Vandals Strike West Somerset Railway

Vandals sadly struck the West Somerset Railway (WSR) last Monday evening (29th April) at around 9.00pm with an attack on a railway coach stabled overnight at Bishops Lydeard in sidings.

The damage caused to the coach was mainly broken glass with three large carriage windows and two droplight windows in doors being smashed in the attack which is estimated will cost £1,000 to replace and repair.

A kind member of the public contacted the WSR about the damage, and General Manager Paul Conibeare attended the scene and informed the Police.

Although the Police did not attend the incident, it has been logged with the following Crime number 5219 093628, and anyone with any information about the attack is asked to please call them on 101.

The coach has now been moved to Minehead for repairs in the workshops there which will hopefully take just a few days to complete if replacement glass is in stock.

WSR General Manager Paul Conibeare said: "This sad, senseless and costly attack on us is bad news, especially coming at a time when we are all working so hard to build the railway back up again.

“Suffering £1,000 worth of damage represents a big loss to us at any time, but I'd like to thank the member of the local Bishops Lydeard community who called the railway on the night and reported it to us.

"Mindless vandalism obviously hurts the railway, but we are determined to keep the WSR running and so providing

a major tourist attraction in Somerset."