Christmas Vandals Attack 'Hornby Halt'.
- Tue 11th Dec 2007
The volunteer train crew of the Hayling Seaside Railway’s first ‘Santa Special’ train on Saturday 8 December, were shocked to discover that their intermediate station ‘Hornby Halt’, had suffered an unwanted visit from the ‘boot fairy’.
Named following sponsorship by the model train company, who’s products will fill the stockings of youngsters of all ages this Christmas, the station at the sea front end of Mengham’s Sea Grove Avenue had been heavily vandalised.
Staff who had freely given their spare time to take excited children to see Father Christmas, were horrified to find traditional railway pattern wooden fences wantonly torn down and smashed, and a notice board frequently used to promote both railway and local community events wrenched from its mountings.
While on the platform itself heavy wooden plant pots, created and lovingly cared for by a local Hayling resident, had been heaved onto the narrow gauge track and ruined.
Quick work by members of the supporting East Hayling Light Railway Society however, ensured there was little disruption to train services. While weather permitting work to repair the damage, will begin on the next of the line’s winter ‘maintenance days’, scheduled for every Tuesday and Thursday.
Undeterred by the weekend’s setbacks, Santa Specials will continue to run on selected days up to Christmas, and can be booked by either phoning 07709 651903, or by visiting the Terra Cotta Pot Shop at Eastoke Corner. While the railway’s regular services will continue to run every Saturday, Sunday and Market Day Wednesday, throughout the winter.
This latest vandal attack, the worst in the four and a half years the Hayling Seaside Railway has been operating, was reported directly to the Police. So anyone who saw anything suspicious in the vicinity of the line, on the nights of Thursday 6 or Friday 7 December, are asked to call them at Hayling Island Police Station on 0845 045 4545.
ROOTER.
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