Back on the rails! Model railway display smashed up by gang of vodka-fuelled young thugs in £30,000 wrecking spree is rebuilt and ready to go on show again with the help of Rod Stewart

  • Youths caused £30,000 of damage and smashed up hand-built locomotives
  • The boys destroyed displays including one which had taken 36 years to build
  • Market Deeping Model Railway Club thanked people for £107,000 of donations
  • The display is now due to go on show at the NEC in Birmingham later this week

A model railway that was smashed up by a gang of vodka-fuelled young thugs in a £30,000 wrecking spree has been rebuilt as is ready to go on show again with the help of Rod Stewart.

The Market Deeping Model Railway Club display was damaged by the vandals after they broke into the school where its annual show was taking place, and trashed the sets.

The shocking rampage at the Stamford Welland Academy sports hall in the early hours of May 18 left members of the club in tears.

Following the attack in the historic Lincolnshire town, more than £107,000, including a £10,000 donation from model rail enthusiast Sir Rod Stewart, was raised through a crowdfunding appeal to repair the exhibitions.

Exhibits worth tens of thousands of pounds were destroyed after vandals broke into the school in Lincolnshire and smashed up models belonging to Market Deeping Model Railway Club

Exhibits worth tens of thousands of pounds were destroyed after vandals broke into the school in Lincolnshire and smashed up models belonging to Market Deeping Model Railway Club

Members of the Market Deeping Model Railway Club rebuilding their railway models. Pictured left to right: Peter Davies, Chairman, Colin Broom, Bill Sowerby and Mick Quinn

Members of the Market Deeping Model Railway Club rebuilding their railway models, pictured left to right, Peter Davies, Chairman, Colin Broom, Bill Sowerby and Mick Quinn

Four youths were arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage and have since been released on conditional bail. Above: A destroyed model lies on the floor of the school hall

Four youths were arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage and have since been released on conditional bail. Above: A destroyed model lies on the floor of the school hall

Editor of Railway Modeller Steve Flint (left) presenting Sir Rod Stewart with a model wagon gift after his model railway that has been 26 years in the making has finally been unveiled. The musician donated £10,000 to a crowdfunding appeal to repair the exhibitions damaged earlier this year

Editor of Railway Modeller Steve Flint (left) presenting Sir Rod Stewart with a model wagon gift after his model railway that has been 26 years in the making has finally been unveiled. The musician donated £10,000 to a crowdfunding appeal to repair the exhibitions damaged earlier this year

The trail of destruction left railway enthusiasts distraught. The club was blown away by a flood of donations on a Just Giving website

The trail of destruction left railway enthusiasts distraught. The club was blown away by a flood of donations on a Just Giving website

Earlier this year four 16-year-old boys admitted damaging the display after drinking a bottle of vodka on a 'pre-exam night rampage' but were told to pay just £500 each in compensation at Lincoln Youth Court - and the bill had to be met by their parents.

But in brilliant news for model train enthusiasts the display is now due to go on show at the NEC in Birmingham later this week.

The unprovoked attack appalled the tight-knit community after displays were broken beyond repair, locomotives smashed and tracks thrown to the floor.

At the time the 74-year-old musician Sir Rod said: 'I was absolutely devastated to hear that vandals had destroyed what was to be a lovely show by the Market Deeping Model Railway Club over the weekend.

'The collection was priceless and I am donating £10,000 to help compensate those affected and asking fellow enthusiasts Jools Holland, Roger Daltrey and others to do the same. It took me 23 years to build my model railway so I feel their pain.'

At the time, club president Colin Brown, 85, called Sir Rod's gesture 'amazing' and praised the model train 'fraternity' for being so tight-knit.

Many of the model railway enthusiasts were heartbroken after the attack, as many lost their life's work.

Model railway enthusiast Sir Rod Stewart, pictured with a huge set from his Beverley Hills home, donated £10,000 to Market Deeping Model Railway Club

Model railway enthusiast Sir Rod Stewart, pictured with a huge set from his Beverley Hills home, donated £10,000 to Market Deeping Model Railway Club

This picture shows the scale of the damage, with flipped tables, chairs and destroyed equipment

This picture shows the scale of the damage, with flipped tables, chairs and destroyed equipment

Members of the Lincolnshire-based club were left devastated after the destruction led to the cancellation of the model railway event at Stamford Welland Academy

Members of the Lincolnshire-based club were left devastated after the destruction led to the cancellation of the model railway event at Stamford Welland Academy

Pictured is Paul Andrews from P & D Marsh Model Railway club who had brought his own models to the exhibition only to see them destroyed

Pictured is Paul Andrews from P & D Marsh Model Railway club who had brought his own models to the exhibition only to see them destroyed

Speaking at the time, DJ Pete Waterman, told MailOnline:  I'm just speechless. It's a lifetime of work. I know one guy who had one engine there worth £5,500, and he has lost five engines in total. The reason they are so valuable is they take so long to build, and if you give someone £5,000 again now, they wouldn't build it again.

'If I had walked in and seen that, that would have been me finished. I would have got into my car and said 'enough'. 

'This is a hobby that has got me through some terrible times. The pleasure of it is building something and seeing it work, as well as the social side of it.'

He added: 'I've no idea what makes four young kids break into a school and do this. We've had some ideas about forming working parties and going down there [to Market Deeping] and helping them rebuild. 

'But a lot of these guys have had their hearts broken. It's like when a child has a favourite toy and you come along and stamp on it.

'This is just out of the norm. I've been doing shows for 40 years and I can probably name the amount of times something has even been pinched from a show because it's happened so few times.'

Paul Andrews, 58, owner of P&D Marsh model railway suppliers, who lives in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, estimates the vandals caused more than £20,000 worth of damage to the model railway gear he sells as a business.

Mr Andrews had model railway sets as early as he can remember as a child, and began making them himself when his oldest child Louis, now 35, was interested in Thomas The Tank Engine

Mr Andrews had model railway sets as early as he can remember as a child, and began making them himself when his oldest child Louis, now 35, was interested in Thomas The Tank Engine

Mr Andrews said the destruction was 'mindless'. 'It's depressing. It's frustrating someone has destroyed a big chunk of my business,' he added

Mr Andrews said the destruction was 'mindless'. 'It's depressing. It's frustrating someone has destroyed a big chunk of my business,' he added

The models which Mr Andrews constructed were painstakingly constructed over hundreds of hours but were smashed to pieces in just a few minutes

The models which Mr Andrews constructed were painstakingly constructed over hundreds of hours but were smashed to pieces in just a few minutes

Thousands of pounds of model railway exhibits were destroyed in an act of 'destruction'

Thousands of pounds of model railway exhibits were destroyed in an act of 'destruction'

The vandals smashed more than 500 or Mr Andrews' 600 display items, featuring trains and train set accessories such as cars, animals, people and telegraph poles.

'I make trains and things like cars, animals, people and telegraph poles,' he said.

'About 90 per cent of these are smashed beyond replacement.

'It might take me two hours to replace each one, so at least 1,000 hours of my time.

'If I value my time at £20 an hour, it's £20,000 of my time.

'I have to buy the materials as well.

'If they had just come in and stole a few pieces, then you can deal with it.

'But t's just mindless. It's depressing. It's frustrating someone has destroyed a big chunk of my business,' he added.

The gang of schoolboys appeared in court in August this year and were told to pay the club £500 compensation each, plus £85 prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The financial penalties were ordered to be paid by their parents because none of the boys had any income.

Peter Davis (left) and Bill Sowerby from Market Deeping Model Railway Club lost years of work in the raid at Stamford Welland Academy in Stamford

Peter Davis (left) and Bill Sowerby from Market Deeping Model Railway Club lost years of work in the raid at Stamford Welland Academy in Stamford

Thousands of pounds worth of model railway exhibits have been destroyed in an act of "total wanton destruction"

Thousands of pounds worth of model railway exhibits have been destroyed in an act of 'total wanton destruction'

Some of the models and equipment had been thrown through the basketball hoops in the hall, and an electrical cable had was left hanging from one of the beams in the roof. Above: Colin Brown holds one of his damaged models

Some of the models and equipment had been thrown through the basketball hoops in the hall, and an electrical cable had was left hanging from one of the beams in the roof. Above: Colin Brown holds one of his damaged models

Sentencing, chair of the bench John Lock said the compensation was a gesture and told them: 'The hurt can never be compensated for.'

He added: 'In more than 20 years on the bench I cannot recall a case such as this of mindless, wanton destruction. It beggars belief.

'In the dead of night when people are in their beds in the main you were out playing football. You came across the displays and models. It is quite extraordinary.

'Not just content with kicking the ball into them you then went on the rampage.'

Shelley Wilson, prosecuting, said the four teenagers, none of whom had any previous court convictions, kicked the doors open to the sports hall in the early hours of the morning.

They went on to trash the displays set out for Market Deeping Model Railway Club's annual exhibition which was due to open just a few hours later.

Ms Wilson said that an intruder alarm went off at 4am resulting in the school caretaker and police being called out.

Officers who initially arrived at the scene found the sports hall lights on and saw people inside, so a police dog team was called out before officers went inside and discovered a scene of devastation.

The youths were eventually found in the school toilets and arrested. The displays were smashed - many totally beyond repair.

'Mindless morons smashed up my life's work': Paul Andrews, 58, says vandals caused £20,000 worth of damage to the model railway gear he sells as a business

Paul Andrews, 58, owner of P&D Marsh model railway suppliers, who lives in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, estimates the vandals caused more than £20,000 worth of damage to the model railway gear he sells as a business

Paul Andrews, 58, owner of P&D Marsh model railway suppliers, who lives in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, estimates the vandals caused more than £20,000 worth of damage to the model railway gear he sells as a business

Paul Andrews, 58, owner of P&D Marsh model railway suppliers, who lives in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, estimates the vandals caused more than £20,000 worth of damage to the model railway gear he sells as a business.

The vandals smashed more than 500 or Mr Andrews' 600 display items, featuring trains and train set accessories such as cars, animals, people and telegraph poles.

Mr Andrews had model railway sets as early as he can remember as a child, and began making them himself when his oldest child Louis, now 35, was interested in Thomas The Tank Engine.

He took over P&D Marsh around the same time.

M Andrews, who has five grown-up children, said: 'This weekend has shown me both sides of humanity.

'There were the mindless morons who smashed up some people's life work.

'But since then there has been a groundswell of people ringing and wishing me luck.

'You see the best and worst of people.

'I lost things which will physically need replacing.

'My metal stand I use to sell models from was smashed which was worth £300 or £400.

'I have got a card machine which needs replacing which cost £250.

'I have been doing this for about 25 years and have built up 500 to 600 display models to show customers what each individual item they can buy looks like.

'There is an example of each model. I make trains and things like cars, animals, people and telegraph poles.

'About 90 per cent of these are smashed beyond replacement.

'It might take me two hours to replace each one, so at least 1,000 hours of my time.

Mr Andrews said about 90 per cent of the models he makes for customers, such as cars, trains, animals, people and telegraph poles, are 'smashed beyond replacement'

Mr Andrews said about 90 per cent of the models he makes for customers, such as cars, trains, animals, people and telegraph poles, are 'smashed beyond replacement' 

'If I value my time at £20 an hour, it's £20,000 of my time.

'I have to buy the materials as well.

'If they had just come in and stole a few pieces, then you can deal with it.

'But it's just mindless. It's depressing. It's frustrating someone has destroyed a big chunk of my business,' he added.  

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