David Jenkinson
Encyclopedia
David Jenkinson was a railway modeller and historian
, who had a particular interest in the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS) and was president of the LMS Society.
and educated at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley
, which in 1951 took him to a field trip to the Settle-Carlisle Railway
line (S&C), which would start a lengthy relationship with that line. He went to London University where he met his future wife Sheila, with whom he had four children (Christopher, Hilary, Timothy and Nicola).
After graduating Jenkinson joined the Royal Air Force
(RAF) in 1956, from which he retired in 1972 having achieved the rank of Squadron Leader
. During this time he built his 4 mm scale EM gauge
models Marthwaite and Garsdale Road (see Garsdale
) representing a station on the S&C set during the 1930s period when it was run by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS).
In 1963, with Bob Essery
and others he founded the LMS Society. Alone and with Essery he authored many books, the most important was their book on LMS Coaches, which was groundbreaking in its treatment of a non-locomotive
subject.
Soon after the Science Museum
was asked to take on the historic railway collections, David, having retired from the RAF, applied for and was appointed as a education officer with the Science Museum at South Kensington
, where he worked with John van Riemsdijk on the layout of the new building in York
. He subsequently became Head of Education and Research at the resulting National Railway Museum
(NRM), where he was responsible for refurbishment to running condition of major locomotives and vehicles, so that national tours would promote the museum. He left the NRM in 1988, after management changes.
He put some of the time thus freed into his writing career and was editor of BackTrack
from 1989 to 1994, in succession to the magazine's founder, Nigel Trevena, of Atlantic Transport Publishers. Jenkinson set up Pendragon Publishing in 1991 as a separate entity within Atlantic and retained it when he split with them in 1995. In partnership with Michael Blakemore, Pendragon bought BackTrack from Atlantic in 2003.
In the year he left the NRM he started his layout Little Long Drag, which incorporated Garsdale Road and a lengthy run in a custom-built shed. Later he switched to 7 mm scale modelling, building Kendal, Kendal II and Kendal Branch the latter of the earlier pre-grouping
period of the London and North Western Railway
(LNWR).
He died of a heart attack
at age 69.
History of rail transport
The history of rail transport dates back nearly 500 years and includes systems with man or horse power and rails of wood or stone. Modern rail transport systems first appeared in England in the 1820s...
, who had a particular interest in the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS) and was president of the LMS Society.
Biography
Jenkinson was born in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and educated at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley
Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley
Prince Henry's Grammar School , also known as Prince Henry's, is a secondary school and sixth form established in 1607 in the historic market town of Otley, West Yorkshire, England. The school teaches boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18 and has around 1,400 pupils and 84 teachers and...
, which in 1951 took him to a field trip to the Settle-Carlisle Railway
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
line (S&C), which would start a lengthy relationship with that line. He went to London University where he met his future wife Sheila, with whom he had four children (Christopher, Hilary, Timothy and Nicola).
After graduating Jenkinson joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) in 1956, from which he retired in 1972 having achieved the rank of Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
. During this time he built his 4 mm scale EM gauge
EM gauge
EM gauge is a variant of 4 mm to a foot scale used in model railways....
models Marthwaite and Garsdale Road (see Garsdale
Garsdale
Garsdale is a civil parish occupying a narrow populated valley in Cumbria, England. It is on the western slopes of the Pennines, between Baugh Fell to the north, and Rise Hill to the south. The main hamlet, called “The Street”, lies on the A684 road, east of Sedbergh, and west of Hawes...
) representing a station on the S&C set during the 1930s period when it was run by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS).
In 1963, with Bob Essery
Bob Essery
Robert J. "Bob" Essery is a British railway modeller and historian with a particular interest in the London Midland and Scottish Railway and one of its principal constituents, the Midland Railway ....
and others he founded the LMS Society. Alone and with Essery he authored many books, the most important was their book on LMS Coaches, which was groundbreaking in its treatment of a non-locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
subject.
Soon after the Science Museum
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
was asked to take on the historic railway collections, David, having retired from the RAF, applied for and was appointed as a education officer with the Science Museum at South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
, where he worked with John van Riemsdijk on the layout of the new building in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. He subsequently became Head of Education and Research at the resulting National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
(NRM), where he was responsible for refurbishment to running condition of major locomotives and vehicles, so that national tours would promote the museum. He left the NRM in 1988, after management changes.
He put some of the time thus freed into his writing career and was editor of BackTrack
BackTrack (magazine)
BackTrack is a monthly magazine, published by Pendragon Publishing, concentrating on researched articles and photographic features about British and Irish railway history...
from 1989 to 1994, in succession to the magazine's founder, Nigel Trevena, of Atlantic Transport Publishers. Jenkinson set up Pendragon Publishing in 1991 as a separate entity within Atlantic and retained it when he split with them in 1995. In partnership with Michael Blakemore, Pendragon bought BackTrack from Atlantic in 2003.
In the year he left the NRM he started his layout Little Long Drag, which incorporated Garsdale Road and a lengthy run in a custom-built shed. Later he switched to 7 mm scale modelling, building Kendal, Kendal II and Kendal Branch the latter of the earlier pre-grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
period of the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(LNWR).
He died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at age 69.
External links
- David Jenkinson — an appreciation by Bob EsseryBob EsseryRobert J. "Bob" Essery is a British railway modeller and historian with a particular interest in the London Midland and Scottish Railway and one of its principal constituents, the Midland Railway ....