Fire destroys model railroad club headquarters

A fire has destroyed Seaboard Southern's headquarters. Based in Crawley, England, the club's meeting place was one of several wooden log cabin style huts.

In addition to using the club room to make and prepare layouts for exhibitions, the club has for many years been constructing a permanent layout.

On Monday 26 July club members received the news that their building, along with two others nearby, had been completely destroyed by fire. It seems the fire started in an adjacent hut and quickly spread to Seaboard Southern's and one other. Only the prompt call to the fire brigade by an off duty police officer who was night fishing in the nearby lake prevented further buildings also being consumed in the fire. At this stage it is not know whether the fire is due to an accident or possibly due to arson - there were other fires in the area that night which have been attributed to arsonists

In the UK it is unusual for a model rail group to have the exclusive use of a building. Seaboard Southern members were rightly grateful and proud of the efforts they have made to make their premises into an American themed model railroad club. They are determined that the club will continue and are even now exploring regrouping and possible rebuilding options.

Here are some photos of the club taken in happier times

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Reply to
Mike Hughes
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Very unfortunate! Looks like a well done layout.

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

Good looking layout, pity is was destroyed. But if you can rebuild, it will be better than ever!

wolf k.

Reply to
Wolf K

Thanks Wolf. The guys are already taking about doing something positive

- even if that means going back a stage and the members making modules. The only fear is that, as the huts are owned by the council, they may decide not to rebuild them (they've done this with two other, larger, huts but that was a few years ago). With the credit squeeze on everyone is looking to save money.

We shall see what happens

Reply to
Mike Hughes

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