A GROUP of bus drivers paid tribute to a ‘much-loved’ colleague with a funeral cortege of vintage buses.

Morebus drivers paid tribute to colleague David Hurley, who passed away in September at the age of 55.

David was a bus driver for a number of bus companies over the 30 years he worked in the industry.

At his funeral, colleagues organised a cortege of one hearse and four vintage buses owned by the Hants and Bournemouth Preservation Bus Group.

Bus driver Terry Duncan said: “There were two vintage ex-Yellow Buses and two Wiltshire and Dorset and Hampshire and Dorset buses fully restored by group members including David Hurley.

“As well as being a MoreBus driver, David was a keen bus enthusiast. Poole bus station came to a halt to honour a driver who was well liked, fellow drivers stood in a line to say farewell as the hearse went through the bus station with a five minute pause to pay respects.

“Vintage buses followed after collecting bus staff to go to local Poole crematorium for the 3pm service.

Bournemouth Echo:

“David Hurley will be very much missed, he was a bus driver for many years, he drove for Shamrock, Wiltshire and Dorset, Velvet Coaches, Dolphin Coaches and Roadliner where he met his wife in Parkstone and had several children. David was kind hearted and would do anything to help any one that needed help.

“My group Hants and Bournemouth preservation bus group will never know such a kind hard-working vintage bus member like him. He was always in the yard taking buses apart to help restore them. He helped save three buses from scrap, I'll never forget his kind heartedness.”

David’s wife Leanne Hurley said the family were humbled by the number of bus drivers who came to pay their respects.

Bournemouth Echo:

She said: “My husband was a bus enthusiast and I knew that I wanted something to do with buses for his funeral and I spoke to my funeral director Charlotte and she told me anything was possible, so working with her and Richard Wade of MoreBus, they managed to pull together this beautiful moment going through the bus station and Hants and Bournemouth Bus Preservation Group provided the transport.

“Once I looked at the bus station, I burst into tears, there were lots of drivers and there were also buses lined up waiting to come in from their services all showing their respects as well.

“As we were driving, drivers were bowing their heads acknowledging that David was going past in his coffin, they all seemed to recognise the importance of the occasion.

“David didn't really do fuss, he would have been truly honoured but truly humbled by how loved and respected he was and as his wife, it was really really humbling to see how many people knew him and thought that much of him to be stood there paying their respects. It’s a huge loss of a wonderful person.

“Over 30 years David worked for many bus companies, David trained with MoreBus when they were Wilts and Dorset and his final days were with MoreBus so he did a full circle.

“We were shocked, it floored me a little bit how many people knew him, to me he was just my Dave, he was my children's father, we knew he had friends but how many people knew him was quite astounding.”