IT was a ‘unique funeral for a unique person’.

A convoy of four steam engines escorted late engineer Colin Knight on his final journey.

Colin Knight was carried on his beloved Aveling and Porter engine from Holbury to All Saints’ church in Fawley.

He was laid to rest surrounded by a scores of family and friends who said he would be sorely missed.

Steven Hirst, who looks after Colin’s steam engines, said: “He was always helping people out with their steam engines. He was good at that, helping people.

“A lot of people in the church will have a lot of happy memories of Colin, especially of him at steam rallies.”

Members of the Co-op Funeralcare in Holbury, who conducted the service, said they have never had an escort of steam engines before, but added: “It was a unique funeral for a unique person.”

Born in Blackfield in 1936, Colin was the youngest of eight children. He went to Hardley School – now known as the New Forest Academy – and went on to serve an apprenticeship as a model ship engineer.

He married his wife Deirdre in 1956 before then doing his two years national service stationed at Calshot.

The trained engineer then moved to Southampton to work at Thornhill as a production manager before he started his own business in a garage.

This business helped him develop his skills and he went on to build a factory at Hardley industrial estate called Mopley engineering. He made bolts for Concord and also parts for the Harrier jump jets used in the Falklands war.

Colin’s passion for engineering was also expressed in his passion for steam engines. He owned several engines in various states of repair.

His first engine was Bubbles, named due to the bubbles that came from the chimney after it was cleaned.

He inherited his love of steam from his father. They built an engine together, and this was used recently in the movie The Railway Man, starring Colin Firth.

Colin’s ability with engines enabled him to become the section leader at the Bath and West steam show, and he was also in charge of wagons, cars and tractors at the great Dorset steam fair.

He had had heart surgery in December last year which was, unfortunately, followed by a stroke, which meant he could no longer drive his trucks.

On September 4, at the steam fair in Dorset, he was presented with an engraved oil can and a card for his service over the years.

It was at the show when Colin finally ‘ran out of steam’, his daughter, Julie Ledbetter said.

His family said that he will be remembered by the things he left behind, including his beloved engines which took him to the church.