Dave Crolla

Aged 62, he was a founder member of the team working on the current land speed record attempt and involved in designing the first car to break the sound barrier.

He was also known as a talented musician and singer who possessed a gift for ready humour, colourful turns of phrase and forthright opinions.

Prof Crolla, who specialised in the dynamics and control of automobiles, was a consultant to the Bloodhound project to produce a jet-engine and rocket-powered car capable of achieving speeds of 1,000mph.

After attending one of its meetings in Bristol he was caught speeding while returning to his home in Yorkshire. Despite his expertise, he elected for a speed awareness course to avoid having points added to his licence.

He later complained to friends about having to listen to someone “droning on for hours on end” about the dangers of speeding.

The Bloodhound team said his contribution had been immense and his wisdom would be sadly missed. He also played a vital role in the design of the Thrust Supersonic car which set the current land speed record of 763mph in 1997.

Dave Crolla attended St Bede’s Grammar School, Bradford, from 1960-67, won the Queen’s Scout award and was a member of the Great Britain Junior Olympic canoe team.

After achieving a first class honours degree at Loughborough University, he worked in agricultural engineering research and studied for his PhD as part of a distinguished academic career,.

He became a lecturer in mechanical engineering at Leeds University in 1979 where he gained a prestigious higher doctorate, was made a professor of automotive engineering 14 years later and worked there until 2005.

Prof Crolla was a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, editor-in-chief of a forthcoming encyclopedia of automotive engineering and had written numerous books on his subject.

He was internationally recognised, produced over 200 academic papers and at the time of his death he was a visiting professor at the universities of Sunderland and Cranfield.

His specialisations included the ride, handling, safety, stability and braking of vehicles.

Prof Crolla shared his time between his homes in West Yorkshire and the Dales and remained a keen hiker and cyclist.

He favoured Irish and country music, was a member of the Bradford-based Wild Geese which he co-founded 24 years ago and he also regularly performed in Swaledale with assorted musicians.

During his time with the Wild Geese, he was responsible for the musical equivalent of sending coals to Newcastle by taking traditional Irish music to Ireland.

Such was his popularity in the music scene that Matt Molloy, flute player with the world-famous Irish ban The Chieftains, agreed to play at his funeral at First Martyrs Church, Bradford, yesterday where the family asked for donations to be made to the British Heart Foundation or Swaledale Mountain Rescue.

Prof Crolla was with a group of friends passing through Cheddar Gorge on the first day of a cycling tour of the West Country when he died on September 4.

He leaves a widow Stephanie, daughters Rachel and Rebecca, and grand daughter Heather who was born only four days before his death.