Man jailed after torching model railway at Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, causing £100,000 of damage

A man who torched a model railway at a top Scottish tourist attraction has been jailed for more than two-and-a-half years.

Daniel Rodger, 33, was said to have been heavily intoxicated by drugs when he deliberately started the blaze in a historic railway carriage used to house the 1930s-style model trains layout on the site of the Bo’ness and Kinneil Heritage Railway in West Lothian.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard that the blaze, on May 19 last year, caused £100,000 worth of fire and smoke damage to the collection – run by the volunteers from the Bo’ness Gauge O Group – and several model locomotives and carriages were stolen.

Prosecutor Stuart Asher said volunteers from the model railway group went to the scene after being alerted to what had happened.

He said: “They found the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were in attendance, dealing with a fire in the model railway carriage.

“A number of model trains were lying on the grass embankment about 30 yards away.”

Five model locomotives and two model carriages – worth £5,000 – were missing.

CCTV showed two men, later identified as Rodger and co-accused Keith Walker, entering and leaving the premises between 2.15am and 3.40am.

Mr Asher said the model railway’s insurers met £30,000 worth of the cost of the damage, and a further £35,000 was raised by crowdfunding.

The model railway was closed to the public for 11 months while restoration took place.

Rodger, of Edinburgh, who appeared by video link, pleaded guilty to wilful fireraising. Walker, of Corbiehall, Bo’ness admitted breaking into the carriage and stealing the model locos and rolling stock, as well as two vacuum cleaners.

Rodger was said to be “heavily under the influence of drugs” at the time of the incident.

Solicitor Fraser McCready, for Walker, said his client had stolen the items “with a view to being able to purchase further drugs”.

Sheriff Euan Gosney jailed Rodger, said to have “a persistent and varied record of offending”, for 32 months, and sentenced Walker, who had a lesser record, to 300 hours unpaid work. Walker was also placed under social work supervision for two years.

Sheriff Gosney said: “This was an inexplicable act of wanton vandalism.

“The Scottish Railway Preservation Society is a much-valued public organisation and resource, visited by many, dedicated to the preservation and understanding of Scotland’s railway heritage.”

At the time of the fire, Chris McDonald, chairman of the Bo’ness Gauge O Group, said members were “devastated” at what had been done.