Friends of X112 pays homage after death of John Eyre

John Eyre died on August 22 aged 73 years. He had taken the X112, the bus service he had spent years campaigning to protect, from Ulverston to Coniston, to his 'favourite place' the Lake District. Tragically he died from a heart attack while out on a hike.

Phil Halliwell, who runs Blueworks Taxis which operates the service, said John had been a fit man until his sudden death. He had taken the bus twice a week out to Coniston to go hiking in the fells. 

The picture of the rainbow was John's favourite photo (Image: Submitted)

To commemorate him he has placed a plaque in his honour next to the door of the very bus that Phil thinks John rode on for the last time. 

Phil said: "He would always hop in the bus and go to Coniston and go on a hike and come back on it in the afternoon. We thought it would be nice tribute - something to remember him by. We think it was the last bus he was on. 

"He went up in the morning at half past nine and didn't come back unfortunately."

John loved getting the bus out to go on walks in the Lake District (Image: Submitted)

The picture of the rainbow behind his name was his favourite photo, Phil said. 

John was involved in campaigning to protect rural bus services as the chair of the Friends of the X112. The group was formed after Cumbria County Council withdrew bus subsidies in October 2014. John and his other volunteers raised funds to maintain the bus route. 

READ MORE: Tesco awards grant to Friends of the X112 bus service

John also worked as a teacher at Ulverston Victoria High School. He told this publication in 2019 that it was a 'privilege' to teach refugees from Kosovo in the 1990s, including Artan Llabjani who then went on to have a successful career in law. 

He leaves behind his wife Patricia and his two children. He had his funeral at Thorncliffe Crematorium on Thursday, September 7.