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Increase in Graffiti on the network

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Daniel740

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Has anyone else noticed that graffiti has become far more noticeable since the pandemic started? I’ve even seen a Hitachi at Paddington tagged up, something that would never have happened before.
 
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Horizon22

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Not a huge increase, but only very slight. With more stock required to be berthed at sidings - many of which are less secure and more prone to trespass than depots - during the emergency timetable, there's a higher chance of people being able to find something to tag up. The above scenario does seem rare and is probably dealt with in 24 hours.
 

STINT47

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I've noticed a small increase but nothing major. Probably down to more stock being stabled and less staff.
 

adc82140

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Generally graffiti levels are low in the UK. The comparison between the approaches to St. Pancras and Gare Du Nord is stark.
 

Trainfan2019

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Yesterday evening at Crewe I saw a London Northwestern train with six large mixed coloured tags stretching across the whole of 2 carriages. Never seen this level of graffiti on trains out in service before. I was only reading a few weeks ago that London Northwestern seem to be having an increase in graffiti and were concerned about having to take carriages out of action though. Then a few weeks ago I saw an East Midlands class 158 with 2 very large colourful tags on the rear carriage. Normally, pre-Covid I would only probably see graffitied passenger trains out in service once a year at the most. Got photos of them all as a rare opportunity.
 

BluePenguin

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Yesterday evening at Crewe I saw a London Northwestern train with six large mixed coloured tags stretching across the whole of 2 carriages. Never seen this level of graffiti on trains out in service before. I was only reading a few weeks ago that London Northwestern seem to be having an increase in graffiti and were concerned about having to take carriages out of action though. Then a few weeks ago I saw an East Midlands class 158 with 2 very large colourful tags on the rear carriage. Normally, pre-Covid I would only probably see graffitied passenger trains out in service once a year at the most. Got photos of them all as a rare opportunity.
We would all quite like to see these photos
 

Paul_10

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We would all quite like to see these photos

Why? Apart from promoting the vandalism then there should be no reason to upload such photos.

Graffiti costs the rail network millions which is why its quite rightly frowned upon when you see supposed enthusiasts uploading photos with graffiti on trains.
 

BluePenguin

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Why? Apart from promoting the vandalism then there should be no reason to upload such photos.

Graffiti costs the rail network millions which is why its quite rightly frowned upon when you see supposed enthusiasts uploading photos with graffiti on trains.
I don’t see how graffiti can be promoted. Nobody is saying that it is a good thing or glamourising it.

I for one am interested in how bad the graffiti was which the other member saw. It might not interest you although others are understandably curious. I’ve uploaded photos of the graffiti on here before to raise awareness of its existence on my travels
 

alex397

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I feel like i've seen more Southeastern trains with large graffiti tags on them this year. It may be more coincidental that i've seen them though. I'm pretty sure I saw a Class 395 with a tag a few months ago - something that i've never seen before.

Another reason graffiti has potentially increased recently, is the fact its a lot quieter in places, with less people out and about generally. Also, younger people probably have had less things to do in recent months, leading to boredom (not an excuse really, as I think there is always something constructive to do rather than vandalism).

Probably the only people to know if it has truly become more of a problem recently is those who work with them day in day out.
 

Merle Haggard

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Yesterday evening at Crewe I saw a London Northwestern train with six large mixed coloured tags stretching across the whole of 2 carriages. Never seen this level of graffiti on trains out in service before. I was only reading a few weeks ago that London Northwestern seem to be having an increase in graffiti and were concerned about having to take carriages out of action though. Then a few weeks ago I saw an East Midlands class 158 with 2 very large colourful tags on the rear carriage. Normally, pre-Covid I would only probably see graffitied passenger trains out in service once a year at the most. Got photos of them all as a rare opportunity.

It's not new on LNW - about 4 years ago I caught the 0616 Northampton - Birmingham, and it arrived ECS from stabling at Bletchley with the composite's side completely covered in graffiti. And 'SNER' seems to like putting his mark, like a feral cat. on railway property round here, including the ventilation shaft outlet of a tunnel visible from the M45, some distance from the nearest road.
 

stj

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I work in Bristol and there has been a lot more in general this year not just on the railway.
 

yorkie

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I don’t see how graffiti can be promoted. Nobody is saying that it is a good thing or glamourising it.

I for one am interested in how bad the graffiti was which the other member saw. It might not interest you although others are understandably curious. I’ve uploaded photos of the graffiti on here before to raise awareness of its existence on my travels
That's what the graffiti artists want
 
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I've always been astonished at how they can do "pieces" without getting caught at night as opposed to the scribble of "tags". The best approach must be to keep paintng over them and the prestige of having it on show to everyone will disappear.
 

Egg Centric

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It's an odd one graffiti, falls into the 'shades of grey' for most of the general population (who I have hereby appointed myself forum representative of for this evening).

I think 90% of us are generally disapproving, certainly of rubbish like that Tox guy who was active a few years ago and the Helch guy now.

On the other hand 90% of us probably love Banksy and chuckled at Give Peas a Chance (which is now a support the NHS banner after being briefly contaminated by said Helch for those unaware).

I don't know where I'm going with this, just musing with a third beer in my hand.
 

Paul_10

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I don’t see how graffiti can be promoted. Nobody is saying that it is a good thing or glamourising it.

I for one am interested in how bad the graffiti was which the other member saw. It might not interest you although others are understandably curious. I’ve uploaded photos of the graffiti on here before to raise awareness of its existence on my travels

Whether its a small tag or full side body tags, does it really matter, I just don't get the curiosity behind it tbh.

Problem with graffiti being left, it just encourages others to do it but then it must be a losing battle if you keep painting over graffiti only knowing it will be targeted again in a matter of weeks if not days even.
 

Horizon22

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I've always been astonished at how they can do "pieces" without getting caught at night as opposed to the scribble of "tags". The best approach must be to keep paintng over them and the prestige of having it on show to everyone will disappear.

A lot of sidings are not in the most appealing places and are relatively unattended and if it hardly makes a noise, nobody will make a report / see the damage until the driver in the morning turns up to the set and realises a piece of "art" has been scribbled all over the unit.
 
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A lot of sidings are not in the most appealing places and are relatively unattended and if it hardly makes a noise, nobody will make a report / see the damage until the driver in the morning turns up to the set and realises a piece of "art" has been scribbled all over the unit.
The trains will be cleaned of it relatively quickly, I was more leaning to the trackside walls and furniture, where it gets left for years on end.
 

furnessvale

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I've always been astonished at how they can do "pieces" without getting caught at night as opposed to the scribble of "tags". The best approach must be to keep paintng over them and the prestige of having it on show to everyone will disappear.
Exactly. "Fame is the name of the game" is one of their sayings and seeing their work on the move is the ultimate accolade.

Every depot should have a supply of white emulsion and a roller on a long stick. 10 minutes roughly covering their work before the train enters service is destroying to their morale when they have spent all night on a piece.
 

Trainfan2019

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I was going to upload the photos but thought better of it as didn't want to promote the graffiti.

I generally take photos or videos of rare train sightings if I'm in the right place at the right time. Not just graffitied trains but diversions, uncommon carriages on a route etc.
 

HarryL

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I remember hearing some of them have a form of informal game where they try to be the first to tag a new class of train, sometimes takes days, sometimes months or years. You also get more acclaim from them if the train travels distance with the tag on it. I imagine TOCs are onto this game and actively manage to prevent it in normal times so it's fairly rare luckily. This is what I gather from googling it a while ago when I saw the first refurbished 333 go through a station covered in it anyway.
 

ChiefPlanner

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Freight rolling stock seems to be a favourite target - probably due to easy access to various stabling sidings , following USA experience where freight tagging has largely replaced passenger rolling stock which is either better protected or much more cleaned frequently.
 

Mr Micawber

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Definitely an increase in graffiti on the outside of both Thameslink and South Eastern trains in North Kent and Medway over the last couple of months.
 

Need2

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Definitely an increase in graffiti on the outside of both Thameslink and South Eastern trains in North Kent and Medway over the last couple of months.
I agree and I also think that these Toc's seem to take an age to have them cleaned. The longer it is left on a train for all to see 'bigs up' the artist, sorry I meant ****!
I feel that Toc's should be made to take the train straight out of service to be cleaned and to suffer any financial loss.
Money talks so perhaps this is the only way that security would be improved.
 

randyrippley

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Back in the 1970's that chap who had the "Cond" tag used to be busy, you'd see that all over the country.
He must have retired, rarely see it now
 

47271

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Funny that they're putting all this extra effort in when there's hardly anyone travelling to see their handiwork.

My theory is that they're all repressed rail enthusiasts who won't admit it to themselves. I wonder if any of them are members of this forum? We'll never know.
 

Donny_m

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I was an active ‘Vandal’ for 15 years strictly targeting rolling stock. Very avid railfan too quite friendly with all the local boys out filming for YouTube.

Contrary to popular belief it’s not really young people doing it as I didn’t really get busy until I had a good car and my financial situation was strong enough where I could sit in a bush from 11pm to 5am waiting for security to leave on a Wednesday night and not have it affect my work situation.

And it wasn’t really about the kudos of having it run in traffic the next day although that’s nice, we got so used to it being cleaned here that we found other motivations such as the adventure and exploration. It was almost like a puzzle that took a lot of work to solve, figuring out times, routines, side stepping security measures.

It’s funny listening to how a lot of folk talk about us. I’m just a regular guy, decent job, walk my dogs on the moors, good car, stock investments, meals out with the Mrs, help old people with their shopping etc, no tracksuits or benefits here and all those around me were no different. We just held on to a very specific form of expression and adventure we got addicted to as teenagers.

Funny that they're putting all this extra effort in when there's hardly anyone travelling to see their handiwork.

My theory is that they're all repressed rail enthusiasts who won't admit it to themselves. I wonder if any of them are members of this forum? We'll never know.
 
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