Major fire on the Scenic Railway 7th Apr. Suspected arson.

[DaveD]

Heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking.

Although, not even the most optimistic of Save Dreamland Campaigners would have said this was completely unexpected - we have been fearing something like this for years.

This is the (almost) worst case scenario that we could of dreamed up and if you are talking about a £25 million site with a solitary, vulnerable listed building standing in the way of a very profitable development, the facts speak for themselves. The cause of Arson is easy to determine; to be able to convict anyone of the crime is very, very difficult.

I am sick of money and mindless greed always winning despite the best and kind-hearted efforts of people like us who give up their own time and money for something they truly believe in.

I would be prepared to rebuild the Scenic with my bare hands and spend day and night raising funds for the expenditure; not just for the Scenic itself but to stick a defiant two fingers up at the people who
orchestrated this.

If we can restore it, let them burn it down again and we will rebuild it again - we can't let these bastards win.

Dave D

[strongbow]

I noticed that the metal high security fence looks like it was replaced by a lower wooden fence
because of folks complaining
it wouldnt take much to give someone a bunk up over that wooden fence
the high metal fence with sharp points may not have looked pretty but it was a deterrent and perhaps the old lady would still be standing today
if the culprits were not who everyone thinks
there was a thread on the subject
http://www.joylandbooks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863

[EAS]

The high metal fence was put there without any permissions - it was illegal. The local authority took enforcement action. That's its legal duty.

Doubt that anything would deter those determined to torch the Scenic Railway.

The site is still designated for an amusement park - with or without the Scenic.

Without the Scenic, then there should be no need for 'enabling development', so it's in the best interest of the site owners to get it fixed maybe!

[Alan]

Hi All,
What were the so called security guards doing The council spending too many years pandering to the various owners this was an opportunity waiting and ready to happen. This is a criminal act but you can be sure nobody will be held accountable.

Alan & Jacqui

[Lou]

DaveD
I am with you - i will do what it takes. I have evenings and weekends that i would gladly donate.
I hope the local and national papers run the story and give details of the campaign.

[Lou]

I wonder why some people have no other aim in life than to make money (and sod everything else) - there are much more important things in life.

[Cheryl]

Was made aware of this awful situation by a friend of ours last night. My daughters have cried, their mother is not any better either.

If this is being treated as suspicious, therefore a deliberate act of arson, are there any other parties that may hold a grudge with Waterbridge and the Dreamland site?

[Margate Architecture]

I'm so saddened to hear the news. What a scandal.

But we can't give in to people like this. Hope that the campaign will continue.

Lou

[lutonlad]

I note that bob is yet to post a reply on this topic, would be interesting to see what he has to say on the topic.

[furie]

As has been said before - I guess this is something everyone kind of expected, but every day that passed with it still intact raised hope.

I think that the worst tragedy is the loss of workshop and trains, the rest of the structure isn't all that badly damaged - though it's a long way from good.

The other ride pictured in the photographs is the King Solomon's Mines from Southport. If the Southport stuff has been damaged too, then it's much worse

[smilerbaker]

Hi, just found your forum, I grew up in margate during dreamlands / bemboms heyday, I cannot bieleve this has happend, yes I kind of expected it given past unfortunate fires, just how can they get away with this??? 2 fires in 2 weeks.

really gutted about it

[uvegotmale2000]

omg have just seen it on front of aol home page about this.
this is terrible!
.
is there any CCTV covering dreamland at all?.i wonder how much has really been destroyed,updated pics would be appericated if poss.

Its funny but this campaign have been worried about a fire hitting the scenic for a few years now,this makes me so angry

this makes me doubly supportive of saving dreamland and hoping that the scenic can be rebuilt in some way,lets hope that is possible

i am gutted

[uvegotmale2000]

link to the sun newspaper
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... 013848.ece

[LJN]

Compulsory Purchase is the only solution I can see. The reinstatement of the scenic railway has to happen wether the structure is too damaged to be listed or not, it is still of historic importance.

I just hope what people say about corruption in Margate isn't as bad as they say and that the administration will ensure that Margate gets its' heritage amusement park and not some anonymous shopping centre and housing estate.

To let this go would be to make "listing" buildings a useless excersize.

I wonder how Australia and Denmark keep their scenic railways?

Accident or not, this is a disgrace.

[uvegotmale2000]

coverage in todays Sun newspaper

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... 013848.ece