Anyone else wonders about what happened to long-lost forum members?

[43096]

It later transpired that @RichmondCommu didn't actually die; they made it up.

Their post claiming to have died was:

However they also claimed to have died previously:

RIP Richmond Ram - JA606 Article No. 244085

Hello everyone, Nine days a go our Dad Andrew died from a heart attack. Whilst our Dad wasn't a regular poster on this forum, and indeed when...

www.ja606.co.uk

(bold = my emphasis to show similarities)

This took a lot of investigating, and various other inconsistencies were found as a result.

Oooooooh, I had forgotten that - but remember now you telling me about it at the GCRN event.

Takes all sorts, I suppose...

 

[Failed Unit]

I must admit I often disappear - but still lurking. As others have said, it is more time management. If you start getting involved in a particular thread you soon notice the time ticking away. So I try to avoid such threads now and go mainly for the gen ones.

Looking at joined 2009 - that really surprises me

Again seen a lot of names come and go, old timer was one - but of course they could still be around with a different username.

 

[Mojo]

I still have Ivo and Ascot on Facebook and you still see them posting occasionally.

 

[Esker-pades]

I remember a contributor called "Felix the Cat" who used to post some interesting trip reports. They seem to have disappeared for a good while.

If it's the same person I'm thinking of, I believe they've changed their username and are now known as @Esker-pades - all alive and well by the looks of things.

Agreed though, some very interesting trip reports.

I'm still around, though I post rarely. My thread got shut down during COVID when there were no trips and I took a break from the forum around the same time. I never bothered reviving. I still do occasional trip reports; I stick them on my blog but not in the forum.

 

[nw1]

I'm still around, though I post rarely. My thread got shut down during COVID when there were no trips and I took a break from the forum around the same time. I never bothered reviving. I still do occasional trip reports; I stick them on my blog but not in the forum.

Ah ok, thanks, good to know!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'm still around, though I post rarely. My thread got shut down during COVID when there were no trips and I took a break from the forum around the same time. I never bothered reviving. I still do occasional trip reports; I stick them on my blog but not in the forum.

I think that you were the last website member to update the leg-winners points monthly scoresheet of "The next station is" quiz that went up to the end of March 2020 with the quiz still continuing in a less formal format. Unfortunately, that part of the thread has now been discontinued as no-one could be found to carry on that role, but the clickable links to the monthly scoresheets has still been retained on the second posting of the thread. That left me some 8,000 points clear at the top of the leaderboard. I have taken a sabbatical from that quiz and at the last count, I had made 38,782 postings upon it since it was launched in 2011.

 

[AlterEgo]

As far as I'm aware, no - RichmondCommu routinely posted interesting, polite, and very well reasoned stuff, and it seemed to me was a well respected part of the railforums community - until suddenly all the stuff about multiple accounts and faking his own death on multiple forums turned up.

Indeed. It was bizarre. The personality was consistent and there were no tells it was a bonkers or fake account. The fake death saga was gripping at the time!

 

[birchesgreen]

Its not unknown for people who live a sensible and ordered life to suddenly do something quite odd.

 

[MotCO]

Its not unknown for people who live a sensible and ordered life to suddenly do something quite odd.

Like start posting on a rail forum!

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Twice I had to start again due to being unable to access my email account, GrimsbyPacer and Smokey Joe were previous ones I used on this site. I'm sure many others have also had to start over aswell.

It's still nice that xenophon, tbtc, darlorich, yorksrob, najab, and many other rail forum legends are still here. You can't find sense or discussion on Facebook anymore.

 

[generalvegitable]

I'm one of those who seemingly disappeared. Like many I joined as a teenager, was very active for a while, life happened and I almost never post here any more. I still read the forums, it's a great source of info about the rail industry. My interest has over time drifted from all railways to heritage, and I've applied that interest and in my spare time I'm a head of department at an undisclosed heritage railway.

I'm glad to see many of those who were around when I was most active are still around and if anyone remembers me, I raise a glass to you!

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Just like in life, people come and go, I guess. Life happens, you meet people, get married, have kids etc. careers and all.

Myself, I joined many years ago now as a teenager, mad about trains, mad about travelling, seemingly had all the time in the world, then as you grow up, you start your career and go on to do other things and what was once a strong interest, fades away.

I was very fortunate that I attended my first forum meet in 7 years just a few weeks back! It was great to see some of the old faces but also some new faces!

Of course, some people may also simply prefer to read the forums rather than post, so just ‘lurk’.

Wonder what happened to:
@Ivo
@Ascot
@VTPreston_Tez

I often think about Ivo. I believe he is very much around but just not on the forum anymore. It’s been a decade since he last logged in.

Tez from Preston is about a similar age to me. He was also young when he joined the forum. A search of his LinkedIn reveals he is working in IT for a very well known company and seems to be doing well for himself.

I wonder whatever happened to Flamingo. I used to enjoy reading his posts and met him in 2013 on a forum meet in South Wales, a really friendly guy.

Edit:

A few more members who I wonder about (some whom I have met/conversed with);

Tractakid
Table38
Kernowfarm
Sprinterman

 

[Techniquest]

Oh wow, there's a name from the past, ATW Alex 101! I haven't seen much from you in a rather long time.

Good to hear Ivo's doing well, even if he doesn't post any more. Same for the others mentioned or who have posted on this thread I often think I'd like to just be a lurker, and not post much, with just the occasional visit. That's just not happening yet, I kind of rely on the forum to help keep me sane!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Oh wow, there's a name from the past, ATW Alex 101!

I remember him from a forum trip about ten years ago that went via Ellesmere Port as a tall and well-behaved young gentleman with a propensity for saying "Not AT Walex 101" in forum matters.

 

[Techniquest]

I remember him from a forum trip about ten years ago that went via Ellesmere Port as a tall and well-behaved young gentleman with a propensity for saying "Not AT Walex 101" in forum matters.

That's why I remember the honourable forum member, it used to be a tagline on their signature or something. It might still be there, I normally browse on my phone so I don't see people's signatures etc very often!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Very many years ago, I am sure there was a website member with the forum signature of "Only 24 hours from Tulse Hill". Can anyone remember that member?

 

[D6130]

Very many years ago, I am sure there was a website member with the forum signature of "Only 24 hours from Tulse Hill". Can anyone remember that member?

Were they by any chance called Jean Pitt-Knee?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wonder what happened to:
@VTPreston_Tez

yes a friend of mine since 1977. I used to work with him. He was an avid climber. He lost his life about 8 years ago climbing in Scotland through a combination of injuries sustained and exposure to the elements. When I am back at my computer ( instead of iPad) I will post his obituary if you want.

 

[LowLevel]

yes a friend of mine since 1977. I used to work with him. He was an avid climber. He lost his life about 8 years ago climbing in Scotland through a combination of injuries sustained and exposure to the elements. When I am back at my computer ( instead of iPad) I will post his obituary if you want.

Are you replying to the right post? The person quoted wasn't born in 1977.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Possibly. Ted -Edward - Tez Jackson worked at Virgin Trains in Preston from 1980. He passed. Possibly as Paul said upthread, it may not be the same person. I made the assumption it was.

 

[ainsworth74]

Possibly. Ted -Edward - Tez Jackson worked at Virgin Trains in Preston from 1980. He passed. Possibly as Paul said upthread, it may not be theUSA,e person. I made the assumption it was.

Definitely not, when he was active on the Forum he was a teenager.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Thanks for the correction. Ted Jackson was 1 year younger than me approx. So he would now be 65.

 

[The Ham]

I've factor that led me to step away for a time was COVID, in that I found a few things which I found useful during that time had negative connotations after the event (including radio programs).

Left it long enough and eased my way back in and it's no longer the issue that it was.

It may be unusual, but it's just what I had to do. It maybe that others have a similar experience.

 

[Strathclyder]

I'm a member of a few forums and it's normal for regulars to fade away over time. People get new jobs, retire, get into/out of relationships, lose interest and hundreds of other things over the years. Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don't. It's just the way things go.

Pretty much this.

I've had periods on here where I've gone months without posting, but have still logged in or just browsed 'invisibly' fairly regularly regardless. It's often tied to my level of interest and/or what's going on in my personal life. Just the way the tide turns.

Still, it's hard to believe I've been here for over a decade now, on and off. Scary if I think about it for too long...

It later transpired that @RichmondCommu didn't actually die; they made it up.

Their post claiming to have died was:

However they also claimed to have died previously:

RIP Richmond Ram - JA606 Article No. 244085

Hello everyone, Nine days a go our Dad Andrew died from a heart attack. Whilst our Dad wasn't a regular poster on this forum, and indeed when...

www.ja606.co.uk

(bold = my emphasis to show similarities)

This took a lot of investigating, and various other inconsistencies were found as a result.

Cor blimey, I must've been inactive when all that unraveled as I don't remember hearing/reading about it at all. From what little I remember seeing of him, he was a respectful, well-informed member. Takes all sorts I suppose.

 

[SteveP29]

Why would someone create a fake story and a fake death? My guess would be the enjoyment of having the power to be able to manipulate others into believing a big lie, perhaps.

I can imagine the appeal if it's to escape debt or financial obligation which they don't/ can't fulfil any more, but faking your death on a forum, it doesn't make sense

Kernowfarm

Wasn't it Kernowfem?
I was on another chat site with her, had no idea I'd run into her on here (not that we corresponded here) a year or 2 after I left the chat site

 

[Crossover]

Wonder what happened to:
@Ivo
@Ascot
@VTPreston_Tez

Ivo, at least, is very much fine - I have spoken with him from time to time on Facebook, most recently on our (same day) birthday back in March

In the event of a regular contributor passing away - for whatever reason - how would the Forum know? It's not exactly like a subscription organisation - such as the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line, of which I am a member - which, in most cases would be informed by friends or relatives and then publish a list of deceased members in their quarterly magazine.

It has happened in the past where they have been known by others on the forum and it has been posted. There are a couple that spring to mind, but I can’t remember one of the usernames. There are threads, possibly in forum announcements.

I'm one of those who seemingly disappeared. Like many I joined as a teenager, was very active for a while, life happened and I almost never post here any more. I still read the forums, it's a great source of info about the rail industry. My interest has over time drifted from all railways to heritage, and I've applied that interest and in my spare time I'm a head of department at an undisclosed heritage railway.

I'm glad to see many of those who were around when I was most active are still around and if anyone remembers me, I raise a glass to you!

I believe you were on the first forum meet I did, back in 2011. Don’t think our paths have crossed since then though

Wasn't it Kernowfem?
I was on another chat site with her, had no idea I'd run into her on here (not that we corresponded here) a year or 2 after I left the chat site

That was the name. I think she was in a relationship with another forum member? She was never a particularly active poster, from memory

Just like in life, people come and go, I guess. Life happens, you meet people, get married, have kids etc. careers and all.

Myself, I joined many years ago now as a teenager, mad about trains, mad about travelling, seemingly had all the time in the world, then as you grow up, you start your career and go on to do other things and what was once a strong interest, fades away.

I was very fortunate that I attended my first forum meet in 7 years just a few weeks back! It was great to see some of the old faces but also some new faces!

Of course, some people may also simply prefer to read the forums rather than post, so just ‘lurk’.

Can very much attest to this. Life just kind of takes over and that’s certainly been the case for me of late.

A few more members who I wonder about (some whom I have met/conversed with);

Tractakid
Table38
Kernowfarm
Sprinterman

Table38 I’m pretty sure has been on a rail tour since they ceased posting on here. I’ve not done one myself since before Covid though so I’ve not seen him lately