On 19/11/2020 11:57 am, 'Roderick Smith' via TramsDownUnder wrote:
> Shane died peacefully in his sleep in a Bendigo nursing home on Tuesday night.

> With no surviving relatives, the formalities are in the hands of his solicitor and a local member of Cinema and Theatre Historical Society, who has alerted me and asked me to pass the news to other hobby groups.

>

> I had known Shane since the late 1960s. As with so many friends, you a face on tours becomes familiar, then one day you get talking, then you start booking together or planning events.

> He was the same age as my Monash Railway Club contemporaries, and joined us on our train and tram adventures.

> Shane joined the ARHS tours committee, and became a tour organiser.  He specialised in exceedingly long and fast photo runpasts (eg one on an early 1970s Katamatite tour, with R761).

> IIRC he worked for a bank at the time, but became an insurance assessor.

>

> We held committee meetings at his North Balwyn home.  His mother provided particularly-lavish suppers.

>

> In the tramway world, he is known as the joint owner of a W2 and an H.

>

> His other hobby was cinema.  He organised inspections, and was on the committee.

> It was through my friendship with Shane and John Fitzsimons that I joined Caths.

> At meetings at Sun Cinema (Yarraville) we sat together, along with trammie Neal Elfick.

>

> Shane's mother contracted dementia, but had good days and bad ones, and Shane was able to bring her to meetings and outings.

> Upon her death, he relocated to Bendigo, but did not have long in his flat before suffering a stroke.  He had to transfer to a nursing home.

> His trams had been evicted from North Fitzroy, and were stored in the open at Preston.  That became a running battle.  They deteriorated badly, and are now at Bylands.

>

> Help is sought now: I have no way of contacting Doug Moyle, the tram-owning partner.

> My Bendigo contact is aware of a visitor, but not of the name, who asked after Bob.  I'm guessing Bob Kidd, also a Caths member.

>

> I don't have any photos of Shane in action on my hard drive, and would have to hunt to see if I have one printed and ready to scan.

>

> The funeral will be very low key and small, in Bendigo.  There will not be a 'This was your life' slide show, but we need something good to place on the coffin.

> The date isn't set, but has to be within 2 weeks of death.

> I have been invited to attend as a eulogist, travelling to & from Bendigo by train on the day.

> Please respond via the group, with memories, anecdotes and photos (or use direct email, tornveditor@...) .

>

> Do feel free to alert others who were part of the era and of the activities.

>

> Enclosed: One taken by Shane, and contributed to Rail News Victoria.

> 950319Su-Glenferrie-V214-Z1.92-festival.short.shunt-SMoore.

>

>

> Roderick Smith

>

>

>

Greetings Roderick.

I knew and worked with Shane in relation to tours, and the preservation
of rail and tram history.  In particular we worked together to sort the
arrangements for his cars to live at Bylands.

My health is at present somewhat chancy and I will not be able to attend
the ceremony in Bendigo.  I will however be watching on-line, and
thinking of him, of you and of those with you.

Anthony Sell