Tim Wainwright

Tim Wainwright 1943 - 2017

Tim seen here as AUK official photographer for the 2013 London-Edinburgh-London. Photo : Ivo Miesen

I moved next door to Tim and Pauline 17 years ago. I always used to smile when I went out on a Sunday morning and would wave them off on their bike. Only to come home at lunchtime to find they hadbeen to Hastings and back! I would look out of my window and watch Tim in all kinds of weathers go out same days, same time each week. Tim helped and encouraged me to get my first bike and as always keen to come and support me, camera in hand in any event I had entered. I can clearly remember being invited out with Tim and Chris one day to try a new route, (all the hills in Surrey I thought at the time ) and coming home to lie exhausted on my kitchen floor. I particularly loved his route to Lullingstone on which he would invite me to join him and his friends. Tim was a tremendous source of inspiration whilst I was planning my trip to Africa. He sent me the most encouraging emails throughout my trip. He clearly loved his journey through Europe with Pauline on a tandem some 30 years ago and he shared these words with me: 'travelling slowly on a bike, meeting local people, restores faith in humanity and made us realise that humans are the same everywhere, with their warmth, hopes and desires.' I shall greatly miss Tim, but he will remain in my thoughts as I push forward with my bike.

Lesley Wilkinson I first met Tim and Pauline in 1988 when I moved to the south east and joined a Croydon CTC clubrun. I think Tim must have started riding Audax events at about that time as I remember discussing Dorset Coast and some other well known randonées with him. Tim certainly caught the Audax bug and his rides included at least one, and I think two, Great Triangles - Dover, Land’s End, John o’Groats, Dover. Tim also took part in at least one Semaine Federale with Pauline, in Mer. Tim, together with Pauline, also organised many Audax events, notably the rather challenging Battle and Back 200k. As Tim and Pauline were both vegetarians, their catering kept with that ethos and was some of the best provided on any event.

4 Arrivée May 2017 No. 136 Apart from cycling, Tim’s enthusiasms were for photography and for his garden. We’ve enjoyed the many photos in Arrivée that Tim has taken on Audax events both local and national. It was always a great pleasure to see Tim, camera in hand, at some ‘scenic’ viewpoint (ie at the steepest hill he could find) on an audax ride with a cheery smile and a word of encouragement (‘this is what you came for…’) as he captured the grimace for posterity. Tim was one of those calm people who never seemed to get flusered, who never seemed to age much or to change and who gave selflessly of his time to Audax and his cycling colleagues. It was all too easy to think that he would be around for ever. He was a great friend and companion and he is a huge loss to our world and particularly to Pauline, long before his time.

Mike Stoaling As Mike Stoaling has already mentioned Tim was a very affableperson without a bad word for anyone and always seemed to look on the bright side of life.He joined the Croydon CTC section just before Mike Stoaling I think and was one of a small group including Chris Burns and Stuart Millington who rode every Sunday in most weathers. These rides were made all the more enjoyable as we were all pretty well matched in both temperament as well as ability. Tim's forte was always his steady pace. As Audax was taking off the club rides during summer were generally replaced by audax events with Tim riding the longer 400k and 600k distances along with several PBP successes. The original 1986 Tour of Three Counties, which Tim rode, was extended to 150k and for the final two years of my organisation to 200k - to Battle and back. According to my memory, Tim rode all of these. Tim took over the running of this event in 1994 when I inherited Nevill'e Dieppe Raid. Tim then went on to make the Battle and back audax event his own. Over the past few years I had only unfortunately met up with him at Christmas lunches. A great chap who will be very much missed.

Paul Coan