Real ale enthusiasts and steam train fanatics came together to raise a toast to a late friend.

The funeral for Andy Colvile was held at the Islington and St Pancras Crematorium, followed by a wake at North Middlesex Golf Club, Manor House on Tuesday, July 4

Mr Colvile passed away aged 70 at Barnet General Hospital on XXX after battling with cancer.

The former engineer was a widower, whose long-time partner Sandy died three years ago.

Mr Colvile worked at a number of breweries including the Mighty Oak Brewery in Maldon, Essex and the Firkin Brewery in West London which inspired his home brewery.

He also had a hand in creating the Tintagel Brewery with a Cornish farmer on the site of an old dairy farm.

At first his ales were a personal project, before opening his doors to share it with members of the real ale and steam enthusiast community.

The master brewer was famed for gatherings held at his home in Torrington Way, North Finchley, which he single-handedly turned into a micro-brewery using scraps from a processing plant in Edmonton.

He generously shared his ales with guests in his back room decorated with collectible beer mats, steam age memorabilia and historic beer bottles.

Friend Ron Crewdson said: “I was one of many people that knew him, and went to one of his open evenings which you found out by word of mouth, it was almost clandestine.

“His house was just so unique. It just oozed friendship and conviviality, and Andy would always sit pride of place by the fireplace, just looking at the fire and enjoying the atmosphere.

“The thing that stood out about him was his humility. He would not take credit for anything. He was such a quiet guy, but I’ll never go to anything like one of his parties again.”