OBITUARY: 10000 PROJECT PRESIDENT STAN FLETCHER

IT WAS with deep sadness that the Ivatt Diesel Re-creation Society (IDRS) reported the death of the group’s president Stanley Fletcher, aged 102. No. 10000 and the new-build project meant a lot to Stan, and all those involved have offered their heartfelt condolences to his family for their loss. Stan was a commissioning engineer on the original Nos. 10000 and 10001, and worked in this capacity for English Electric. He was focused on innovation and new ideas, later working for GEC in posts around the globe. Mr Fletcher met the IDRS team at the East Lancashire Railway in March 2012 and soon became involved with the project, assisting by sharing his experiences of working with the twin locos, travelling more than 100,000 miles on them in the 1940s and 50s. He was awarded the title honorary president. Stan’s legacies are many, including the IDRS’s Centenary Works at Wirksworth, named in recognition of his 100th birthday. While the trustees feel his loss deeply, they are resolved to follow his path from the 1940s, and ensure his legacy lives on. Stan was actively involved in the society for the rest of his life and his input included useful knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the original locos. Interviews recorded with him can be found at https://lms10000.co.uk/ video-gallery