TRIBUTES have been paid to a train enthusiast and ‘quiet gentleman’.

David Greenhalgh, of Westwood Street, Accrington, died of Covid induced pneumonia, on November 15 at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

The 73-year-old was married to Diane for 44 years and she was at David’s bedside when he passed away.

David, who worked on the railways for 45 and a half years and worked on the last British Rail steam journey in 1968, is survived by Diane, son Martin, and granddaughter Lily as well as siblings Alan, Janet and Anne.

Diane said: “I think his love for trains started when he used to ride down to Rosegrove where they cleaned the trains at the end of the gates and watched.

“One day, one of the drivers asked if they wanted to go and help clean.

“He was hooked after that.”

Diane said that David got his start on the railways thanks to the advice of his teacher at Hyndburn Park School, Mr Whitaker - now famed as Bullseye’s Jim Bowen.

She said: “I think steam engines had character and he saw that.

“As we have done some family history we know that some distant relative was the station master at Church.”

David had a claim to fame as he drove the royal train with the Queen on board to Carlisle in the early 90s, and received a letter of thanks from Buckingham Palace.

Diane added: “In those days, you needed an engineer on board so that if the train broke down then someone would be there to fix it.

“They were given a certain speed that they had to drive at when the Queen had gone off to her private quarters.

“He was sent a letter by the Queen and there was a cheque with £10 in it.”

David was a keen crown green bowler and was a member of Immanuel Bowling Club alongside wife Diane for around 12 years.

Diane said: “We used to go on bowling holidays together to destinations such as Cyprus, Tunisia, Tenerife and Malta.”

Diane described David as ‘very quiet’, as she paid tribute to her husband.

“He was very quiet and was a good listener.

“I must have had about 150 cards and messages from different people. It shows what people thought of him.

“He used to go to watch Accrington Stanley and he also loved to do quizzes.

“He was also a big fan of Doctor Who too.”

David’s funeral was on December 2 at 10.20am at Accrington Crematorium and the family are accepting donations to Cancer Research UK.

If you want to find out more about making donations contact Hyndburn Funeral Service, Queens Road, Accrington, on 01254 233133.