A report from the Ely-Standard.
Professor Stead set up a magnificent model railway in the hostelry's
13th Century attic which delighted the young choristers and also has a book published on railways called "The Birth of the Steam Locomotive - A New History" which is just one of many titles to his name.
"Dragon Heart" wrote
Never got to see this but I understand it is O gauge. Didn't know it was there while I was slogging through piano lessons downstairs with his wife 35 years ago...
The poor old boy is in a care home (well, he is 94) so the present state of the layout is unknown since the Steads' last move from Haddenham a couple of years ago. If you're anything to do with the Ely MRC (I'm not: independent modeller who hangs out with the Fenland EM Group) how about arranging a display of his stock at the show next May? Not much O to be seen there, especially since Professor Stead's is likely to be historic older stuff. (And most of his "many titles" are dazzlingly recondite tomes on theology, his day job - very unwordly bloke even in his youthful days...)
Tony Clarke
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