A founding member of the Angus Railway Group and its secretary for many years, Lindsay Horne, has died in Ninewells Hospital 41 years to the day after the group’s first meeting.
Mr Horne had been at the group’s meeting the previous Sunday but felt unwell the following day and was admitted to Ninewells.
He had suffered several heart attacks previously. He will be remembered as the driving force behind the Angus Railway Group, the first meeting of which took place at his Dundee home on January 22 1972.
Mr Horne became an active secretary, cajoling fellow railway enthusiasts to join the group.
Under his guidance and enthusiasm the group organised a number of rail tours in the area in the 1970s and early 80s at a time when British Rail were closing several lines and stations.
Memorable among these trips were the Buchan Belle, which ran to Fraserburgh with a detour along the Brechin Branch; the Five Counties, which concentrated mainly on the remaining branch lines in Fife; and the Last Train to Forfar trip, in June 1982.
The group began publishing railway photographic albums in the late 1970s and again Mr Horne was the inspiration behind them.
During the 1980s he put together a consortium which purchased Errol station with a view to establishing a heritage centre. Sadly the venture did not work out and Errol station was eventually sold.
In later years Mr Horne visited the various preserved railways which have sprung up round the country. He particularly enjoyed visiting the Great Central in Leicestershire where he knew many of the steam locomotive drivers.
Mr Horne liked nothing better than travelling on the footplate of a Black 5, a class of steam locomotive his father, Peter Horne, had driven when he was based at Perth engine sheds.
Mr Horne’s efforts meant the Angus Railway Group survived to celebrate its 40 anniversary last year, although sadly ill-health prevented him from attending the celebratory lunch.
His funeral takes place at Dundee Crematorium on Monday at 12.30pm.