Tributes paid to dedicated mechanic who worked for West Midlands travel company for almost five decades
Tributes have been paid following the death of a "selfless" and "hardworking" bus engineer who worked for a West Midlands travel company for almost 50 years.
Kevin Burkitt passed away on May 16, aged 64, following a two-year battle with lung cancer.
Born in Wednesbury on August 17, 1958, Mr Burkitt attended Wood Green Academy before leaving with plans to join the Royal Navy.
Falling short of the enrolment age of 18, he decided to follow in his parent's footsteps, with his dad having been a bus driver and his mum, a bus conductress, also known as a "clippie".
Mr Burkitt began working as a trainee mechanic with Midland Red – who had taken over the Birmingham General Omnibus Company – at a depot in Birchley Crossing, Oldbury, aged just 15.
The depot was eventually acquired by what is now known as National Express West Midlands, with services transferred to West Bromwich and Dudley depots.
