Steam loco survival myths

Oh yes, and us sailors as well. That strike led to some very interesting fire-fighting techniques for us servicemen because for some reason Joe Public would insist on dropping off bottles to the lads manning the fire stations "to keep our spirits up" which they certainly did.
As an aside does anyone remember the incident of the cat rescued from a tree that then got squidged by the Goddess as the boys left the scene, was it Sandy Gall or Reggie Bosanquet (ITV Newsreaders) who got a mk1 rollicking for p****ing with laughter whilst broadcasting the story.

 

The problem with a stategic reserve of steam locos would not be the locos but suitable fuel availability plus suitable coaches.

Cheers,
Julian

 

that wasn't a problem then and I imagine any ideas of a reserve didn't last long.

 

I would think far more likely is a set of loco frames or parts hidden away in the back of of a scrapyard somewhere - and even that is a remote possiblity. However if anyone did find a set of frame plates or bits of a frames there is your perfect new/old build restoration project!!

 

42859?

 

Reserve bases with some steam still exist in Russia, some in working order:

http://www.parovoz.com/newgallery/pg_view.php?ID=499319&LNG=EN#picture

http://www.parovoz.com/newgallery/pg_view.php?ID=496802&LNG=EN#picture

mostly in the east of Russia and the Urals. The reserves are slowly being emptied though, some becoming 'monuments', usually those with thin tyres (Russia does not have the means to replace large tyres) or becoming working locos. Very few are cut up.

 

It's probably easier to say when the Middle East has been stable since the first crusade .....

Cheer, Neil

 

Whoever told you it was stable before that?

 

Here in Horwich there are rumours of...1. A loco that became derailed on the scrap sidings round the back of the works and after removal of non-ferrous fittings was allowed to sink into what is essentially the outer reaches of Red Moss (which was worked for peat up into the 1960's with 2'0" gauge). Almost believable, the land is badly polluted with asbestos from all the locos that were scrapped there. Somebody will probably unearth a Patriot just in time for the new one to be finished.. 2. No scrapping records exist for one of the NG shunters like WREN, it is somewhere in the town. I have a friend who is a plumber and is under instructions from me to report any strange, old, coal fired central heating boilers that he gets called out to. And 3. The ex-Crewe i.c. NG shunter (Hudswell-Clarke?) was pushed off the end of the tip line into Red Moss when it was life-expired. This one I think may be true............

Also - the sidings for the underground ammunition stores at Heapey on the old Chorley to Cherry Tree (Blackburn) line were used to store withdrawn locos from Horwich works in the late 50's, early 60's. These were ones that had been sold for breaking to outside companies such as the Central Wagon Co at Wigan and included ex-L&Y 0-6-0 types, MR type 4F's and others - I have seen photos - and may have fuelled stories of a strategic reserve? Interestingly, the ammunition dump came up for sale a couple of years ago but did not include one of stores, the tunnel to which is sealed with concrete.

Mike

 

of course it was stable...Jesus was born in it

 

The most interesting thing I read about that is a supposedly empty site still being guarded, don't think for a minute it's anything railway related, but does sound like someone being economical with the truth.

Then again, that kind of website has to be taken with a pinch of salt, could be someone in his bedroom typing a load of fiction.

 

Well, all this has had me reading all morning about the strategic reserve and while I don't believe a word of it, it's tremendous fun.

 

if the police patrol was interested in them, it's probably because they were checking to see if they were thieves looking for scrap. Interesting but no evidence at all offfered

 

This old chestnut of the strategic reserve has been doing the rounds for years. I have always considered it to be rubbish for the following reasons

1, Steam operation is dependent on infrastructure to support and service the locos. This was dismantled shortly after the end of steam, making it impractical on a day to day basis

2, Almost all ex main line locos are accounted for disposal wise. There are no more than a handful where the scrapping site/date in not certain and they are a mixture of types, odd ones here and there, no basis for a practical reserve, if perhaps 50 9Fs were unaccounted for that might make more sense

3, Boiler certificates would all have expired, if the locos had to be put into use all would require boiler work

4, Trained crews to operate them, numbers of men with steam experience will diminish over time

5, If there really ever was a need to use steam, we do have a reserve and you can see some of them in action at any heritage railway at weekends

 

6. There would have been no particular need or reason to keep it so secret.

 

Has anyone ever asked for a freedom of information request on this subject. Surely any information would now be available.

 

Things may have changed a great deal in the 16 years since that article was written, not least drones, which would have helped them take a peek over the vegetation. I very much doubt if it was fiction concocted in somebody's bedroom though. And to be fair, I think the author displayed a fair degree of scepticism.

I was curious enough to have a look on google maps. You can see that even now there is a large area protected by what looks to be a substantial fence. There are at least three tunnel entrances clearly visible, possibly four although it is not easy to make at out a tunnel entrance there. It looks as though there are road vehicles parked on the approach road. Possibly a fourth tunnel was planned and started, but never completed?

Does it look as though there may be locomotives stored there? Not a chance. I think that if a strategic reserve was ever contemplated or even implemented, it would have been seen as a temporary measure while sufficient skills and infrastructure still existed, but only to carry the country through until North Sea Oil came on stream in the early seventies.

Maybe a line of withdrawn steam locomotives was once stored temporarily in the sidings there. If enough people recall it, then it is hard to dismiss. Add to the mix that nobody can remember convincingly how and when they were removed, a guarded security fence and the presence of tunnels on the site, and you have all the ingredients for good conspiracy theory. Light the blue touchpaper and retire.

Dave

 

I don't think for a minute there's anything there to interest the like of us, just don't believe the statement that the place is empty given the continuing security, perhaps not as devoid of ordenence as has been stated ?.