Chris Foren .. Chris F

[Captain Kernow]

So sorry to hear such awful news. Chris and I often used to chat at exhibitions and I think the last time we did so was at Expo EM in Bracknell last May. He did seem a bit 'down' then and I did my best to cheer him up and talk about positive things. This year like no other recently has reminded me of our collective mortality, that our hobby is but one part of the overall scheme of things and that life really is too short.

 

My condolences to Chris's family and friends and may he rest In Peace.

 

[NGT6 1315]

This news came as quite a shock to me, I have to admit, and so close to Christmas, too. I am quite at loss for anything meaningful to say right now.

 

RIP, Chris. Thoughts with his family and friends.

[bbishop]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

Chris was a good friend who I made through these pages and will be much missed.   I was fortunate to meet him on several occasions for drinks and a meal in London at the so called Brains Trust, organised by Flavio, aka Il Dottore.  The brave way that he faced a number of challenges in his life , without complaint, was an inspiration. His dry and wry humour was always present.   This picture may remind others of who he was. Here he is, 2nd from the left waiting outside the Princess of Shorditch in May 2017.   

He is n good company with Mike (Stationmaster), Dave (Unravelled) and John (John DMJ).   I did tease them about being so anxious to get in for a drink.

 

RIP Chris.

That will be two pints of Twickenham, a Guinness and a cider.   I'm round the corner, trying to gain access to the pub.

[5050]

Very sad news.  Last time I saw him was at the Doncaster show, probably 2019, when we had a good natter sat down having a sandwich.  I used to see him at various shows around the country, it was surprising where he turned up!  He was definitely one of a kind!

 

RIP Chris, condolences to family and close friends.

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

A most humble man, yet bursting with knowledge. His public display of his orientation in recent years clearly took courage, too

Ian says it all and says it well.  Ever the quiet man around the table, unless you were wrong about matters GW, but quietly passionate and seldom opening up to reveal what must have been many very personal issues going on inside.  His public comments here took bravery and commitment even in this day and age.  His knowledge of matters "Western" was up there amongst the most encyclopaedic.  

 

4 hours ago, bbishop said:

Not unexpected.  His cancer was in remission for quite a while but seems to have returned with a vengeance.

I concur.  A few dropped hints and a subtle but discernible change at the last Brains Trust we both attended (Old Street) suggested to me that he knew all was not as well as it might be.  It was typical of the man to quietly carry on anyway.  

 

A good friend from the exhibition and pub "circuit" who will be much missed.  

 

7-5-5 good buddy.  RIP Chris.  

[sidmouth]

Chris was also an avid photographer and for many years maintained the diary of photo charter events , helping organsiers avoid conflicts of dates and spreading opportunites of event to all on his mailing list 

 

 

[Ian Abel]

RIP Chris.

Known to me mainly via ERs and enjoyed his thoughts and commentary on the world and railways.

[The Lurker]

I've been fearing this news since Chris dropped off ERs a short while ago. I only knew him through ERs but was always struck that his postings gave us a measure of the man; disorganised, maybe, nervous of his ability to cope with the ever-increasing complexity of the world, probably, but also kindly and brave in coming to terms with the world.

 

RIP Chris, you'll be missed

[BSW01]

I was very sad to read the news of Chris’s passing on ER’s this morning. I’ve met Chris several times at shows around the northwest and Yorkshire. He was a thoroughly nice bloke, very pleasant to chat to and always had wry smile. He’ll be sorely missed on here, but especially on ER’s where he was, until recently a daily poster. They’ll be no more mention of his hessian bag filled with his CD’s, or his neighbour, who he referred to as Mrs electric wheelchair, or his battle with his ‘weed patch’ aka his garden. 

A very sad day indeed. 

 

R.I.P. Chris

Edited February 15, 2023 by BSW01

[Coombe Barton]

I met Chris at some shows. Very nice guy. RIP ChrisF

[Erichill16]

I only met Chris once, at Doncaster exhibition and together with @88C. We all had a good chinwag whilst having a cuppa upstairs. A charming and knowledgeable  man but I suppose all on here already know this.

Being an ER I got to know him quite well, and his likes, his dislikes and his frustrations. Through perseverance he always came through and had a tale to tell. I remember in the lead up to Christmas 2020(?) and his disappointment about the cancellation of his holiday in Switzerland. I was also expecting to spend Christmas in Switzerland and was hoping to meet Chris in Interlaken.

A  gentleman passed this way.

RIP Chris.

Robert

 

[nickwood]

I’m very sad to hear the news. Chris always stopped by for an entertaining chat whenever he was visiting an exhibition where I was exhibiting Much Murkle. RIP Chris you will be missed by many.

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

A  gentleman passed this way.

What a lovely thing to say. 

[robertcwp]

Very sad news but not totally unexpected. I would often see Chris at shows. I think the last time I saw him was Scaleforum in 2019 and it might have been there that he said he had cancer. Chris was also very helpful on my BRCoachingStock forum and was very knowledgeable. 

[BR traction instructor]

…yep…I always enjoyed a chat with Chris…sorry to hear that avenue of pleasure is no longer.

 

Sleep well Chris

 

BeRTIe

[Jol Wilkinson]

I'm saddened to hear of his passing. There have been too many lost to our community lately.

 

I hadn't spoken to Chris since the pandemic struck. He always made a point of calling at the London Road Models stand (although I don't recall he ever bought anything). Some years ago he wanted to discuss prostate cancer diagnosis, etc. when he discovered I had suffered from it and he said he had also been diagnosed with it. I also recall him telling me how he had joined in a Gay Pride march in Exeter, his way of "coming out". I saw him across the floor from the LRM stand at ExpoEM and  was a little surprised when he didn't stop by for a  chat.

 

 

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

A shock to hear this, Chris took his time to talk and encouraged me for many many years, and whilst I only saw him at Exhibitions and RMWeb dos, I still think of him as a friend.

 

Rest in Peace Chris,

 

Simon

[Torper]

How very sad.  I only met Chris a couple of times at Scalefour shows and, as everyone has said, he came across as a very nice. gentle  chap.  His postings on the forum suggested he was quite a lonely bloke, living by himself, trying to keep in touch with relatives and friends, with one or two of the latter causing him great disappointment.  He loved his folk music and was a regular attender at gigs at The Stables, and he almost gloried in his utter inability to deal with computers and especially printers, which caused him a great deal of grief.  He also attended quite a lot of model railway shows, invariably carefully planning his trip to take in a 'spoons breakfast en route if at all possible.  He "came out" a few years ago and was a regular and enthusiatic Gay Pride marcher.  I do hope that when they bury him he'll be wearing his prized rainbow boots!

 

DT

[TheSignalEngineer]

Sad news indeed. I was thinking of him only last Saturday when I was at the Manchester show. We often crossed paths there and at other shows, stopping for a chat about railway matters, folk music and the problems of breaking in a pair of Docs for his Gay Pride march.  I remember posting for him a picture of a machine set up in the Textile Hall at MOSI which was making rainbow coloured boot laces. 

Rest well Chris, you will be sorely missed for your knowledge particularly on the Western front.

[Clive Mortimore]

Very sad news. Like most of us I got to know Chris through this forum and would meet him at shows all over the place. After we would have had our moan about things on here and in the toy train world we would have a chat about Bedford, Chris living there and I grew up there. Chris knew people who I had known when I was young. I am, like many of us going miss Chris and his rainbow lanyard suddenly appearing in front of the layout I am operating.

 

Chris you are one little old boy from Bedford who is going to be missed.

[chris p bacon]

7 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Chris you are one little old boy from Bedford who is going to be missed.

 Too true. 

 

I got to know Chris 20+ years ago at our local (East Beds) show and Stevenage Loco society/LCGB  talks, I found him a lovely chap to talk to, full of knowledge and like me able to moan about things, although Chris had more style when doing so. (I always told him that coming from Bedford he had a lot to moan about). Covid has changed many things, and it wasn't until I saw the thread that I realised it's probably 2 years since I've seen him, Very sad to think that. 

[jamie92208]

16 hours ago, Torper said:

How very sad.  I only met Chris a couple of times at Scalefour shows and, as everyone has said, he came across as a very nice. gentle  chap.  His postings on the forum suggested he was quite a lonely bloke, living by himself, trying to keep in touch with relatives and friends, with one or two of the latter causing him great disappointment.  He loved his folk music and was a regular attender at gigs at The Stables, and he almost gloried in his utter inability to deal with computers and especially printers, which caused him a great deal of grief.  He also attended quite a lot of model railway shows, invariably carefully planning his trip to take in a 'spoons breakfast en route if at all possible.  He "came out" a few years ago and was a regular and enthusiatic Gay Pride marcher.  I do hope that when they bury him he'll be wearing his prized rainbow boots!

 

DT

As well as The Boots the obvious choice of music will be "Be the Man" which was mentioned in his signature.

 

Jamie

Edited December 15, 2022 by jamie92208

[45156]

RIP, Chris.

 

Memories are flooding back of his posts, and his love of folk music - one thing other than railways that we had in common - he was of the same folk era as I am and we knew many of the leading performers of the late 1970s - and though we didn't know it, we did meet once, as Chris was a regular at the Bedford Folk Club, and I once accompanied a friend, Pete Twitchett, who was the guest, and did a four song floor spot, and Chris was, as I later (that's MUCH later) found out the guy who ran the raffle.  I'll greatly miss his comments about the contents of his CD bag - his CD collection of folk perfomers must have been prodigious.

 

I was also pleased to be able to support Chris with his coming out which was quite late in life - a few PMs were exchanged - but OMG, once he came out, did he CELEBRATE his sexuality.   He wore it with pride (and attended quite a few Pride events as well).

 

I missed the news yesterday, as I was otherwise engaged for most of the day, and didn't visit ERs, so didn't learn until the morning, so I'll raise a glass of Cardhu to his memory this afternoon - a large glass of Cardhu.

 

Stewart

Edited December 15, 2022 by 45156

[Trainshed Terry]

I met Chris a few times at a couple of shows, and I agree with everyone he was a true gentleman.

 

RIP Chris.

 

Terry. 

[NHY 581]

I've just learnt of this very sad news. Chris was terribly kind and offered a great deal of encouragement when I first joined the forum and continued to maintain that kindness and encouragement ever since. He was a regular at our Small Cardiff Show, now sadly lapsed and I was astonished to learn that he had travelled from Bedford to see the show when we first met face to face, 2017 (? ). Our paths subsequently crossed many times at various exhibitions, especially SWAG where he was very much part of that delightful event. Always a pleasure to see him. 

 

A lovely, witty man whose presence added value to any gathering. I shall miss our encounters. 

 

God bless you, Chris and may you rest in peace. 

 

Rob.