Vandals return to cause damage at Downpatrick railway complex

Vandals return to cause damage at Downpatrick railway complex

4 April 2012

VANDALS have targeted two vehicles belonging to the Downpatrick and Co. Down Railway.

A number of windows in the specialised vehicles designed to lay tracks were targeted some time last Saturday.

The vehicles had been moved

from the railway’s Lower

Market Street base and parked a short distance from the station to allow work to be carried out on new track works to connect the new Carriage Gallery to existing railway lines.

Volunteers with the heritage railway are concerned that it has been targeted again and have described the weekend incident as a “deliberate pre-mediated attempt to cause damage.”

They say no stones were found inside the damaged vehicles which leads them to believe that a hammer or some other heavy tool was used to smash the windows.

The Downpatrick railway suffered from repeated vandal attacks a number of years ago, but officials say these had dissipated following the introduction of improved security measures.

Railway officials have issued an appeal for information following the weekend attack and are keen to hear from anyone who may have spotted people acting suspiciously in the area.

Anyone who believes they can help is asked to contact local police or use the confidential Crimestoppers number 0800 555111.