South Devon Railway vandalism and theft

[John Luxton]

THe SDR has suffered a vandal attack and theft at Buckfastleigh Station.

Details on Exeter Express & Echo web site also shown on BBC Spotlight tonight.

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....evon-railway/story-30085777-detail/story.html

Staff and volunteers at one of Devon’s most popular tourist attractions are still counting the cost after vandals broke in and smashed up lovingly restored railway carriages.

The South Devon Railway’s Buckfastleigh Station was targeted overnight by intruders who went on the rampage after forcing entry to the main booking office.

The culprits also broke into the historic train which was stabled in the platform, targeting the buffet car and forcing entry into the buffet area. A number of windows were also smashed in the coaches, one of which dates back to the 1930s.

Dick Wood, business development manager at the South Devon Railway Trust, said: “It’s all very sad for us, of course, as it not only costs time and money to carry out these unnecessary repairs, but also it distresses our dedicated staff and hard working volunteers, all of whom find it abhorrent .....

 

[Kite159]

Evil criminals

 

[Cowley]

There's some photos of them plus fingerprints and people know each other around there so hopefully someone will point the police in their direction.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Disgusting mindless vandalism. Lets hope the culprits are quickly caught. Sadly too many preserved railways are victims of this kind of behaviour.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Very sorry to hear this, hope the damage can be put right soon.

 

[John Luxton]

The SDR (as the Dart Valley Railway) was the first heritage line I ever visited. My parents took me there shortly after it was reopened by Dr Beeching.

I think a suitable punishment for these louts to show them the error of their ways would be to sentence them to a lengthy period of community service working on the railway in some menial task that keeps them well away from the general public!

 

[plarailfan]

All this vandalism makes me sick to the core - the Woodhead route inspection Drewry car suffered a serious fire incident recently at the Middleton Railway.
The yobs don't care, they don't understand history and heritage. to them it's only a train and the police and court system most likely won't realise how much had work has gone into keeping these museum pieces running in good order, so the criminals will pretty much just get away with it.
Replacement spare parts can be hard or impossible to find, meaning new ones might have to be made individually from scratch, diverting time and money away from other projects. No respect and disgraceful ! http://www.southleedslife.com/arson-attack-at-middleton-railway/

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The SDR (as the Dart Valley Railway) was the first heritage line I ever visited. My parents took me there shortly after it was reopened by Dr Beeching.

I think a suitable punishment for these louts to show them the error of their ways would be to sentence them to a lengthy period of community service working on the railway in some menial task that keeps them well away from the general public!

That sounds fair enough, if they catch them that is. I think some vandals on the Singapore MTR had quite a severe time a year or so ago.

 

[Cowley]

That sounds fair enough, if they catch them that is. I think some vandals on the Singapore MTR had quite a severe time a year or so ago.

Dare I ask what the punishment was?

 

[headshot119]

Dare I ask what the punishment was?

At least one case I know of in November 2014 resulted in a sentence of 9 months in prison, and and three strokes of the cane.

 

[Cowley]

At least one case I know of in November 2014 resulted in a sentence of 9 months in prison, and and three strokes of the cane.

Ouch. They don't mess about over there.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

At least one case I know of in November 2014 resulted in a sentence of 9 months in prison, and and three strokes of the cane.

Yes, I think that was mentioned in the International section of this forum a couple of years ago. They are quite strict over there.