A FITTING tribute was paid to a North Yorkshire man with a passion for engines, when he made his final journey in life on the back of his carefully restored traction engine.

George Colin West, 82, known to everyone as Colin, died peacefully in hospital on February 25.

Mr West, from Brafferton, near Thirsk, was well-known to people in the region for his knowledge of traction engines and was a familiar face at steam rallies.

He exhibited his steam engine, the Wayfarer, at shows around the country after first buying a share in the steam roller in the 1960s and going on to own the machine outright in later life with his wife, Marion.

So when Mr West passed away, family and friends made sure he had a send-off he would have appreciated.

Several of his friends arranged for the Wayfarer engine to be brought over from its storage in Dalton to the North Yorkshire village.

His coffin was then transported on a trailer pulled by the historic machinery the short distance from his home to St Peter’s Church in Brafferton, followed by a procession including mourners on foot and vehicles.

A family member, who did not wish to be named, said Mr West had become very well known at the steam rallies and made many friends. He said: “He had a dry sense of humour and was always ready to smile and help anyone.”

Mr West, was born in 1932 in Westow and was one of six children. The bright pupil left school at 14 to work on a farm, where his first job involved harrowing a 12 acre field with horse-drawn machinery.

He went on to work as an agricultural contractor and then a plant operator for Yorkshire Water’s river board and worked as a low-loader driver for the organisation until his retirement.

Mr West, who tragically lost his first wife when he had a young family, leaves behind his second wife of 53 years, Marion and his children.