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

Reserves would give six months to find alternative supply if Scunthorpe blast furnaces are switched off

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.