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Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
Mon May 20, 2019, 08:10 AM May 2019

Model railway lovers devastated as vandals smash years of work

Vandals have smashed up a model railway show, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and leaving exhibitors “devastated and distraught”.

Members of Market Deeping Model Railway club were forced to cancel their annual exhibition at Welland academy in Stamford, Lincolnshire, after the break-in and rampage in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The club’s chairman, Peter Davies, 70, told BBC News that the exhibits, including a locomotive unit worth around £8,500, had been smashed, thrown around and stamped on.

Four youths who were arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage have since been released on conditional bail pending further inquiries.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/may/19/model-railway-lovers-devastated-vandals-lincolnshire?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Now in the big picture of our world's many issues, this is small potatoes but as a hobbyist who does similar work building terrain and models for tabletop gaming I just find this Damn Sad.

35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Model railway lovers devastated as vandals smash years of work (Original Post) Sherman A1 May 2019 OP
I hope the youths are Dirty Socialist May 2019 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author MBS May 2019 #8
Needless and mindless violence: are we sure these weren't some fellow Americans? marble falls May 2019 #2
Americans? Really? wolfie001 May 2019 #10
Yes, no such thing as British hooligans, right? lol nt EX500rider May 2019 #24
I saw this in my Mediocre Modelers group on FB. bluedigger May 2019 #3
My kids loved going to the local model railroad club mcar May 2019 #4
I love model trains. This is horrible. leftyladyfrommo May 2019 #5
My husband was into this for a while Ohiogal May 2019 #6
Disgusting. I'm not into modeling, but i know HOURS & HOURS are spent by the enthusiasts. oldsoftie May 2019 #7
extra painful MBS May 2019 #9
I can feel the pain of those who worked on those models. honest.abe May 2019 #11
It's more than a hobby - it's art ThoughtCriminal May 2019 #12
Precisely it is indeed art Sherman A1 May 2019 #20
Thank you! VOX May 2019 #22
You got some kind of blog or website with your work? Blue_Tires May 2019 #30
No, sorry, not just yet... VOX May 2019 #34
Mindless violence is on the upswing world wide... Wounded Bear May 2019 #13
It definitely feels like it Blue_Tires May 2019 #32
How horrifying! MineralMan May 2019 #14
No amount of money can compensate for the modeler's time OnlinePoker May 2019 #15
What an absolute shame. softydog88 May 2019 #16
Sir Rod Stewart donates 10,000 to vandalised model railway club OxQQme May 2019 #17
That was an incredibly kind thing for him to do Sherman A1 May 2019 #21
Apparently this is a huge passion of Rod Stewart's. LisaM May 2019 #26
Holy damn... Blue_Tires May 2019 #31
Yes. Yes you did. Great video!! nt blaze May 2019 #33
He has a fantastic layout sarisataka May 2019 #35
It's sad, and even more, outrageous lillypaddle May 2019 #18
This is just wanton and depraved destruction lunatica May 2019 #19
People (males especially) can be incredibly vile. VOX May 2019 #23
I would love to see the little bastards get caned. MicaelS May 2019 #25
sad Demovictory9 May 2019 #27
When you consider some of the enthusiasts are retirees ... lpbk2713 May 2019 #28
Ya man, why is it so damn hard to just leave other motherfuckers ALONE? Volaris May 2019 #29

Response to Dirty Socialist (Reply #1)

bluedigger

(17,077 posts)
3. I saw this in my Mediocre Modelers group on FB.
Mon May 20, 2019, 08:31 AM
May 2019

People were irate, to put it mildly.

The group name is a a bit of a misnomer, as the talent range is quite remarkable. I just got back into the hobby after a 40 year layoff myself. All subjects are welcome, but to be honest, the train people do their own thing mostly. Stop by and check us out!

mcar

(42,206 posts)
4. My kids loved going to the local model railroad club
Mon May 20, 2019, 08:35 AM
May 2019

on Saturday mornings. The intricacy and detail of the models were amazing.

Ohiogal

(31,657 posts)
6. My husband was into this for a while
Mon May 20, 2019, 09:07 AM
May 2019

when our kids were small, and we went to quite a few model train shows and swap meets. The time, craftsmanship,detail, and love of the hobby these train hobbyists display is unlike anything else. They must be completely devastated that years of painstaking work and valuable model trains were destroyed. Sad, indeed. I hope the vandals are jailed and ordered to pay restitution at the very least.

oldsoftie

(12,410 posts)
7. Disgusting. I'm not into modeling, but i know HOURS & HOURS are spent by the enthusiasts.
Mon May 20, 2019, 09:11 AM
May 2019

Find those responsible & prosecute them.

MBS

(9,688 posts)
9. extra painful
Mon May 20, 2019, 09:17 AM
May 2019

because these projects represent years of committed, loving, and (mostly) uncompensated devotion. It's as much an attack against human kindness and goodness as it is against the projects themselves. Fits all too well with the nihilistic, destructive mood and lack of empathy that's been distressingly common everywhere these days.

honest.abe

(8,556 posts)
11. I can feel the pain of those who worked on those models.
Mon May 20, 2019, 09:32 AM
May 2019

I have done some model boat work and I know the amount of effort that goes into something like this and the love of the work once completed. It would be devastating if one of my boat models were destroyed by someone just for kicks.

Absolutely sickening.

VOX

(22,976 posts)
22. Thank you!
Mon May 20, 2019, 11:31 AM
May 2019

My passion for military miniatures (inflationary language for “toy soldiers”) is NOT a hobby. The time and energy (not to mention $$$$) invested in creating intricately detailed dioramas is WAY more than a pastime. And I often apply my art-school training in my efforts.

When I hear the term “hobby,” it conjures up images of Elmer’s Glue, glitter, yarn, construction paper, and Christmas-tree skirts. Not that such craft-y things aren’t worthwhile.

VOX

(22,976 posts)
34. No, sorry, not just yet...
Mon May 20, 2019, 07:40 PM
May 2019

But I’m considering it. Most of my projects are still works-in-progress. My specific interests are:
-WWI ANZACs (Lighthorse, Mounted Rifles, Gallipoli troops, etc.) and the war in the desert (T.E. Lawrence, et al).
-India’s Delhi Durbar, an all-stops-out ceremony organized by the British government to celebrate Edward the VII as Emperor of India. The big shebang highlighted the (supposed) glory of the monarchy. Colonial Indian troops, British mucky-mucks, colorful elephants, and so on.
-WWII Operation Market Garden, the Singapore Surrender (I have a thing for spectacular failures), and the British Eighth Army, which includes Aussies, Sikhs, Scots and early SAS.
-American Civil War, focused on Zouaves and their fantastic uniforms.

In writing this out, I realized I’ve bitten off much more than I can possibly chew! But bit by bit, it’ll all come together. Ironically, miniature depictions of yesterday’s warfare offer an ideal escape from the today’s insanity.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
14. How horrifying!
Mon May 20, 2019, 10:14 AM
May 2019

The "four youths" who were arrested, if juveniles, will probably not receive punishments adequate enough to make others think before committing such senseless vandalism.

I don't know the laws in the UK regarding parental responsibility for damage caused by their offspring. In a just world, the parents would be held financially responsible for the damage.

OnlinePoker

(5,702 posts)
15. No amount of money can compensate for the modeler's time
Mon May 20, 2019, 10:32 AM
May 2019

As it said in the article, one man spent 25 years on his display. That's a third of an average life.

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
21. That was an incredibly kind thing for him to do
Mon May 20, 2019, 11:18 AM
May 2019

while the work on these pieces cannot be replaced, hopefully the outpouring of support will ease the pain of those victimized by this senseless act.

LisaM

(27,758 posts)
26. Apparently this is a huge passion of Rod Stewart's.
Mon May 20, 2019, 01:49 PM
May 2019

I was reading about in in some interview a few years ago.

My grandfather mildly collected N Gauge model trains for a few years, and I well remember the fun we had picking out birthday and Christmas presents for him when we were little. It's an honest pastime, which I imagine has huge mental health benefits along with everything else.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
31. Holy damn...
Mon May 20, 2019, 05:12 PM
May 2019

Did I just see a Red Light District, complete with nude girlie and a murder scene in that "city"?

lillypaddle

(9,580 posts)
18. It's sad, and even more, outrageous
Mon May 20, 2019, 10:56 AM
May 2019

People's hearts and souls went into that work and these asshole kids have taken the joy and shit on it. Crude, but it's the truth.

I have no doubt that these fuckers also have no respect for human or animal life.


lunatica

(53,410 posts)
19. This is just wanton and depraved destruction
Mon May 20, 2019, 11:15 AM
May 2019

And it’s probably just for the fun of it. A gang of societal rejects destroying something just because they can. Maybe someone told them not to touch the trains earlier so they got even.

That’s the first thing I thought. What else could it be?

VOX

(22,976 posts)
23. People (males especially) can be incredibly vile.
Mon May 20, 2019, 11:39 AM
May 2019

Wanton destruction of something that brings pleasure is unforgivable.

MicaelS

(8,747 posts)
25. I would love to see the little bastards get caned.
Mon May 20, 2019, 01:36 PM
May 2019

Just like in Singapore. And I am not joking in the slightest.

lpbk2713

(42,696 posts)
28. When you consider some of the enthusiasts are retirees ...
Mon May 20, 2019, 02:57 PM
May 2019



they may not be around when things are back in relatively good shape
considering the hours that would be expended on something like this.

The punks caused more damage than they have the capacity to realize.

Volaris

(10,260 posts)
29. Ya man, why is it so damn hard to just leave other motherfuckers ALONE?
Mon May 20, 2019, 04:42 PM
May 2019

WHY you wanna go and do something like this for?
You mad cause you DONT HAVE a hobby ?
Smdh yeah I hope these kids at least get fined for the total amount of damages...they all get half a paycheck for 10 years , that's probably a better lesson than jail imho...

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