AN internal investigation has been launched after a vandalism attack on the Swindon and Cricklade Railway.

Mystery intruders struck at the railway’s Blunsdon and Hayes Knoll stations earlier this week, where they daubed graffiti on buildings and trashed carriages used for the Santa special.

The volunteer-led service has been vandalised a number of times this year but the manner of the latest attack seemed particularly spiteful, according to Jim Poor, chair of trustees.

“The worst damage was at the Hayes Knoll shed – they have given it a good going over,” he said.

“All the lockers have been emptied out and two of the coaches used for Santa’s grotto have been damaged internally.

“The damage done to one of the engines is particularly worrying because someone has actually taken the panel off and punctured the radiator from behind.

“That seems to have been deliberate, particularly because it was punctured from behind. If they had done it from the front you could almost understand it but that is very strange.

“This engine was built in the early 1930’s and to repair it is going to cost us several thousand pounds.

“But the money is not the point - this is an engine that has had a lot of time spent on it and something we are very proud of. For someone to do this for absolutely no reason is really upsetting.

“This is the fifth or sixth time the railway has been vandalised this year and it’s very dispiriting.”

At the main Blunsdon station, graffiti was sprayed on to buildings, signs and benches.

Jim said: “The police have been out here and are going to be analysing the graffiti. They are going to try to match it up to other graffiti to see if they can identify who did this.

“If the person or people are caught then we will want to see them prosecuted.

“I am not aware of anyone who has a grudge against the railway, so it’s very difficult to understand who would want to do this.

“We will be carrying out an internal investigation.

“This is our thirtieth anniversary and we should have ended the year on a high - we have had a very successful Santa Special season and we should be moving forward. Instead we are cleaning up after these idiots.”

Volunteers will be working through the New Year period and hope to have the railway up and running once again from January 10.