Obituaries 148

Irish Railway Record Society

Obituaries 148

H.C.L.Trickett (1910 – 2000).

Members of the London Area were deeply saddened to lose their former Hon.Treasurer, Hilary Trickett at the end of 2000.

He was educated at Dulwich College and joined the Southern Railway as a Traffic Apprentice in 1929. He worked hard at his career and joined the Institute of Transport in 1937. He made a name for himself in debate at the Southern Railway Lecture and Debating Society in 1938, by giving a paper on the Southern Railway’s electrification programme. In doing so, he proved to be an early champion of electrification, which was a very controversial issue at that time.

At the outbreak of war, he left the Traffic Manager’s Office, Waterloo to volunteer for military service in the Royal Engineers, Transport Command at Longmoor. He saw service in Northern France in 1940,returning via St.Nazaire and Plymouth in the “Oronsay”. He served with distinction being twice mentioned in dispatches for his contribution to the war effort in Egypt (1941) and again on his return to France (1944).

With the rank of Captain, he served in Germany when the war ended until finally returning to Railway Service in the General Manager’s Office at Waterloo in 1948. In the mid-sixties he became Secretary to the Central Transport User’s Consultative Committee and for many years the London Committee of the IRRS met in his office. It was perhaps the saddest part of his career to attend the many meetings over the line closures of the 1960’s period. He is remembered privately for his strong opposition to the closures, whilst maintaining at the same time strict attention to his professional career and duty.

Hilary was Hon. Treasurer of the London Area from 1967 to 1983 and under his efficient stewardship, the finances of the Area grew enabling the publication by the Area of a lengthening list of books. He, himself, compiled the second of the “Irish Railways in Pictures” series, covering the Midland Great Western Railway.

A quiet, unassuming person, he is remembered with great affection by those who came in contact with him. He is survived by three sons, one of whom followed his father into the railway industry. To them and his grandchildren, we express our condolences and share happy memories of a true gentleman.

L.McA

Rev.Gearoid O’Sullivan.

Fr.O’Sullivan died suddenly whilst on holiday in September 2001, in Florence. He joined the Society in 1948 whilst studying for the priesthood, to which he was ordained in 1950. As a member of the Vincentian Order, he served in Cork, Dublin and London. He later studied at Cambridge for a period. He returned to Cork in 1973 and was later appointed Chaplain to the Honan Chapel at University College,Cork. He served on the Committee of the Munster Area of the Society for a number of years. In recent years, Society meetings were held in St.Vincents, Sundays Well in Cork, where he lived. He is survived by his two sisters to whom we extend our condolences.

D.M.

Paddy Mallon.

The death has occurred in January 2002 of our member, Paddy Mallon of Dundalk. Paddy was a Great Northern Railway man of great distinction, his final position having been Foreman of the Erecting Shops at Dundalk Works. Although he was thoroughly versed in the skills of the diesel engine, steam was his vocation and he was often to be found in the company of the late R.N.Clements and others poring over the drawings and photographs of steam locos (particularly those of G.N.R. classes). His insights into the design features and performance of many locomotives added much to the general body of knowledge of the steam era.

NMcA.