Network Rail has stockpiled a year’s worth of rails in case of British Steel disruption

More than 80% of Britain’s rails come from British Steel’s Scunthorpe works. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Network Rail has built up a stockpile of rails to last as long as a year in case of disruption in the supply from British Steel’s Scunthorpe works.

The company, which manages Britain’s railway tracks, has been stockpiling rails over the past 12 months as British Steel started to contemplate the closure of its two blast furnaces. The rails are stored at depots around the country.