The Severn Valley Railway's Eardington station was subject to a raid and theft last week (15th April 2024).
Intruders had forced the door of the station's lamp room, with the thieves taking rare railway lamps and other items of railwayana.
Up to a dozen lamps were taken, a cast iron door sign, brass oil cans, a milk churn and an enamelled advertising sign along with a toolbox of spare parts that have been accumulated over the last 20 years.
Eardington reopened to passenger trains for the first time in 40 years last year. The ‘hidden gem' of the SVR is also the UK's only exclusively oil-powered railway station.
Just a few days earlier, Hampton Loade was also subject to a theft in which cast-iron signage was taken.
Anyone with any information can contact West Mercia Police or Steve Downs by email.
“Up to a dozen lamps have gone. Then there's the cast iron door sign, some polished brass oil cans, a milk churn and an enameled advertising sign.”
For Phil personally, the worst loss of all is the theft of his toolbox.
“This had something like 20 years' worth of accumulated spare parts, and special tools that I'll find very difficult to replace. Whoever took this has no concept of the upset this has caused the team here at Eardington.
“We've lavished so much care and attention on this, and to have somebody come and do this, well, it's shocking.
“I wish I could speak to whoever did this, because what is just a lamp to them, is a great deal more to our heritage railway. This is history, something we can demonstrate and show to visitors, it adds value to the railway, and at a stroke, you've destroyed it. Plus by taking my toolbox, you've taken away my ability to carry on my job.”
Volunteer lamp man Phil Harris
“We have informed the police and are circulating photographs and details of the lamps widely. Though these lamps are rare, they are probably not worth a huge amount, but they represent a great deal of emotional value to us at Eardington. We are heartbroken that this has happened.”
Station master Steve Downs
So sad that mindless opportunists carry out these appalling thefts to the detriment of the community. Hope the lamps be one too hot to handle.
Spent 10 years on the Waitara railway site ( 7.5 km long) in NZ… the sort of thing you dread finding on a Sat morning…..or just petty vandalism…. we were pretty lucky in the time I was there but the big worry of all and any historical/heritage site. I have a good idea how they are feeling….
Experience has shown that these sort of thieves aren’t terribly clever. Keep a close eye on ebay and similar online sites, they will be looking to flog their loot. A bit like the Hadrian’s Wall sycamore tree; when special things appear in the news or the media, someone just has to spoil it for everyone else.