Frank Needham RIP

I was sorry to read in the East Lancashire Railway newsletter that Frank Needham had passed away. I'm sure he was well known to folk at the Worth Valley and the ELR, also as a member of the Bahamas Loco Society. He was a professional musician and a bit of a 'character', I had the pleasure of working with his daughter Sheila who unfortunately predeceased him by some years. He is pictured in typical pose at Keighley in 2004.

Dave

 

He was MORE than a bit of a character. I spent time with him on a tour to Hungary for the September Steam Challenges and found he could charm the birds out of the tree. One day he went to the dining car for lunch on the ICE en route to Vienna and came back after 3 hours loaded with "gifts" presented by the catering staff. At the actual museum event he sampled many of the restaurant car menus and - if I recall rightly - paid for none of them. At one point I discovered him playing music with a Romanian Gypsy group, obviously enjoying the music in a way that true musicians do.

He was a true character in every sense of the word and he will be greatly missed. RIP Frank - the world is a darker place now your light has been extinguished.