Mothballed
In the past decade, when they were closing collieries, I seem to recall some were said to have been mothballed.
Did they un-mothball and permanently cease them? I guess when they closed Kellingley in 2015, the case for less efficient operations would fall.
But, surely the only case for mothballing would be that some future glitch in energy markets could create a renewed need for them. Like what we now have, maybe.
Started: 14th Mar 2022 at 20:55
Just a thought but if they shut Uncles Joes would they mintball it?
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 20:57
and if the opticians shut that would be eyeballed
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 21:09
They tennisballed wimbledon because of Covid in 2020
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 21:11
oddballed:
There is a giant and unique "walking" dragline known as Oddball at St Aidan's. The name refers to it having been built in the US to run on a 60 Hz electrical supply rather than the UK standard 50 Hz
The largest preserved walking dragline excavator in Western Europe. Open days throughout the year where visitors can look around the machine and sit in the cab.(when everything gets back to normal, after Covid restrictions)
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 21:36
Last edited by ena malcup: 14th Mar 2022 at 21:46:22
Ena
"In the past decade, when they were closing collieries, I seem to recall some were said to have been mothballed"
I think Whupsy and the other miners on here will know more, but as I understand it, to mothball a pit, is quite an expensive thing too doo, because it means that the pit must be kept clear of water, by constant pumping, and quite a lot of other stuff needs to be done to keep the pit healthy, and once the pits have closed, they fill up with water, and the tunnels collapse, so they cannot be opened up again, another pit would have to be sunk to resume coal production.
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 21:45
I guess so.
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 21:56
I agree Tommy 2 Stokes, mothballing a pit was just a. 'keep the lads hopeful' ploy, its totally unsustainable and in the words of a wise guy I once knew,
The squeeze aint worth the juice,
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 22:08
My husband was a miner, worked at Bold Colliery for many years. Was out on strike during the last strike, for the entire time. He wouldn't take redundancy and moved from one pit to another until there was nowhere left to go.
His opinion on mothballing is unrepeatable on here.
Replied: 14th Mar 2022 at 23:01
Not many mines if "Mothballed" would survive the ravages of time. They would flood or get gassed out. the tunnels would start to collapse and because the hydraulic chocks and face conveyors had not moved the chocks would close on their legs and the metal chain in the face conveyor would cease up and not run. It is not like a factory full of equipment were you can flick a switch and everything works 1st time.
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 07:55
You would be surprised at what is mothballed in this country in case of a national emergency like a war!
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 08:12
So, it was just another con which Government foists upon us then, was it.
I guess if we did need coal in an emergency, over and above what we might import, there are locations where it could be recovered from opencast excavations more readily than could be extracted from deep mines.
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 15:34
You are right Ena, opencast is the only way, as others have said it's impossible to open a closed pit, and it takes a few years to construct a new pit.
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 16:15
There'll be non opening round here or the other old coalfields
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 16:33
I once got told that British rail had moth balled a fleet of steam engines in a disused tunnel just in case a war broke out, i don't think it was true though.....
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 17:14
I have also heard that rumour: "The strategic reserve"
Again, I believe it not to be true.
However, some steam locomotives do appear to have disappeared, with no record of their fate.
Three Hunslet Austerity ST locomotives, so the story goes, moved from Vulcan Foundry, not under their own steam, to ROF Chorley, and never seen again.
But I bet they were simply nicked: the usual corruption. ie someone got their mitts on them, and simply sold them and pocketed the proceedings, leaving no trace/record.
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 17:27
All pits filled in
All skilled men gone, never to return
All railway links to pits closed and dismantled (Bickershaw branch etc)
Coal gone for good in the UK
VERY unfortunate, but that's how it is.
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 17:54
Correct Gasmon well done thatcher
Replied: 15th Mar 2022 at 17:57
Not feasible to reopen pits these days. New ones needed but the costs are prohibitive and the environmental restrictions would make it nigh impossible. As for opencast, only small reserves left and generally very poor quality stuff. Similar environmental restrictions as well. I'm afraid coal is finished in this country thanks to the climate change hysterics having too much influence on thick govts. Only possibility is the extraction of the gas in coal beds by fracking methods. The vast reserves of coal at depth beneath east yorkshire, nottinghamshire, leicestershire, warwickshire, oxfordshire, northamptonshire and even vaster reserves beneath the North sea are easily accessible.
Replied: 16th Mar 2022 at 10:17
Jumpin Jack Flash
That was because in 1968 when steam ended, the number of locomotives which were actually scrapped or preserved did not tally with the number in official records.
The are a number of underground storage places from the last war in various parts of the country which have been kept for any future national emergency.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 11:35
What a load of old tosh
I think the missing locos is probably down to accounting issues.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 11:50
they would have either left them down there or broke them up for parts . as for mothballing i,m pretty sure this present government is "mothballed" back to the victorian age .
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 11:54
Tommy Two Stroke
I only said how it was likely how the rumour occurred and you are more than likely right with your theory of poor accounting being the answer
Whups,
What's on earth has rumour in a magazine article of a few years ago, got to do with the government of today?
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 12:09
'Ghost’ Steam Engines !
30/01/2016 BY RIBBLESTEAM
There have been countless stories about a top secret batch of ‘ghost’ steam engines for many years. These retired British rail engines are supposed to be stored serviceable in an unknown underground location to this day. These engines are commonly known as the (S.S.R) ‘Strategic steam reserve’
Sixty steam engines were supposed to be kept in reserve in the event of a nuclear attack on Britain. It was thought that a nuclear attack would render all electric circuits useless, due to the electromagnetic radiation given off. The new diesel engines would be well and truly out of action.
During the late 1960’s steam engines began to be replaced by diesels. Rumour has it that a number of these withdrawn loco’s were hid away in suspicious circumstances. It is said that these engines are the Stanier 8 and 9F class, some of which were only 10 years old when retired, they have a design life of 50+ years.
As the mass scrapping of Britain’s steam trains began, loco’s were sold to the scrap men. Sixty loco’s of the Stanier 8 and 9F class still remain unaccounted for. There are countless eyewitness stories of steam engines being stored in sidings long after they were withdrawn. Locos been spirited away in the dead of night, Drivers been sent home early from work, there engines never to be seen again.
The Strategic steam reserve has been repeatedly linked to Box Hill Tunnel in Wiltshire. Box Hill tunnel has a narrow gauge tunnel running parallel to it leading to mineral workings. These workings were taken over by the military and used as an ammunition store until after the Second World War. Rumours abound of secret tunnels branching off from the main tunnel leading to huge underground caverns.
Link
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 12:25
maybe you shud ask tts laughing boy .
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 12:41
it could be laughing gravy or maybe kellys dad or neverstill . he has so many alias,s we dont realy know who he is . maybe from marsh green ? .
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 12:44
Oh I see I have enough problems with fools on here suggesting I'm other people.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 12:58
he's the one who you verbally abused when you was a "newbie" on here,
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 13:09
TerryW
Its the same with me with a certain person who thinks that I am his nemesis called laughing gas which I am not!
You may be interested to know Items of present day rolling stock are stored at a former railway army camp near Stratford upon Avon called Long Marston, pending preservation, sale to other countries or conversion to another class.
Some old railway diesel and electrical units even end up along with motor vehicles, planes etc at a former R.A.F. camp at Moreton in the Marsh which is now a national fire training facility with the former runway made to look like a motorway.
Been on two very interesting visits to both sites.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 13:27
TerryW
Thank you for that info and link
Now that makes a lot more sense, because in the event of a nuclear war, the EMP would render electrical devices useless, and although diesel engines would still work, they still have to started by an electric starter motor, which wouldn't be working after a nuclear attack.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 13:49
Tommy Two Stroke
As I have said before, you will be surprised at what is stored in the mountains of Scotland and Wales in case of a national emergency, even redundant parts of the London Underground system.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 13:57
Hi Owd codger & Terry W thanks for the info, maybe there is more to this than i gave credit for.
Replied: 17th Mar 2022 at 19:46
isnt it funny that you only started straight after laughing boy , kellys dad , sergio 123, neverstill got his marching orders for the 5TH time on here ? .
Replied: 18th Mar 2022 at 11:35