Former tank commander and grand old man of steam James Gilbey made his final journey yesterday, with the help of his beloved showman’s engine.

A pioneer of the steam preservation movement, Mr Gilbey was involved from the start with the Great Dorset Steam Fair, now the leading event of its kind in the world and which attracts 250,000 people a year.

He died earlier this month, aged 90, and, at his own request, was carried to his funeral in the picturesque village of Compton Pauncefoot on the Somerset/Dorset border on a trailer drawn by his Burrell showman’s engine, Perseverance the Second.

The pair were nearly of an age; the engine being built in 1913 for a Rotherham-based fairground operator. The sun shone on her barley-twist brasswork as she made the journey from the South Cadbury base of funeral directors Harold F Miles in the shadow of Cadbury Castle, reputed stronghold of King Arthur.

Mark Fry, son of close friend and fellow steam enthusiast Alan Fry, was at the controls, while villager Mike Toop walked ahead on the mile-long journey, carrying a red flag to warn oncoming traffic of the mighty combination behind him.

When she arrived at the tiny Ham stone church on the bitterly cold day, stray flakes of snow landed briefly on her maroon and gold bodywork.

Dozens of steam world stalwarts joined Mr Gilbey’s family for a service celebrating his long life.

One arrived on a classic Royal Enfield motor cycle. Another, Adrian Smith, had loaned the trailer. Long-time friend and fellow enthusiast Mansur Darlington told the congregation Mr Gilbey’s was a life characterised by: “much happiness, accomplishment, incident, great enthusiasm and not a little privilege, as he would have agreed.”

Mr Gilbey was born in Essex, home of his mother’s family, but the family moved to Somerset in his youth.

His love for steam began when he saw steam ploughs as a boy but his first vehicle was a Triumph 500 motorcycle bought for ten shillings while still at school.

It began a life-long enthusiasm for motor cycles, cars, lorries, and engines. He volunteered for the Army in 1939, became commander of a 40-ton Churchill tank and served at El Alamein, in the Lebanon and the Italian campaign.

After the war, he was a partner in a small engineering business at Sparkford and in 1958 bought his first showman’s engine, St Bernard. He helped develop the Somerset Traction Engine Club, of which he had been president and vice president.

Whether sporting his tweed jacket and cap or engineer’s overalls, he loved the chance to be with like-minded individuals, irrespective of class, education or background.

As prayers began at his graveside, Perseverance the Second gave a long, loud whistle, a final goodbye to the man described by Alan Fry as: “a great British gentleman, who fought for his country, loved British engineering, and will be sadly missed by all.”