Window scratching/vandalism

[mrmartin]

This is more of a LU thing (right now), but I've noticed over the past few months how badly all over the windows have been "scratched" with tags.

All central line trains are now completely tagged by this - there isn't a single window on any train that I have been on recently that hasn't been completely done. Central line trains seem to also have at the end compartments some sort of "burning" vandalism where they burn tags into bits of the train. Plus clear graffiti which has been badly removed inside the carriages.

Northern line trains are I would say 70% done

Jubilee line which was until very recently completely unaffected are now being done more and more each week. Every time I catch a jubilee it is more and more obvious.

I've also started to notice this on various national rail rolling stock in the past few months. I imagine this will spread like wildfire given how quickly it has done on the Jubiliee line.

I assume there is nothing that can be done to repair this apart from replacing the windows at enormous expense ?

 

[Chucky]

This was a thing about fifteen or twenty years ago. Acid etched graffiti. The craze seemed to die out. Looks like it's started up again, as you say.

 

[yorksrob]

Isn't there a very tough film that can be placed over the windows and replaced when etched.

 

[Ianigsy]

Our local library was built about 15 years ago and in an effort to discourage people from scratching or banging on the windows, a strip of cobblestones a foot or so wide was laid between the library and the pavement.

All was well for a couple of weeks until a little old lady tried to cut across the cobbles, fell and broke her arm. It being council property, a post and chain fence was put in to stop people walking on the cobbles.

The windows haven’t been scratched, though….

 

[yorksrob]

Our local library was built about 15 years ago and in an effort to discourage people from scratching or banging on the windows, a strip of cobblestones a foot or so wide was laid between the library and the pavement.

All was well for a couple of weeks until a little old lady tried to cut across the cobbles, fell and broke her arm. It being council property, a post and chain fence was put in to stop people walking on the cobbles.

The windows haven’t been scratched, though….

So in a roundabout way, it worked

 

[Carlisle]

This was a thing about fifteen or twenty years ago. Acid etched graffiti. The craze seemed to die out. Looks like it's started up again, as you say.

Indeed, I remember SWT’s class 455 windows were particularly bad prior to being refurbished

 

[Beebman]

In the days when Thames Trains operated local Thames Valley services it seemed to me that every window on every Turbo was scratched inside but I recall that it quickly came to an end when First Group took over.

 

[davetheguard]

In the days when Thames Trains operated local Thames Valley services it seemed to me that every window on every Turbo was scratched inside but I recall that it quickly came to an end when First Group took over.

As built and delivered, the Turbos were fitted with hammers to break the windows in an emergency. It didn't take long before the local yobs found that they were absolutely ideal for scratching the windows - and the hammers were easy to pinch, so they could do it again and again.

At first, the missing hammers were replaced -and they weren't cheap- until it was realised that the replacements (and the replacements to the replacements) got pinched too, and the "etching" got worse and worse.

I can't remember the eventual solution now, but it probably involved some sort of film on the windows as yorksrob suggests up thread.

 

[Horizon22]

Isn't there a very tough film that can be placed over the windows and replaced when etched.

There is on most stock yes - but I gather it depends on the extent (how deep) the scratch is and the maintenance standards of the company.

 

[Undiscovered]

We had an ops notice a few months back about windows being 'etched' with an acid filled marker, rather than being scratched in the traditional fashion.

 

[Mojo]

Isn't there a very tough film that can be placed over the windows and replaced when etched.

LU trains already have this on the windows. What has been scratched is the actual film.

 

[yorksrob]

LU trains already have this on the windows. What has been scratched is the actual film.

So presumably its easily replaced.

A good idea from thirty years ago still showing its worth

 

[D821]

Our local library was built about 15 years ago and in an effort to discourage people from scratching or banging on the windows, a strip of cobblestones a foot or so wide was laid between the library and the pavement.

All was well for a couple of weeks until a little old lady tried to cut across the cobbles, fell and broke her arm. It being council property, a post and chain fence was put in to stop people walking on the cobbles.

The windows haven’t been scratched, though….

Maybe it was the old lady who had been scratching the windows

 

[mrmartin]

LU trains already have this on the windows. What has been scratched is the actual film.

Oh that's great. Is tfl deferring replacing the film then, or has the problem got so bad recently that they can't keep up?

 

[Mojo]

Oh that's great. Is tfl deferring replacing the film then, or has the problem got so bad recently that they can't keep up?

It was suggested in another thread by another member that London Underground aren’t cleaning off non-offensive lineside graffiti very quickly due to the current funding issues, so it would probably make sense for that to be the case on trains as well.