Strategic steam reserve
Encyclopedia
A Strategic steam reserve (SSR) is a collection of withdrawn steam locomotive
s which is kept in working order for possible use in a national emergency. During the Cold War
several countries, including Sweden
and the Soviet Union
, kept SSRs.
. In the event of a war, or major natural disaster, electricity supplies could be disrupted and electric locomotive
s would be unworkable. Diesel locomotive
s could also be at risk for two reasons:
Some support for these theories was given by the young age and high quality of the British locomotive fleet. The British Railways Standard classes were the pinnacle of British locomotive design and had been constructed until only a few years before withdrawal, even after the withdrawal of steam had been planned. Rather than applying Hanlon's razor
to this evident wastefulness, the assumption was that there must have been some other secret justification to constructing a fleet of new, capable and standardised locomotives.
Another theory was that the reserve comprised the NCB
's continued operational fleet of Austerity saddle tank
locomotives. This theory, despite having no more evidence for it than any other of these fantasies, did at least have some technical credence. The Austerities had been designed for just such a situation, were solidly constructed, reliable and easy to maintain. Despite slow speed and short range, they were also powerful in terms of tractive effort
. These were the last steam locomotives to be constructed in the UK and were in a good condition, especially regarding their projected boiler life remaining. As they had also been operated by the Army themselves, this was taken as further "evidence" to support the theory, amongst the fringes of rail enthusiasts. Following the Miners' Strike
, the demise of the UK coal industry and the Austerity fleet, enthusiasts even found an opportunity to blame Margaret Thatcher
for scrapping the non-existent Strategic Reserve.
In fact all scrapped steam locomotives have been accounted for, and the alleged hiding places (for example Box Tunnel
) proved to be innoccuous. In any case the use of such a reserve is completely infeasible, steam locomotives required a huge support infrastructure of water and coal supply which died with them and is no longer available.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s which is kept in working order for possible use in a national emergency. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
several countries, including Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, kept SSRs.
Need for a SSR
Many European railways have a large mileage which is electrifiedRailway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
. In the event of a war, or major natural disaster, electricity supplies could be disrupted and electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s would be unworkable. Diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s could also be at risk for two reasons:
- Supplies of imported oil might be cut off,
- solid stateSolid state (electronics)Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
components in diesel locomotives might be destroyed by the electromagnetic pulseElectromagnetic pulseAn electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
(EMP) from a nuclear weaponNuclear weaponA nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
. In practice, locomotives of this period contained no such sensitive components.
Feasibility
Although the availability and even storage of large numbers of steam locomotives would be practical (at least, on the scale of other Cold War strategic projects), the overall usefulness of such a reserve is far less practical.- Steam locomotives require an infrastructure for their coaling, maintenance and especially water supply. This infrastructure was mostly dismantled with the withdrawal of the locomotives.
- Trained footplate crews might be drawn from the ranks of those previously experienced with steam, although their numbers will inevitably reduce over time. There would also be a need for ongoing refresher training.
- Certification of boilers involves a boiler certificate, issued for a fixed period of usually ten years. Even in storage, such boilers degrade by corrosion and would require a policy of careful storage, inspection and at least some maintenance.
The British 'Strategic Reserve'
The alleged British 'Strategic Reserve' is a potent and frequently recurring urban myth amongst railway enthusiasts. Following the complete withdrawal of mainline steam traction in 1968, the myth persisted for decades that a reserve of locomotives had been retained for such a strategic purpose. As no official reserve existed, nor was any reserve obviously visible, this encouraged many fanciful explanations for where the reserve might be hidden, usually in some underground tunnel or mine. One theory even claimed that the growing steam preservation movement was itself the Strategic Reserve.Some support for these theories was given by the young age and high quality of the British locomotive fleet. The British Railways Standard classes were the pinnacle of British locomotive design and had been constructed until only a few years before withdrawal, even after the withdrawal of steam had been planned. Rather than applying Hanlon's razor
Hanlon's razor
Hanlon's Razor is an eponymous adage that reads:This particular form is attributed to a Robert J. Hanlon. However, earlier utterances that convey basically the same idea are known.-Origins and similar quotations:The quotation first came from Robert J...
to this evident wastefulness, the assumption was that there must have been some other secret justification to constructing a fleet of new, capable and standardised locomotives.
Another theory was that the reserve comprised the NCB
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
's continued operational fleet of Austerity saddle tank
Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST
The Hunslet Engine Company Austerity 0-6-0ST is a steam locomotive designed for shunting. The class became the standard British shunting locomotive during the Second World War, and production continued until 1964 at various locomotive manufacturers....
locomotives. This theory, despite having no more evidence for it than any other of these fantasies, did at least have some technical credence. The Austerities had been designed for just such a situation, were solidly constructed, reliable and easy to maintain. Despite slow speed and short range, they were also powerful in terms of tractive effort
Tractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
. These were the last steam locomotives to be constructed in the UK and were in a good condition, especially regarding their projected boiler life remaining. As they had also been operated by the Army themselves, this was taken as further "evidence" to support the theory, amongst the fringes of rail enthusiasts. Following the Miners' Strike
UK miners' strike (1984–1985)
The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement...
, the demise of the UK coal industry and the Austerity fleet, enthusiasts even found an opportunity to blame Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
for scrapping the non-existent Strategic Reserve.
In fact all scrapped steam locomotives have been accounted for, and the alleged hiding places (for example Box Tunnel
Box Tunnel
Box Tunnel is a railway tunnel in Western England, between Bath and Chippenham, dug through Box Hill, and is one of the most significant structures on the Great Western Main Line...
) proved to be innoccuous. In any case the use of such a reserve is completely infeasible, steam locomotives required a huge support infrastructure of water and coal supply which died with them and is no longer available.