HUNDREDS of people turned out to pay their respects to steam engine driver Dave Knowling last Monday (January 15) as he made his final journey along the steam railway line he loved.

Dave, who grew up in Tavistock and Merrivale, worked on British Railways as a fireman from 1954 to 1967 before spending the next 50 years working on trains on the Buckfastleigh line.

More than 200 uniformed staff and volunteers at Buckfastleigh Station, and at the other South Devon Railway stations at Staverton and Totnes, all lined up in tribute and to say ‘cheerio’ to their old friend.

Dave’s last driving turn was in October 2017 in his 63rd consecutive year working on steam engines. He died just before Christmas at the age of 78 and was believed to be the longest serving steam engine driver in the country.

‘His trademark dress feature on a steam loco was always a spotted red handkerchief worn around his neck, and his family, and many fellow footplatemen, wore spotted handkerchiefs too as a mark of their love and respect,’ said Dick Wood for South Devon Railway.

Dave was transported up and down the line he loved for one last time in a First Class coach right next to engine No 6412, fittingly the same loco he worked on for the re-opening day trains in 1969 and crewed by driver Colin Harmes, another stalwart of the first day trains of ‘69, and his close friend of over 40 years driver Rodney Cox.

The train guard was another veteran with 50 years SDR service, Alan Taylor, and loco No. 6412 bore a special headboard bearing the legend ‘Dave Knowling 1939-2017’ made by fellow SDR driver Chris Bowden. And loco No. 5786/L92 was in steam too as the standby engine with a spare crew.

Mr Wood said: ‘At the family’s request, the train stopped en route at Pixie Falls — a feature which Dave created by hand on a steep bankside close by the River Dart near Woodville, opposite Dartington Hall.

‘Some 250 mourners at his packed funeral at Holy Trinity Church at Buckfastleigh heard fitting music from Elvis Presley and Annie Lennox, which Dave loved, and touching eulogies from one of his sons and grandsons, plus SDR friends John Brodribb, Colin Harmes and Rod Cox, in addition to the formal funeral service and hymns conducted by family friend, the Rev Gordon Davis.

‘Despite the bitingly cold, wet and windy weather, which saw everyone either hiding under umbrellas and sat on wet chairs, or huddled against the walls and alcoves and wearing heavy coats and hats trying to keep warm because the church has no roof after being totally burned down in a vandal attack in 1992, it was a truly memorable and moving experience for all present.

‘With no roof or windows, everyone could see the ever changing sky overhead, highlighted by frequent rainbows which helped lift the sombre mood, and his coffin was buried in the churchyard.

‘And, right on cue, mourners heard the two engines — Nos 6412 and 5786 (L92) — sound their shrill whistles repeatedly from the station as a final goodbye salute and then a stunning rainbow lit up the sky as the sun finally came out.

‘Dave, who loved Dartmoor and all of its history, wanted to be buried at Holy Trinity graveyard — he was well aware of the legend of the curious tomb there of Richard Cabell who is supposed to have inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s story — The Hound of the Baskervilles.’