Bob Symes' Final Memories
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- This is as the title suggests the Final Memories in the 4 part series.
In this programme Bob is reflective of his long life. "These are pages in my life and the ones I didn't like I have thrown away" he comments
The full film starts with Bob's 90th Birthday at Green Dene, then we travel back 4 years and Bob starts talking about his early life, growing up in Austria, the war years, his first memories of England, trying to find a job, his BBC career, his true love, trains and of course marriage. He recalls some funny stories, usually to the point where he is laughing at himself, but in true Bob Style, the twinkle in his eye in never too far away. The full film (57 minutes) ends at his graveside. There are some bonus pictures of his visits to the West Country.
Bob loved to tell stories and in this film he does what he did best, tell stories from his life, usually linked to a railway account.
This film, although filmed first in the series now forms the final film, as Bob had originally wanted it to be and is a fitting tribute to the man who I simply called Mr.Symes
Richard Ford
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A glimpse of an older world. I'd all but forgotten the Baron. Always seemed very humble and understated. A true gentleman in a world fast forgetting his kind. Rest easy, Bob. There are none like you now
R.I.P. Bob, this mans model TV show gave me so much enjoyment as a young kid.
Me too mate he will be sadly missed by us all
Gifted, Talented, Gentile, Well Spoken, Intelligent, Passionate Man.
You are greatly missed, Mr. Symes.
R.I.P. I feel very privileged to work with him in the last 6 years of his life. My last meeting with him was in summer 2014 in his house near to London. Thank you Bob for all your ideas and help.
His gentle, knowledgeable and enthusiastic delivery on Model World saw me through my first faltering steps into RC modelling. As a 10 year old with no parental interest in such things I would hang on to his every word and the programme was the TV highlight of the week alongside Tomorrows World. Thanks Bob, I had no idea of your heritage at the time, all I saw was a kindred spirit. And that's all that mattered to me then. Great man, great times, great hobby.
Couldnt you just sit and listen to Bob for hours talking about railways......what a great guy.
You can tell he spent his life smiling. His face has just become a warm smile. Wonderful stuff from Childhood
I remember Bob in Model World during the 70's and i loved it. Happy days. RIP Bob, thanks for the memories
A charming gentleman. Sadly I never got to meet him, my father did, lovely knowledgeable man. RIP Bob, his model making programmes inspired me no end👍😊😊
Loved this guy, my childhood hero.
He’s such a great character and a great man who always be remembered doing commentary on the train videos
Great character. Great man. You'll be missed. Personally, I think he deserves a nice headstone with a model train on it.
RIP Bob. Thank you for the inspiration and knowledge over the years. I owe much of my modelling to you. You are greatly missed.
just found this ...I remember the TV series ...........Bob was always so enthusiastic .....wonderful guy
What a lovely man! I don't care much for model trains however he presents things in an interesting way.
R.I.P great man.
Bis heute, im Mai 2018, wusste ich nicht, dass Bob Symes schon im Januar 2015 verstorben ist. Die Nachricht macht mich auch jetzt noch ganz traurig. Bob kannte ich aus den österreichischen Bahnoramasendungen, wo er auf unterhaltsame Weise meine Liebe zur Eisenbahn voll getroffen hatte. Als Eisenbahnnarr bin ich ihm für seine vielen schönen Berichte dankbar und werde ihn nie vergessen. Danke, Bob.
Bob Symes I want to thank you for giving your happy memories that u shared with me and the rest of the people around the world who always like your talent as the inventor
Bumped into Bob once at the national railway museum York.
Bob Symes has unfortunately passed on. But he was a BBC TV personality and known for doing rail related programmes. He had a Gauge 1 layout around his garden, and later 10 inch gauge.
Bob was in reality an Austrain Baron, who's father was executed by the Nazis for trying to resist the takeover by Germany of Austria. Bob managed to flee Austria and came straight to Britain, where he signed up with the British Royal Navy to fight the Germans, for the duration . He remained in Britain post war and married a BBC lady Programmes Producer.
I knew Bob for some years. I found him fast asleep one night on Platform 1 at Waterloo. He had been in the BBC staff club having a little tipple, and they had Chauffeured him to the station in time to catch the last Guildford New Line train home. As I was the Driver of the train, I helped him still half asleep into the cab, and let him sink into the Guards seat. Being in the dark he continued to doze until the bell to start from the Guard woke him up. I flicked the cab light on for a moment so he would know where he was and with whom, and of course he was now wide awake, as it seems he'd never been in the cab of an EMU before.
Fortunately he was with me, because when we got to Clandon station where he got off, some idiot had turned off all the station lights and locked up the station, so he couldn't get off the platform.
Obviously I couldn't expect an elderly Count to climb over the station railings, so I found a gate with a standard No 1 lock I had a key for. So I was able to let his wife who was waiting outside the fence take him home in a dignified manner !! I made a number of visits to his beautiful house near Guildford, which was strangely very Austrian looking, and even set in a little dell surrounded by Pines that made it all look as though it could have been in the Alps.
Bob at that time had Gauge 1 Association meetings at his house regularly, with tea and cakes on the lawn. And crazy members with Nitrous Oxide fueled Fulgurex Gauge 1 locos, that hurtled down the track like rockets and took off at the first bend to land in the Tulips, literally. Bob of course was known in the Gauge 1 modelling world for building a Gauge 1 BR Class 47 with a fully working scale model of the original Sulzer 2,750hp 16 cylinder Diesel engine. A feat not thought possible.
I've only found this man today 19/11/20.
He reminds me of one of my favourite characters Fred Dibnah.
They are the same but different.
He did a brilliant series called " The Strange Affair " I can only find one episode.
RIP Sir
Is his surname pronouncee Sims or sYmes?
Symes