Bo'ness ‘O’ Gauge model railway horror

Our 30 year old ‘O’ Gauge model railway at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway will unfortunately be closed this Diesel Gala weekend subject to vandalism and fire raising during the early hours of Sunday morning. Currently two Norwegian railway carriages used for the display of the ‘O’ Gauge model railway Norges Statsbane Bogie Open Saloon No.791 Built NSB, Strommens Verksted 1923, and Norges Statsbane Bogie Open Saloon No.663 NSB, Strommens Verksted 1937 both in Teak finish acquired in 1983 .
The damage is extensive in one of our coaches where our models, publications and maintenance equipment is stored. The public exhibition coach, well known to many, has severe smoke damage and will need refurbished before opening again.
However, perhaps more importantly, on our 30th Anniversary year, the hundreds of hours of members, many of whom are long retired, cannot be recovered. Most of our model railway is hand made from scratch and it is deeply saddening to see how the pointless theft and vandalism by two individuals can destroy what brings joy to so many of thousands of our visitors every year.
Weʼre raising £15,000 to restore the Bo'ness model railway after vandalism and fire. We thank you for all your donations
www.justgiving....

[@shedhead00]

I read this morning that two males have been arrested and charged both aged 32 , Grown men unbelievable.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thanks for your comment Indeed they must be very sad people

[@ronnielees547]

Name and Shame them

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Ronnie thank you for your comment 👍

[@kenstevens5065]

Vandals continue to exist because as we will most probably see in this case like most others the punishment of these individuals will NOT fit the crime.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Ken thank you for your comment 👍

[@trainman86trainstramsandmore]

Vandals are some of the most sad individuals to exist. Why they target heritage railways is just sick. Lots of hard work and efforts goes into trains to keep them going and vandals just come and either spray paint the paintwork or just rob metal. Sad, sad life. In this case it is your model railway but it is still something that has had a lot of effort put into it and I am sorry to see it like this

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you for your comments👍

[@TheSamGrahamShow]

As a volunteer at Bo’Ness, it is absolutely gutting to see this, disgraceful behavior

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you for your comment👍

[@michaelhibbert4393]

The court should make the 2 men what set fire to the exhibit pay £10,000 each for compensation to cover costs

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Michael thank you for your comment 👍

[@Jonny60009]

They caught the two scumbags that did it, but knowing the courts they’ll get a slap on the wrist at most.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thanks for your comment 👍

[@philipalldred333]

Bloody shame why is it that so few individuals damage a great enjoyment for many

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Philip thank you for your comment

[@gs425]

If we had proper justice, they should be punished in the usual way.. AND have to pay for the cost of damage caused AND have to put the man hours into cleaning and repairing the coaches at the very least. Thanks for the tour of the workshops though, very interesting

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you for your comments 👍

[@Phil-oj5nr]

Sorry to hear of the damage. Hope you get to restore what was lost. PICTON, S. Island, New Zealand.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Phil thank you so much for your comment 👍

[@kenattwood8060]

Heart breaking news, Bo'ness Railway has my sympathy... Well the two pathetic individuals have been caught.... No doubt the magistrates will sentence them not to do it again and then let them go!

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Ken thank you so much for your comments 👍

[@Darth_Chicken]

Vandals broke into a carriage on our local NYMR (North Yorkshire Moors Railway) some time ago. They drank all the beer in the bar then smashed it all up 'because they were bored'. Father of one dragged his son down to the police station. Now all restored but so sad that people can behave like this. Donation made.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thanks for your comments so take care

[@johnUB4478]

I hope the two individuals are made to help rebuild what they destroyed.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

John thanks for your comment 👍

[@geordieceltic2]

Really sorry to hear what has happened. I hope you all can come back from this and rebuild. Best wishes to you all.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Georgie thank you for your comment👍

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

sorry to hear about the railway. caroline

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Caroline thanks for your comment👍

[@johnjephcote7636]

I am used to having my 4mm and 1/16 scale trains and trams (respectively) nearly all scratch built since the 1960s, described by my grown-up family as 'toy trains' but what goes in the mind of those who 'for a laugh/kicks' just trash others' hard work/labours of love/ artistry/even carriage restoration...Is betond my power of comprehension.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

John thank you so much for your comments 👍

[@MRPUD1]

I'm so sorry to hear that some mindless people have caused so much damage it's unreal . The problem we face in the Heritage Rail sector is that crimes committed against our Railways seem to be not important enough . Fines are rarely given out there's no compensation for the damage done . Or all the time put in to create a wonderful bits of history . We at the DVLR York hope you find out who has committed this crime

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you so much for your comments 👍

[@bahoonies]

That is absolutely heartbreaking. I have loved heritage rail and electric trains since I was a boy back in the 1950s. Devastating to see all that work and labour of love destroyed by vandals. You can't recover what was lost but you will build back again and decent people will once again have the opportunityto enjoy something really special. Already I can see from your fundraiser how much goodwill and support you have. This will NOT defeat you. My very best wishes.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you so much for your comments👍

[@ste6787]

Thay should pay for the damage thay done, faces in and on the net name and shame them, words fail me, keep up the good work.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you for your comment 👍

[@carlmitchell9958]

What goes around comes around, they’ll always know what they’ve done and live to regret it.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Carl thank you for your comment 👍

[@adaml.8781]

How do we donate? Is there a link I'm missing?

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Adam I donated this morning at a stall outside their 'O' Gauge model railway but you can donate :- here www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bonessgaugeogroup-modelrailway.

[@David-er7eg]

What s wrong with people, senseless destruction.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

David thank you for your comment 👍

[@tacfoley4443]

I model railways in Gauge 1, 1/29th, 12/22.5, 1/20.3, and 16mm, much of it live steam. If it can run on 45mm gauge track, then I run it and often build it from scratch. I can fully appreciate the time and effort that went into your famous model, and can only offer my sympathy - and a donation - to spur you on to replacing it in full. Don't let these mindless POS win - if you found them on fire they are not worth peeing on to put them out.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you so much for comments 👍

[@Reidy82]

Man babies. Its always sad to hear of vandalism on the railway. Especially when its the time and dedication of others wasted. I'm building a little snippet of Bo'ness railway at the moment for my dad in 00.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you so much for your comments and good luck with building your little snippet of Bo'ness railway for your dad 👍

[@Shuttlefield]

This is tremendously sad to hear of. My brother and his wife volunteer on the railway and on the tours. Heartbreaking as you say for all the hours of painstaking work by dedicated modellers - bringing pleasure to so many and trashed in a moment by heartless and selfish brain-dead individuals.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Many thanks for your kind comments 👍

[@J53380]

Unfortunately justice will not be served as you all know, I left the UK 20 years ago and have never regretted it.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you so much for your comments 👍

[@charlesemerson6763]

That is just totally pointless. Well I hope they get locked but I suppose like down here the police catch them and the courts give them a slap on wrist and send them on there way.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Charles thank you for your comments 👍

[@kevinwilliams1602]

Such a shame I cannot conceive of why they'd want to do that apart from inferiority and jealousy

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Kevin thank you so much for your comment 👍

[@triodehexode]

Best wishes to the Railway. Deprive those that caused the incident of their prized posetions if the have any.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you so much for your comment 👍

[@mickd6942]

Did the two men start the fire to cover up theft of models

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you for your comment who knows what was in their stupid heads

[@v8pilot]

Was the model railway insured?

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Yes I think so thank you for your comment 👍

[@David-er7eg]

Good that they caught them 👍👍

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thanks for your comment 👍

[@jeffreysmith156]

Mindless.

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Jeffery thank you for your comment 👍

[@logicalaction]

I smell a 'psyop rat' ..

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thanks for your comment 👍

[@Trainskitsetc]

I'd like to know more about these two guys backgrounds before judging them too harshly if they are found to have done it. Innocent until found guilty n all that. I know from personal experience living in the region just how chaotic and desparate some peoples lives can be and how much substance abuse there is under the hood of these seemingly quiet towns, not to say what they may have done isn't bad and hasn't hurt others financially or emotionally but it is perhaps a chance to learn things and intergrate the railway more with the whole community to try and avoid things like this in the future. People don't damage things they respect, a really simple solution is to breed a respect between the whole community and the railway. * dodges barage of bricks and glass bottles for being woke or something *

[@ecksfilesbonyuk8]

Thank you for your comments 👍