radiomike7 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Interesting site about a subject I knew nothing about, the storage of steam locos to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike. http://www.willys-mb.co.uk/strategic-reserve.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 What a pity they where all cut up Mike ! Would have been a great place to visit I imagine ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 The bit about the site being used for the assembly of the jeep during the war is interesting. I was led to believe that that the US army base at Ashchurch, near Tewkesbury was a major assembly plant, known as General Depot 25, having see photos of it in action, but guess it was one of several sites around the country. Being close to Bristol docks and good rail access would have been an asset for both sites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I'm not convinced - what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 I'm not convinced - what do you think? The more I think about it the more I smell a rat:-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Did anyone see a TV programme (part of the BBC2 'end of steam series') before Christmas? I seem to recall they looked at the possibility of a strategic reserve, including reviewing these facilities by the tunnel, and I believe their conclusions blew this idea clear out of the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 this rumour of a steam stragegic reserve has been floating about the railway fraternity for years. Would be nice to think that it did happen, but somehow I dont think so!!!! Mark :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowtracdave Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Did anyone see a TV programme (part of the BBC2 'end of steam series') before Christmas? I seem to recall they looked at the possibility of a strategic reserve, including reviewing these facilities by the tunnel, and I believe their conclusions blew this idea clear out of the water. Yes . There was also a programme on Radio 4 some time last year on the same subject which drew the same conclusion : An interesting story which many people really wish was true but is not . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younggun Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 i have seen this discused many times on an urban exeploration forum and they drew the same conclusion that it did not exsiste . could it be because they saw it pointless ? y waste time and money storeing and maintaining steam locos when you have steam preservation railways conviantly doted all over the country doing it for u ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I dont believe this for one moment. So full of holes and the more they say the more unbelievable it becomes. Assembled slat grilled Jeeps that failed quality control still in use 40 years later! Sorry, at the time if any Jeep failed quality control they would fix it, not leave it in some underground factory. Anyway, the Jeeps came over partially knocked down so any quality control issues should be fixed quite easily. The Jeeps could have been assembled there, but i think it very unlikely. Seems a lot of trouble to go to haul them that far to assemble them. My Grandfather assembled Jeeps during the war at Bristol docks and that i would imagine would be the most sensible place to assemble PKD vehicles. How about this bit, it is laughable: "The rebuild plant at Rudloe operated in a section of the huge underground quarries at Corsham in Wiltshire and produced thousands of jeeps in the war - saving priceless shipping space on the North Atlantic convoys. The Jeeps produced at Corsham are today much prized by military vehicle enthusiasts as they contain many features not found on the US built versions including soft seats, cigar lighters, starters that work all the time and windscreens that don't have a horizontal bar at exactly eye level". Ok, who has seen a Jeep with a cigar lighter, a starter that works all the time and a horizontal bar at eye level - does he mean windscreen wiper? The photograph of US troops on manouver in 1948 looks more like a "War on the Line" event to me. Explains why there are what appears to be British Tommys and what looks like some Germans in the photo as well. I presume that is supposed to be a censors mark in the corner. Never seen one in black before and certainly not what appears to be marker pen. Were any US combat troops based in the UK in 1948, and in particular paratroopers.? The rumours of a strategic reserve have been around for years and although i would like to believe it, on the basis of the evidence before me i can not. And scrapping 160 steam locos as late as 1982. Quite absurd. Anyway, that is my view. happy to discuss it with anyone who disagrees. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have seen this before and asked a pal who is a rail freak to comment !! I won't repeat what he said ! That site used to have a piccy of a Green Goddess driving into a tunnel taken from in the tunnel facing the entrance. The caption suggested it was part of our cold war CD strategic reserve. I enhanced the picture and it was a post 2004 photo !! THe Operation Fresco 2002/3 dayglo markings were clear to see. I knew guys who were stationed at RAF Rudloe Manor and worked below ground in support of the then HMG bolthole, it was some awesome place. There are several web sites with excellent coverage of this subject for those interested. TED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 There are several web sites with excellent coverage of this subject for those interested. Ted, Go back to that railway web page and there is a link to a BBC Wiltshire website, where the underground government site was visited by them, there is a video of being driven around the complex and even a detailed map. From the several hundred comments posted on it, from locals and others that have worked down there, such as GPO, builders, RAF, etc..........not one has mentioned steam engines ! Also if that guy who supposedly worked on the steam engines, had driven one of the jeeps home when he retired..........let us see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Is there a actual rail tunnel matching the photo ? or is that a photoshop creation ? It speaks of taking all the scrap steel to be melted down that would have taken lots of truck loads and been noticed on the road as well as at the works by any number of people ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Ted, Go back to that railway web page and there is a link to a BBC Wiltshire website, where the underground government site was visited by them, there is a video of being driven around the complex and even a detailed map. From the several hundred comments posted on it, from locals and others that have worked down there, such as GPO, builders, RAF, etc..........not one has mentioned steam engines ! Also if that guy who supposedly worked on the steam engines, had driven one of the jeeps home when he retired..........let us see it. Thanks Richard yes I have seen that site re the BBC have you had a look at the one below everytime I go on there for 10 minutes it throws the nexts week's plans out of the window !! TED http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/index.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks Richard yes I have seen that site re the BBC have you had a look at the one below everytime I go on there for 10 minutes it throws the nexts week's plans out of the window !! TED See what you mean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Is there a actual rail tunnel matching the photo ? or is that a photoshop creation ?It speaks of taking all the scrap steel to be melted down that would have taken lots of truck loads and been noticed on the road as well as at the works by any number of people ! Not sure its a huge sprawling place, the last time I visited Corsham area I was still in the RAF and had just previously had a run in with the RAF police for photographing nuclear convoy vehicles on the A1 so I wasn't going to push my luck. TED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 To me it sounds like the steam railways enthusiast equivalent of . . . . . the 50-dollar-jeep-in-the-crate! - Hanno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 The expression nail and head spring to mind. "if we all want it to be true that much, then surely it must become true". Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Is there a actual rail tunnel matching the photo ? or is that a photoshop creation ?It speaks of taking all the scrap steel to be melted down that would have taken lots of truck loads and been noticed on the road as well as at the works by any number of people ! Heres a link to a picture taken 1904 The small tunnel is the entrance to the Box mine http://www.francisfrith.com/search/england/wiltshire/corsham/photos/corsham_51493.htm And a more upto date one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 It sounds like the story of the tunnel from Fort Halstead to the Sevenoaks rail tunnel. Everyone will tell you it's there, just no one can find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks for the link and the research on finding the photo. At least the tunnel opening exists .....Has any one on the forum been inside ? is the lay out of the Box tunnel known? Got to admit the theory of having a few steam engines around in case on an EM pulse is a pretty good one , not sure it would make up for the 99% destruction of all the other things that rely on micro circuits . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Have a look at this article and the sub brit site in general a huge amount of info on the underground world in that area TED http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/features/government/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 here's another link TED http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/features/sfs/new_page_5.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Heres another link http://www.monkton-farleigh.co.uk/sc_tunnelquarry42.htm Shows a lay out of the mine. Apparently the railway line were removed when it ceased to be used for munitions storage I was bored at work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 so much to read ! Great link , I ll be busy for a while . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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