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'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 Rumour has it that a number of these withdrawn loco’s were hid away in suspicious circumstances.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 There are countless eyewitness stories of steam engines being stored in sidings long after they were withdrawn.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.

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