Maurice Boddy

[Dave48]

Some people might know my father Maurice Boddy, who sadly died last night at the age of 91.

He co authored Stirling Singles with Kenneth Leach and then was heavily involved with the co authoring of the RCTS Locomotive of the LNER. Some interesting links below.

Maurice Boddy being interviewed
https://newwoodlesford.xyz/woodlesford- ... n-control/

Doncaster Records
http://www.doncasterworksrecords.org.uk/

GNR
http://gnr-history.org.uk/

Below I have copied extracts from a “mini” autobiography of his life that I had encouraged him to write.

Locomotive Stock Book -1960
The book covers locomotives scrapped and new engines in the years 1954 to 1959 inclusive, published by the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society (RCTS)
I assisted Bill Stubbs in the publication of this book which recorded locomotive stock changes in Britain and Ireland. He had the raw details and put these together. Basically I assisted checking galley proofs etc. Bill lived at Falkirk so I stayed a few times with him and his wife Dorothy. Incidentally, in the Preface I appear as G. M. BODDY. Not an exciting book but it got due credit in the Daily Telegraph & Morning Post (13th December 1960).
I again assisted him three years later when the R.C.T.S. published the 1963 Edition.

Locomotives of the L.N.E.R.
Early in 1960 the RCTS were looking for volunteers able to perform research at Doncaster Locomotive Works in connection with their forthcoming publication Locomotives of the L.N.E.R. The Society had previously published a similar work covering 1923-1937, the principal authors being K. R. Prentice and P. Proud. Publication being delayed until 1941 because of the War. Peter Proud was still around but new blood was required. I was told most had been written and just needed tidying up. As I worked shifts I could do research quite easily, so I volunteered. Looking at the typescripts already received it looked like a lot of tidying up was needed. The project would be split into several parts, dealt with in no particular order
Eventually Part 7 came out in April 1964, then Part 5 (September 1966) and Part 4 (September 1968). Part 8 came out in two volumes A and B, I don’t know why as the combined total of their pages was less than the figure for Part 5, but possibly for marketing reasons. We were now working on Part 4 which included a major Class the D49 4-4-0s. Willie Yeadon had vast information from the official records at Darlington for D49 and wanted to expand its coverage, it being an important Gresley Class, but designed at Darlington. I said I could do similar coverage from the Doncaster records for their equally important Gresley engines. This was agreed but it meant an expansion of the remaining Parts all of which had to be split into two or (sometimes) three separate parts. This considerably delayed overall production timescales so that eventually Part 10B appeared in April 1990 and Supplementary Information November 1994. That means the whole series came out from 1964 to 1994, thirty years.
Most of the authors are dead and gone, leaving myself and the editor in chief Eric Fry.

The Stirling Singles
While researching at Doncaster I recorded everything. Not just concerning L.N.E.R. locomotives but also its predecessor, the Great Northern Railway (GNR). As records were fast disappearing it might be prudent to record everything I could find. I was tracking down all the boilers Doncaster built and had a problem regarding one that had been built in 1907. Did it have a dome or not. Eric Fry suggested I write to Kenneth Leech c/o Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company at Chippenham, as he was an authority on GNR matters, but had retired. His successor as Chief Mechanical Engineer was the railway author, O. S. Nock. This I did and Kenneth Leech replied to my letter (18th May 1961). We corresponded on GNR matters initially aiming for a book covering all Stirling’s engines. Later, Kenneth Leech was approached by O.S. Nock to produce a book on Stirling Singles (Leech’s favourite engines). He agreed provided I was joint author, to which Nock agreed. I then met Nock at Chippenham to confirm arrangements. Thus the book was written and published in May 1965, which came in handy for my interview three months later.

[john coffin]

I heard the sad news that Maurice Boddy died at the weekend.
At the age of 91, he certainly had a good innings.

Although he worked on the Leeds/Midland side of BR in traffic control, he spent much of his spare time visiting
Doncaster Works, in particular the drawing office investigating various historical details about ex GNR locos.

He later became involved with Kenneth H. Leech, and together, they produced the important book
Stirling Singles.

He also helped with the RCTS LNER green books which we now find of great use.

Another link with actual knowledge of work and practice both on the railways in general, specifically traffic department,
and Doncaster toward the end of building locos, and steam in particular.

I was lucky enough to know him for about 10 years, and he was always helpful and full of valable insights,
and a real, old fashioned Gentleman who took the time to understood what would be useful to later enthusiasts.

Paul

[Dave48]

Yes, my father died last Sunday evening.

Regards

Dave Boddy

[jwealleans]

I'm sure I speak for the whole forum in expressing our commiserations on your loss and also our thanks for his contribution to our shared hobby.

[65447]

Probably worth redirecting to Dave Boddy's original post reporting his Father's passing: https://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic. ... 40#p149040

Jonathan does indeed speak for us all.