Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway

Volunteers have expressed their upset after vandals struck at Polegate Miniature Railway.
Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104102001Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104102001
Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104102001

The station clock has been destroyed and the kiosk, originally from Polegate station, had had its window ripped out and smashed.

Some of the items inside the kiosk had been pulled out and smashed too, or thrown in bushes.

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“It’s upsetting,” said Derek Wait, vice chairman of the Polegate and District Model Engineering Club, “especially as the kiosk was donated to us and has some significance to Polegate because it lived on the man platform for many years.

Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104052001Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104052001
Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104052001

“Fortunately there was no damage to the railway itself. What’s happened today goodness only knows.”

He said the railway has been having problems over the spring.

“They use the seats on the platform and the picnic benches when we are not there, which we don’t mind provided they don’t do any damage. But they started leaving lots of litter behind.”

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Then Thursday morning (May 23), they discovered the site had been attacked by vandals.

Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104042001Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104042001
Vandals strike at Polegate Miniature Railway SUS-190524-104042001

Polegate Miniature Railway posted on its Facebook page, “Some sad news, vandals have smashed our ticket booth window at some time between Sunday night and Thursday morning.

“Once they had smashed and pulled the window out they proceeded to throw the contents around the site and adjoining playing field (most of the contents have been recovered and we have made it safe by having the window boarded over) Unfortunately, the station clock was not that lucky.

“We are very saddened that this has happened to us we have been on this site for over 20 years with only 1 other major act of vandalism. If anyone has any information we would be very grateful.”

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But Derek said some positive news has come out of the incident. He said, “The response we have had has been unbelievable. Two local glazing companies have offered to repair the kiosk for us.”

A Justgiving page has been set up to raise money for the repairs. You can find it here

If you have any information contact police on 101.