Garden Railway Forum

I've been back tracking through this section and come across quite a few references to vandalism and theft involving garden railways. Being very new to all this I've no 'feel' for what most people do to protect their railway's assets.

I can't imagine anyone has a bottomless money pit from which to finance their railways in the first place, never mind replace stolen loco's and stock. Almost everything at this scale is a significant investment, especially for some of us. Indeed, moving into this realm of modelling is only just financially viable for me. (If I'm honest it's probably not viable at all but what the heck - you only line once!).

The fact that times are hard for us means that they are hard for everyone, including the light fingered toe rags who support themselves by acquiring other peoples hard earned property. This means they will go to greater lengths to get relatively little - in pure resale terms - the items concerned may be of great sentimental value or high cost replacement value. Such losses could very easily end someones hobby for them.

So, my question as a new-commer is do we insure our loco's and stock and if so is it separate insurance or can it be covered on household insurance policies? I'm tipping that it's not possible to insure the permanent way in the garden but stock stored securely ought to be different - didn't it?

All the best,

Andrew

As somebody who's been "through the mill" as it were, I can offer advice

Your garden railway itself CAN be insured - mine was - on your normal household policy. If you have pictures on your Web Site, this is a great help as then they can look at the pictures and see what's involved. You will no doubt have to "name" or specify it and give a monetary value for replacement but there was never any hassle when a claim WAS put in, because I put pictures on the Web Site so they could see what had happened.

With regard to locos and stock: there is now virtually nothing in the shed where I do all the work - it's shown twice how easy it was to break in, so stock is locked away in a more secure brick-built building on site and tje steam locos live in the house, where they're protected by the alarm. As items, they fall under the value you have to specify for "valuables" so no problem there.

The hardest thing is trying to explain what we're on with to an "unbeliever" - a picture is worth a thousand words!

I have all of my hobby equipment and interests separately insured. I have a very good list of items insured, complete with photographs, which is continually kept updated with copies stored off site. I also have a substantial third party liability cover. I am also a member of the 16mm Assoc which also provides decent third party liability cover for garden railway events under some circumstances. In my "other" hobby, as I often erect very large antenna arrays at considerable height in public areas and have been known to climb a very high mast or two, adequate insurance to protect property and life and limb, both of myself and others has almost become a way of life. I regard the protection of my hobby related property as just another cost associated with my hobby of choice.

I made sure when I renewed my household policy that my hobby stuff and my tools were covered.
It is well worth checking the small print as one company I looked at would not cover any valuables kept in a shed or outbuilding. Their definition of a valuable was anything over £100, most lawn mowers cost more than that!
As has been mentioned, pictures are very, very useful in case of a claim.
I also have accidental damage cover on my valuables, I hope I never have to test this out, but it should cover any nasty incident involving a long drop and a steam engine.
It may be worth using a local broker rather than one of these internet compare sites.

Thanks Guys.

The advice about photos makes perfect sense but it hadn't occurred to me! When the time comes I shall speak to the insurers but I'll make sure I've got the photos to show them first.

Brian,

I saw your posts about your problems. It's a great shame, I thought you might have escaped such activity living where you do. I presume the trouble came from a mile down the valley. Have you rebuilt again? Again, when the time comes I'll take your advice and speak to the insurance company about covering the external 'way and works'.

All the best,

Andrew

Soar Valley Light:94928 wrote:I saw your posts about your problems. It's a great shame, I thought you might have escaped such activity living where you do. I presume the trouble came from a mile down the valley. Have you rebuilt again?

When it happened for the second time, I said that if it happened again I wouldn't rebuild. It did, and I didn't - I built Flagg Fluorspar instead, and content myself with driving a mile or two to Butterley to play with the bigger stuff.

Sorry for threadbumping, but, as I am now forced to look to insure my remaining collection [two big locos, 2 rakes of bogie stock and a rake of 'heritage' stock] which insurance firms would be best /friendliest/most understanding to our hobby?

Talk to Walker Midgley. They specialise in all things steam related both large and small. My two large engines are with them and have been very helpful in the past.

If you are a mamber of a Model Engineering Society you can pay a small amount to cover your own models and railway by adding it on to their insurance or go to the Walker Midgley Website and all the info is on there. They are pretty good to deal with.
Barry

I have quite a collection of O gauge, as featured on my flickr site, and its currently insured for £53 annually, as an extra on the contents insurance. The Halifax sent an assessor round to take photos and have a nosey where its stored etc, and it was sorted very easily. Cover is up to £20,000 if I remember correctly.