My father, Richard Keam, who has died aged 69 from cancer, was an engineer who spent many years designing traction systems for trains all over the world – a railway enthusiast’s dream job.
He was born in New Malden, Surrey, to Elsie (nee Hopgood), a secretary at the BBC, and Norman Keam, who worked for the Automobile Association. With his elder sister, Jennifer, and younger brother, Peter, Rick had a happy childhood in a close-knit family – and the railway line on the other side of the park from the family home in New Malden instilled in him a lifelong love of trains. Family holidays were spent camping with the OWC (the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry) and, as a teenager, Rick also went on trips with Forest School Camps. He continued to enjoy the outdoor life until well into retirement.
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