It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of David James Almond. Better known as Jim A, he was a legendary character who was universally respected in an industry he served for more than forty years. Jim died in Leeds General Infirmary on Friday 08 November after suddenly being taken ill at home. He was aged 62.

Jim started a degree in Electrical Engineering and like so many of his contemporaries ran off to the theatre to play. Enticed by his love of trains, he had a short stint working as a Tube Driver on the London Underground. This provided useful income and was his first introduction to making heavy things move.

We first met Jim in 1988 as fellow contractors at Opera North in Leeds and continued to see him thereafter on the Opera and Ballet circuit. In 1991 Jim became our client as Construction Manager for Harvey Goldsmith’s production of Tosca at Earls Court Arena in London, for which we built the massive spectacular set. In 1992 he came to work at what ultimately became Stage One, initially as a freelancer, then permalancer and finally as an employee.

He had an acerbic sense of humour particularly demonstrated by his love of the Steve Bell “If” Guardian cartoons. Jim was undoubtedly one of the smartest people you might meet. A good man on the tools, whether wood or metal working, he excelled in construction design. Jim’s niche became mechanical and structural engineering due to his incredible 3D spatial imagination. He was entirely self-taught in this discipline, yet when challenged by verifying engineers was seldom found to be wrong.

Jim never stopped learning and amazed anyone who knew him with his ability to recall precise information and facts instantaneously. His engineering design work created some of the world’s most spectacular public events at the cutting edge of possibility. Those of you who have worked alongside him will know just how much he contributed.

Jim was humble, quietly perceptive, and entirely endearing. It was hard to meet a client that wasn’t stopped in their tracks by his disarming ingenuity and charm. Fuelled by cigarettes, strong tea and amber ale, he had a relentless desire to just keep working. It was not unusual to receive emails from him at midnight with some new concept or thinking. Like all engineering heavyweights, he took a few moments to ramp up to speed and was rarely first into the office. However, full-torque moments were observed, particularly where the end of travel was set to the sandwich van or an airport smoking lounge.

In the moments that Jim wasn’t at work he would busy himself with his model railway, listen to Test Match Special, follow Tottenham, solve cryptic crosswords, and sometimes spend time messing about on boats. And if he hadn’t distracted himself enough, then he might just be forced to wander down to the pub. Jim lived a life where his needs were simple, unpretentious, and yet very well served.

Most significantly, Jim was a great friend and colleague. He had a fine brain, and his legacy will live on in the creative engineering world for many years to come. In every respect, he was a unique and remarkable man.

And so it’s with great fondness that we wish you well on your final journey, Jim. Wherever you are headed we know you’ll be dozing to the clickety-clack of wheel on track. But don’t forget to look up, as we promise to salute you from the signalbox as you glide safely by.

We shall miss you enormously Mister Jim. Thank you for being a huge part of our story.