spad...

LINES WRITTEN ON SEEING BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S ARTICLE IN RAIL

So Bulldog Drummond DSO MC
You were a hero of the Royal Loamshires
But now you are in RAIL magazine
I think you are a deserter
From Railway Eye

Also I have my doubts about Bulldog Drummond's so called regiment as I cannot find any Class 45 locos bearing this name.

However when I showed the RAIL article On Network Rail finances to my mum she said it made her feel a lot better about her £250 overdraft so he would still be most welcome at platform 5 of Reading station (the interesting end).

UPDATE: This from Bulldog Drummond...

I fear that Clarence is confusing me with my father, Drummond senior, who most definitely was in the Royal Loamshires.

The article was published in RAIL because at over 2,000 words it would have sludged up the nervously brilliant repartee of this blog.