YORK'S favourite dodgy dealer George Hudson might yet be immortalised in granite or marble.

Supporters of the Railway King, who famously made all trains come to York (although not always on time), were petitioning the council today for a Hudson statue. (This is quite the fashion, with Gyles Brandreth last week calling for a statue of Richard Whiteley to be raised outside the Minster).

Hudsonites, including his biographer Robert Beaumont, are all set to speak up for the idea at today's leisure and heritage meeting.

They argue that Hudson's influence on modern York is far greater than that of his arch rival George Leeman, whose statue stands in Station Road.

There is a big difference between this memorial and the one planned for Hudson, however. Leeman's stone likeness was paid for by public subscription, so popular was his work to improve York's streets, drainage and burial grounds. As far as we are aware, no one has raised a penny towards a Hudson figure. Even if everyone who signed the petition gave £1, there would only be 71 quid - enough for perhaps half an arm.

And where to put him? The council would like to see the Hudson memorial installed as part of the redeveloped York Central, near the station. But an equally appropriate spot would be the Castle Museum, previously the debtors prison, where the dethroned Railway King ended up.

THAT said, the Diary supports the principle of commemorating this much-maligned fat old fraud. But is a statue really the best way?

York hasn't a great history when it comes to plinth toppers.

In his day Hudson was hugely renowned, but no one could argue he was a more eminent Victorian than Queen Victoria. Yet her statue has long been neglected and forgotten in West Bank Park. She is little more than a glorified bird toilet and her nose keeps falling off.

Then there was St Helena. York Civic Trust's plan six years ago to mount a 17ft-high bronze of the woman who gave her name to St Helen's Square was ditched after a public outcry. One horrified observer said the figure was like something "given out for ten-pin bowling or majoretting".

And even Constantine, St Helena's son and York's most photographed statue, has his critics. He is a "green giant lolling outside the Minster like a bored extra from Hollywood's Spartacus", said one.

Perhaps we should think of another way to remember George Hudson. Why not rename one of our rivers in his honour? After all, he made a splash, sailed close to the wind and sank like a stone.

The Hudson River flowing through old York city. Now there's an original idea.

DO you have a famous name?

The makers of Real Crisps are scouring the nation for "real" people who share their names with celebs for their online advertising campaign.

Your celebrated namesake does not have to be still alive. So if you happen to be called Fyodor Dostoevsky or Erik Bloodaxe you still qualify.

If you share a celebrity's name or you know someone who does, contact the Diary and we'll pass on the information.

The best five name-a-likes will receive a selection box of Real Crisps and be considered for the advertising campaign.

Updated: 10:45 Monday, November 14, 2005