Richard Lomas: 10th
November 1941 – 25th May 2012
Richard’s Last
Journey
Focus Transport team member Richard Lomas, the founder of
this Blog, sadly died on 25th May 2012 following months of illness.
It was most appropriate that Richard, a lifelong transport
enthusiast, should travel by bus for part of his final journey to the
crematorium. And what a bus!
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Now registered ESV 811, this 1948 AEC Regal III, number 141
in the Carris fleet, worked the streets of Lisbon, Portugal, until 1984 when a
consortium, including Richard and Kath Lomas, took ownership and brought it
back home to England. After resting in various farm buildings in the south, the
AEC moved to Butterley Road Transport Museum when that undercover facility was
being developed twenty or so years ago. Recently this unusual (for the UK) left
hand drive vehicle has been prepared, with the assistance of John Peck, to run
once again on public roads.
Thus in the early afternoon of Wednesday 6th June
2012, Richard’s coffin was transferred to 141 at Butterley in front of steam
locomotive 73129. The family boarded the bus and as it set off 73129 blew its
whistle in a haunting tribute to a dedicated transport enthusiast.
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Colin Sellers had agreed to photograph the AEC on this
special journey, with Oliver Foreman endeavouring to keep his car and Colin
with camera in front of the bus, a task that because of the speed of this
ancient AEC proved impossible!
The bus made its way down the Butterley Coach Road and
turned right onto the steep uphill on Codnor Lane. A further right took the
party through a factory estate, then right again onto the A610 Nottingham Road
heading for Ripley.
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Despite Colin rushing to jump in the car (and almost slipping
over and dropping his precious camera!) the bus overtook us as it turned onto
Nottingham Road. Never mind, a quick left into Steam Mill Lane should get us to
Ripley market place before the bus . . . if there were not roadworks, doddering
drivers and traffic congestion to contend with!
Nonetheless, precariously racing across the busy High Street Colin
managed a shot as the AEC left the town centre.
We were now behind again as the bus turned left at the
mini-roundabout into Peasehill Road and right into Waingroves Road where the
coffin was to be transferred to the hearse outside the Lomas residence. Appropriately,
just as this had taken place, an Optare Solo on Richard’s local bus service
(1A) run by his favourite bus company (trent barton) threaded its way around
the parked vehicles including the AEC.
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With its duty well done, the Regal
turned round with some difficulty and made its way back home to Butterley.
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The family with Richard continued their journey in the
funeral cars to Markeaton Crematorium in Derby. A full chapel listened to
tributes given by the chaplain of the hospital (who with Richard during his
months in the Royal Derby had ‘put the world to rights’), by Richard’s oldest
friend and fellow transport enthusiast Roger Mercer, and by one of Richard’s
and Kath’s two sons. In his thorough and forthright way, it seems Richard had
taken his duties as a husband, father and grandfather even more seriously than
his obsession with public transport.
Of course, Richard had a particular interest in trams and Crich,
a facility he had played his part to develop over 50 or so years. Thus it was
most fitting that this celebration of a life continued within the grounds of
Crich Tramway Village at the Red Lion where
two of Richard’s favourite real ales were on sale.
Good bye, Richard. We shall miss your carefully researched
web contributions. We shall miss our lively discussions. We shall miss your
concern and our friendship.
Text: Oliver Foreman; photographs Colin Sellers
7th June 2012
More photos Click Here
