Obituary: Leighton Buzzard special constable and railway volunteer Ben Rolt

Tributes have been paid to a kind Leighton Buzzard man at the heart of the community, who was a former special constable, and volunteer at the narrow gauge railway.
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Ben Rolt died on January 29, aged 68, after his transplanted kidney of 20 years failed him, followed by other major organs. He leaves behind his wife Claire, sons Neil, Paul and Adam, and four grandchildren.

One of his greatest achievements was receiving a long service medal for working in the police force for over 26 years, and he had been proud to attend a ceremony at police HQ.

Claire, 66, said: “Ben enjoyed the camaraderie; he enjoyed helping people. Once he said to his colleague Bev: ‘Bring your hairdryer - we have lots of boy racers’.

Photo: For Ben’s 60th birthday his family took him to Quainton, near Aylesbury, and he was allowed to drive a train.Photo: For Ben’s 60th birthday his family took him to Quainton, near Aylesbury, and he was allowed to drive a train.
Photo: For Ben’s 60th birthday his family took him to Quainton, near Aylesbury, and he was allowed to drive a train.

“He pretended it was a speed gun!

“The ceremony was lovely and Ben was very proud.”

Ben had received a kidney transplant in 1999, having previously sat at home with his dialysis machine for hours on end each week.

However, health issues never stopped Ben from living life to the full, and he enjoyed volunteering for the Scouts, teaching them to tie knots, as well as being a conductor for the narrow gauge railway.

Ben Rolt enjoying a walking adventure with his friends. He also enjoyed painting, rugby, and went on many caravan holidays with his wife, Claire.Ben Rolt enjoying a walking adventure with his friends. He also enjoyed painting, rugby, and went on many caravan holidays with his wife, Claire.
Ben Rolt enjoying a walking adventure with his friends. He also enjoyed painting, rugby, and went on many caravan holidays with his wife, Claire.

Claire said: “He was handsome, gentle and very kind. Perseverance - that’s what he taught the boys. He never gave up. All who wish to pay their respects are welcome to the service and the rugby club.”

Ben was born in Amersham, later moving to Berkhamsted and attending Ashlyns School. He then joined the merchant navy, travelling the world, before enjoying work in a garage, as a team leader for Kodak, and as an on-train manager. He also worked for Securicor and doted on his guard dog, a German Shepherd called Yard.

Ben and Claire were married in 1980 in a register office in Hemel Hempstead. He was originally a ‘friend of a friend’, but Claire asked him to her company’s Christmas party, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Friend and former LBO chief reporter Mick King said: “I first met Ben through mutual friends as part of a small country walking group and I like to think we became good pals as we tramped footpaths, tracks and trails the length and breadth of the country.

“He struggled a bit sometimes with his kidney disease, but never let it get him down. Always cheerful whatever the weather and conditions underfoot, he slogged on.

“Sometimes he lagged behind and even went astray sometimes, one occasion springs to mind was on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast.

“The rest of us had been at that night’s digs for several hours and, with night falling, the landlady was minutes away from alerting mountain rescue when in he wandered, tired and hungry with a big grin on his face and only worried that he had missed dinner.

“I know Ben enjoyed being a Special and was proud to serve the community, I was proud to call him friend and there’s a lot of people going to miss him.”

Ben’s funeral is at Bierton Crematorium at 11am on February 25.

(Wake - LB Rugby Club).

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