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John H. Ahern

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John H. Ahern
Born
John Henry Ahern

(1903-07-09)9 July 1903
Died24 December 1961(1961-12-24) (aged 58)
NationalityBritish
Occupations
Notable workMadder Valley
Spouse
Gladys Mary Widdowson
(m. 1926)

John Henry Ahern FRPS (9 July 1903 – 24 December 1961) was a British model railway enthusiast, photographer and writer.[1][2]

He is considered a pioneer of scenic model railways and one of the first to place a model railway within a landscape.[2][3][1] The magazine Railway Modeller described Ahern's impact on the hobby as "fundamental and far-reaching".[4] His 4mm layout, Madder Valley, built in the 1930s is preserved at the Pendon Museum in Oxfordshire.[5][4]

Ahern was also an avid photographer alongside his wife Gladys.[6] In 1932 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.[7] His work published in the Society's catalogues, such as The Year's Photography, and was regularly exhibited there from the 1930s to the early 1940s. His photography was also published in Photograms of the Year. [8]

Books

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  • Photographing Models. London: P. Marshall & Co. 1946.
  • Miniature Building Construction. London: P. Marshall & Co. 1947.
  • Miniature Locomotive Construction. London: P. Marshall & Co. 1948.
  • Miniature Landscape Modelling. London: P. Marshall & Co. 1951.
  • Handbook of Two-Rail for "OO". London: Hambling's.

References

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  1. ^ a b Kitchiner, David (1994). "John Ahern: Master of the Madder Valley" (PDF). Model Railway Journal. No. 75. pp. 283–302. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b de Frayssinet, John (2013). "Introduction". Scenic Modelling: A Guide for Railway Modellers. Marlborough: Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-84797-558-4. OCLC 885170882.
  3. ^ Flint, Steve (May 2010). "Pendon's Progress". Railway Modeller. Vol. 61, no. 715. pp. 370–375. ISSN 0033-8931.
  4. ^ a b "Madder Valley at Pendon". Railway Modeller. Vol. 14, no. 154. August 1963. p. 184. ISSN 0033-8931.
  5. ^ "Madder Valley Railway". Pendon Museum. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  6. ^ Ahern, John H.; Ahern, G. M. (January 1942). "A Man and Wife Show". The Photographic Journal. 72. Royal Photographic Society: 11. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Fellows, Associates and Members". The Photographic Journal. 77. Royal Photographic Society: 4. 1937. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Christie's - John H. AHERN". christies.com. Retrieved 9 September 2024.