He was said to have encyclopaedic knowledge of the railway world, after devoting his life to the subject.

BBC: Mr Slater came to Talyllyn up to 30 times a year

Carrying out this sort of cyber snooping does not take an encyclopaedic knowledge of computers or hours of trial and error.

BBC: Snooping goes hi-tech

Postmen, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of their neighbourhood had long been the backbone of mail distribution, had lost track of their flock during the fighting.

ECONOMIST: Lebanon's postal system

Roger's love of music is legendary and his encyclopaedic knowledge of music is matched by the awesome fact that he owns every Top 10 single released since 1955.

BBC: Surrey - Presenter profile: Roger Day

His knowledge of world literature may not be deep, but it is encyclopaedic.

BBC: Romanians gamble with their future