Unusual graffiti on the NS

citycat · 12 Jan 2020

From what I can gather, an NS Sprinter train was completly sprayed at Wormeveer station in just two colours. Silver and black using several paint cans.

Does anybody know anymore on this story? It must have cost a few euros for all that paint, in what seems a pointless exercise. There’s no overspray on the front so it’s a good job whoever did it.

RailUK Forums

STEVIEBOY1 · 12 Jan 2020

It does seem rather odd to say the least.

duesselmartin · 12 Jan 2020

Seen that in Germany before.

2HAP · 12 Jan 2020

https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1800544854/vandalen-spuiten-trein-in-wormerveer-zilverkleurig

UTRECHT - Vandalen hebben op het station Wormerveer (Noord-Holland) een zijkant van een NS-trein helemaal zilver gespoten. Alle ramen en deuren van de wagons zijn zilverkleurig gemaakt. De trein moet uit de dienst worden genomen om te worden schoongemaakt.

Clip · 12 Jan 2020

That will look different from far away but is impressive to say the least - that must've taken ages

ChiefPlanner · 12 Jan 2020

Unless of course , the idea was to paint a huge mural , but they put an undercoat on - and ran out of time or paint (or both) , or perhaps got rumbled by staff / security.

Very random....if not pointless - (but then so much graffiti is ....)

rg177 · 13 Jan 2020

In other news, UK TOCs scramble to the Netherlands for ideas on future colour schemes :lol:

paddington · 13 Jan 2020

I like this colour scheme, they should keep it but clear the windows.

Bletchleyite · 13 Jan 2020

rg177 said:
In other news, UK TOCs scramble to the Netherlands for ideas on future colour schemes

I must admit when the previous Northern franchise was first let to NS I did expect a blue and yellow livery and was a bit disappointed when they didn't.

MisterT · 13 Jan 2020

Trains all around Europe have been vandalised with these colours. A few months ago there was another NS train, which made it to the news too.
The pictures and the news article are the highest praise they can get, so the best thing to do is not to talk about it and just clean those things without them being in service.

There is not much more on the story. These SNG (CAF Civity) train sets were stabled for the night at the Wormerveer station, which is not a usual location for trains to stay overnight, so there wasn't any security around.
I guess they took their chance when they noticed that. This was the result the next morning, and the trains were taken straight to the maintenance facility for a good clean.

AlexNL · 13 Jan 2020

A little while ago another train was sprayed in a similar 'silver with black accents' alternative livery. It was once again an all-over paintjob, I'm gonna guess done by the same group.

The Netherlands is short on secure stabling facilities, so NS have to resort to using stations as overnight parking spots. Wormerveer is a small unstaffed station which is accessible 24 hours a day, making it rather accessible to people with ulterior motives for being there.

Ash Bridge · 13 Jan 2020

MisterT said:
Trains all around Europe have been vandalised with these colours. A few months ago there was another NS train, which made it to the news too.
The pictures and the news article are the highest praise they can get, so the best thing to do is not to talk about it and just clean those things without them being in service.

Absolutely, couldn't agree more. It surprises me these days when even passing through what seems a very remote location with hardly any population that bridges and other lineside furniture still can be covered in graffiti, I'm assuming things are no different in the Netherlands?

Trainfan2019 · 13 Jan 2020

Looks similar wholecar to the 1-up graffiti seen in Europe. Definitely made up of letters resembling a huge tag. Must have been a team effort.

edwin_m · 13 Jan 2020

rg177 said:
In other news, UK TOCs scramble to the Netherlands for ideas on future colour schemes

Needs contrasting doors to meet the regulations.

pdeaves · 13 Jan 2020

MisterT said:
Trains all around Europe have been vandalised with these colours. A few months ago there was another NS train, which made it to the news too.
The pictures and the news article are the highest praise they can get, so the best thing to do is not to talk about it and just clean those things without them being in service.

Is there a cultural respect such that the vandals carefully did not cover the driver's window? Not even 'accidentally' covering the edge?

MisterT · 13 Jan 2020

I wouldn't call it respect. They know that, as long as there's none of the driver windows or head/taillights covered, there is a chance that the train will be put in service, as most companies don't have enough spare to cover for all vandalised trains.
Trains with the side completely covered will be kept out of service (at NS), but just partly covered trains are put in service as long as the vandalism isn't offensive, until there is a cleaning team and place (it can only be safely cleaned at certain locations) available.

ChiefPlanner · 13 Jan 2020

MisterT said:
I wouldn't call it respect. They know that, as long as there's none of the driver windows or head/taillights covered, there is a chance that the train will be put in service, as most companies don't have enough spare to cover for all vandalised trains.
Trains with the side completely covered will be kept out of service (at NS), but just partly covered trains are put in service as long as the vandalism isn't offensive, until there is a cleaning team and place (it can only be safely cleaned at certain locations) available.

Much the same as the policy I had in North London back in the 1990's -out of service if you can , or run it sparingly - (photo it though for police evidence)

duesselmartin · 14 Jan 2020

pdeaves said:
Is there a cultural respect such that the vandals carefully did not cover the driver's window? Not even 'accidentally' covering the edge?

Maybe it was the driver?

Pakenhamtrain · 14 Jan 2020

MisterT said:
I wouldn't call it respect. They know that, as long as there's none of the driver windows or head/taillights covered, there is a chance that the train will be put in service, as most companies don't have enough spare to cover for all vandalised trains.
Trains with the side completely covered will be kept out of service (at NS), but just partly covered trains are put in service as long as the vandalism isn't offensive, until there is a cleaning team and place (it can only be safely cleaned at certain locations) available.

Down here in Melbourne the operator is contracted to have it gone in 48 hours. Every train must be checked every 24 hours. Trains exhibit no more than three instances of Graffiti per Carriage where the Graffiti extends beyond an area the size of an A4 sheet of paper.

JonasB · 14 Jan 2020

In Stockholm the commuter trains are equipped with grey and blue paint cans so that in the case of grafitti, the train staff can cover it before it can be cleaned. My own (very unscientific) impression is that is has actually helped.

ChiefPlanner · 15 Jan 2020

JonasB said:
In Stockholm the commuter trains are equipped with grey and blue paint cans so that in the case of grafitti, the train staff can cover it before it can be cleaned. My own (very unscientific) impression is that is has actually helped.

Used to do that also - (when there were larger graffiti attacks) , just spray a big white "X" over the so called art , if , the train had to run in service.

As the "masterpiece" was ruined , there was not much kudos in getting it photographed , and even better it was cleaned quickly - nothing was outstabled normally - and certainly not over weekends or public etc holidays.

The problem never really developed on my patch and on my watch. Some arrests and publicity also helped.

duesselmartin · 15 Jan 2020

How much time would be needed to clean graffiti aus shown in that NS train?
Many operators say they don't clean immidietly to avoid trains being cancelled. Is that arguement reasonable.
Can foiled trains be cleaned as easily?

MarcVD · 15 Jan 2020

Well, cancelling trains because of stock painted over makes graffiti authors very unpopular for the general public. That may contribute to the strategy.

MisterT · 15 Jan 2020

duesselmartin said:
How much time would be needed to clean graffiti aus shown in that NS train?
Many operators say they don't clean immidietly to avoid trains being cancelled. Is that arguement reasonable.
Can foiled trains be cleaned as easily?

Depends on the paint. Some paint is quite easy to remove, but we've had "artists" using a paint with some kind of acid in it, which meant that the underlying paint was damaged and the trains had to be painted again as a result. Total damage was around €400.000.

317666 · 16 Jan 2020

I can't remember where I saw the photo, but a few years back an NMBS unit in the current white livery was graffitied back into the old bordeaux red colour scheme. Probably the most bizarre graffiti I've ever come across, whoever did it actually did a pretty decent job!

Unusual graffiti on the NS

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