Bus model collector enters Guinness book
K.A. Perera Wadduwa special correspondent
Geoff Price of Park Hall,
Walsall Street UK is a collector of toy bus models.
This correspondent met him at the Royal Palms Beach Hotels, St.
Abrew's Road, Waskaduwa, Kalutara. He has collected more than 10,000
model buses and has been recognised in the 2009 Guinness World Record
book, which was released recently.
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Geoff Price
at home with his model bus collection in the U.K.
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Geoff Price first made it to the record books five years ago and has
since continued to add to his collection during trips to Sri Lanka,
America, Turkey, Belgium, Holland, France and Thailand.
Geoff said that this year marks 50 years of collecting and
researchers from the Guinness World Records book contacted him this year
to issue him a new certificate.The first model in the collection was a
Dinky Half Cab coach, bought as a birthday present by his parents in
1958, and since the collection has grown to 10.900 models.
Geoff married Linda in January 1973 when he had only 423 models and
since then the couple have moved house three times to accommodate the
collection.
He said we have visited Sri Lanka six times and flown there from
London - Heathrow with Sri Lankan Airlines.I have always stayed with my
wife at Royal Palms Beach Hotel at Kalutara, from where we have
travelled to many towns and villages in the wonderful country.
Searching for plastic toy buses for over six years, we have found 433
different models and on this trip we have added another 53 which makes
our collection now 11,264 different models.
We have found the local people to be very helpful and courteous when
visiting their shops and stalls and they have gone out of their way to
try and find model buses we do not have.
The generosity and the sincerity of Sri Lankan people is very much
appreciated considering the difficulties with the tsunami and the
employment situation. We have been pleased to help a number of projects
and individuals who over the years have become close friends.
The hospitality of the Management of the Royal Palms has been first
class resulting in our returning and supporting the wonderful country of
Sri Lanka.
Geoff Price aged 58 said that it was a real privilege to get in to
the book of records again and he was really pleased when they approached
because of his 50 years of collecting. It was a real achievement and he
was continuing to add more to his collection. |
