I grew up with the caricatures of him in Spitting Image and Private Eye, and could easily have written him off as a joke. So I'm glad he got to produce his fabulous train programmes - one of the few things my mum could watch with pleasure. Now that she's gone, I find myself watching his series again with great nostalgia and affection - not just thinking back to shared moments with her, but also pure appreciation of him!
The way he sails serenely across railway platforms, with that slow steam-ship upright gait... his lovely rosy, cheerful face... his bright jackets and trousers... the valiant way he pronounces alien names (quite convincingly, to my ear)... his genuine interest in people from all walks of life... his ability to make dull subjects fascinating... his absolute lack of ego: he really doesn't mind having a go at absolutely anything, not caring if he looks a chump (which means he never does)!