'State' Funeral for Derek Soames

Today was Derek Soames (see Blog entry on 25th October) funeral - at Settle Parish Church, conducted by the Methodist Minister as nearby St John's Methodist church was nowhere near big enough.   Neither was Settle Parish Church!   Despite the use of the choir stalls and hastily imported stacking chairs they were standing in the aisles.   I was honoured that my picture of Derek was used on the front of the order of service.


Click to enlarge

The Minister was clearly taken aback and remarked that this must be the nearest Settle gets to a State Funeral.

The Settle-Carlisle Railway was hugely well represented with railwaymen past and present as well as the 'Last of the Summer Wine Gang', of course, and hundreds of others.

Afterwards there was what Martyn Soames described as a right good Chapel tea party in St John's Hall.

Derek got his wish and was buried facing 'his' railway line.   A lot of people checked on that.

Chatting with Martyn afterwards it emerged that he would be crewing a steam train through Settle at the weekend.   The locomotive will be Galatea.   Martyn will sound its whistle in tribute as it flies past Settle churchyard.

Here is a splendid portrait of Galatea.   Unless I am very much mistaken that is Martyn looking out of the cab window.