Train society humbled by kindness
Popular steam trains damaged when vandals sprayed them with fire extinguishers have been repaired by good old community kindness.
Feilding and District Steam Rail Society’s yard on Gladstone Rd was broken into in October when vandals severed a barbed wire fence and emptied six fire extinguishers through four carriages and its 1880 Dubs and Co locomotive.
The not-for-profit society maintains heritage railway equipment and runs excursions, but relies heavily on passionate volunteers.
Chairman Rod Bertram was humbled by the community’s response following the break-in, with the society receiving three donations of $100.
Several emails of support were also sent from Feilding retailers and a Palmerston North commercial cleaning company, Clear View Property Care, offered to clean the carriages at cost price.
Bertram had at first struggled to find a company willing to clean the mess, with one agreeing to but not turning up, and another refusing.
‘‘We were quite humbled by the whole thing really.
‘‘We’re still out quite a bit, but
‘‘We were quite humbled by the whole thing really.’’ Rod Bertram
if it wasn’t for these people it could have been worse.
‘‘They [vandals] turned up with bolt cutters and they were there with a purpose.’’
The society held its first excursion since the break-in at the weekend, when it transported 500 punters to Woodville for the Mad Hatter’s Day Fair. Its next is scheduled on December 9, when a locomotive will leave Palmerston North bound for Feilding’s Christmas Parade.
Although Bertram appreciated the community’s support, he said the damage should never have been inflicted.
The society’s yard is surrounded by an eight-foot barbed wire fence, with electric wiring on top, making the October 26 break-in a premeditated attack.
The society is required by law to carry the extinguishers in all its locomotives.
A two-way radio was also stolen and another radio was pulled out of one of the locomotives.