Fictional Scenario Finale

[NorthernRaider]

The Journey
For the third day in a row they followed the river as best they could moving steadily inland from the coast. Far too many survivors and scavengers were gathered along the coast in groups of various sizes. They appeared to be living of what they could scavenge from the ruins of society or catch from the sea. But most of them were not looking any further forward than their next meal, and far too many were still waiting for the government to send help. Four months on from the collapse and they still could not accept that there was no more government, they could not face the thought that either the EU or US would not send help, indeed most refused to believe that the EU and Americas had also fallen.
So this group of survivors decided to move inland hoping for calmer weather, fewer people, more sustainable sources of food and fuel. By lunchtime on the third day they had cleared the rivers delta and moving up into the low level hilly country that the river gained its water from. The SOLAR PANEL snaffled from a Maplin’s store and fastened to the back of one of the group’s rucksacks provided the group with a steady supply of recharged Ni-cad and Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries, these were used in flashlights, walkie talkies, and a SW scanning receiver used to listen for other groups broadcasting.
All along the bug out route the group had made careful notes about items they could salvage at a later date and the top item was clearly the combined Solar Panel / Wind turbine devices they frequently came across used to power road signs and hazard warning signs along the roads. These devices would be ideal in multiples to provide clean green self sufficient supplies of energy for where ever they finally settled.
One of the group had notice a small but well managed woodland where they chose to laager up one night, in the wood they found rows and rows of cut timber and huge piles of hardwood logs they could use to provide heat with. On the edge of the last large town they found a MACHINE MART, it had already been heavily scavenged by other survivors, but it did still have two very useful finds, one being a very nice selection of wood / multi fuel stoves and ranges, the second was a manually operated log splitter. They took time to disguise the stoves and wood splitter from prying eyes before they went on their way.
Another discovery behind a brick wall not far out of town was a FUEL DEPOT with healthy stocks or red and white diesel, heating oil and kerosene. The main tanks had been drained but there was still a total of over thirty 55 gallon drums full of stuff that a diesel engine could use.
Their walking pace was much slower than they hoped they frequently only managed 5 miles in a day as they stopped frequently to rest or check out places that may be suitable to live on or to salvage stuff from, but by day 5 mid-afternoon they were at last well inland and away from major conurbations.
The Ordnance Survey Land Ranger maps from the bug out bags had proven priceless. Examples such as listing little used bridges or even simple pipe bridges across rivers helped them cross flowing water without having to go back into hazardous towns seeking crossings. All the discoveries of materials found were marked in notebooks and marked on the maps for future reference.
More places were added as the journey progressed, BUILDERS YARDS for materials to repair and rebuild with, PLUMBERS MERCHANTS to salvage tanks and pipes to make DIY water filter systems, water storage tanks and waste water recycling systems. TIMBER YARDS.
MARINAS & BOATYARDS were given special attention as at some point in time most roads would become impassable and the rivers and canals will be the only viable method of shifting bulky materials. Boats and railways if they can find a place served by a PRESERVED STEAM RAILWAY will be paramount if they are to build a sustainable community. Plus many of the items found on boats were ideal for off grid living. FARM SUPPLIES depots were a treasure trove of tools both mechanical and powered plus they also held stuff as varied as fertiliser and animal antibiotics as well as small diesel powered utility vehicles like agricultural quad bikes and trailers.
One step they carried out at every possible opportunity was to open gates and sheds containing animals and livestock, sadly most of the shed housed animals had long since died, but the odd shed still housed a few live rabbits and chickens which were set free along with cattle, sheep, goats, and oddly enough 27 Alpacas, 16 bison and 50 plus wild boar all duly freed in the hope of re-establishing healthy wild stocks the survivors could call on in years to come. In two neighbouring farms they found huge ponds of well stocked trout type fishes, all the sluices were opened over a period of 24 hours freeing the fish into the local river system. It was staged over 24 hours because different ponds held different sized fish and the fear was if all were released at once the big fish would just feast on the small ones, so many hours were used to separate the releases.
Hunters, scavengers and the coming winter would probably see the end of 99% of the freed creatures, but there was a chance however small that enough would survive until people could start to rebuild.
A couple of sporting goods shops were checked but had been cleared out of all fire arms and ammunition but a couple of new air rifles were found plus ammo for them, they provided 5 fat wood pigeon for tea that night, and two portable fishing rod kits were also salvaged. A quick stop off at a CALOR GAS DEPOT saw the group’s members who used micro butane cookers find some refill gas canisters and notes were made that the yard still held plenty of filled butane and propane bottle both 7 and 15 kg types.
By day 7 they survivors were now caching salvaged materials in safe spots they chose because they did not want to carry so much material with them at this time and equally they did not want to have all their salvaged goods taken off them by another group who may have been better armed.
One final place was checked out before the journey moved further towards the uplands and this was one of the big Discount Camping and Outdoor stores where everyone managed to find themselves more suitable and comfortable walking shoes and boots to replace the mishmash of often unsuitable footwear they currently had, and they also found a nice supply of multi tools, compasses, maps, nicer, bigger rucksacks and better quality water proofs. And luck or good fortune shone on them when they found a ½ pallet of Mountain House freeze dried foods completely untouched in the stores goods in area. These assorted long life freeze dried foods could mean the difference between life and death for the group, they packed as many meals as they could into their new larger rucksacks then they manhandled the remaining packs of food and hid them in the back of one of the abandoned vehicles in the rear yard of the van hire depot next door.
They may be walking into the unknown but they had at least re-equipped themselves and laid the foundations for rebuilding a self-sufficient society at some future date.

The Gathering
Darren and Helen had been walking for 3 days now, originally they had been cycling but as they passed through what was once Derbyshire they had been forced to abandon them when they were faced with a river crossing. Already weary from days of walking in their search for other survivalists they were heading through the Peak district with the intention of crossing the river by a small road bridge they had once driven over years before. But as they cycled towards the bridge in the bottom of a steep sided valley Darren decided he needed to pee and called a stop. As he relieved himself by the side of the road Helen noticed something reflecting light from the bridge, so she got her field glasses from the saddle bags and took a peek. On focusing on the flickering light she was astounded to see the reflection coming from the scope mounted on a rifle and pointing at Darren.
“Darren down” she screamed followed by her yelling “Gun” before she dropped to the floor. Looking up she saw Darren reacting instantly to her call and throwing himself sideways to the floor at the same time he was trying to fasten himself up.
Just as he was about to ask her what was up as they peered at each other from either side of the road a shot rang out that knocked his cycle off its side stand. “Oh crap” he said “pull your rucksack and one saddle bag off your bike honey we are going to have to leg it back to those trees, and stay low when we go”
Five minutes later panting breathlessly and shaking with shock they both found cover in the treeline about 500 yards back up the hill from where their bikes lay.
Pulling out their much annotated Bug out Map they scanned it for an alternative route across the river. Darren could see no more road, pedestrian or rail bridges listed within 15 miles. “Bugger, we will have to backtrack all the way to the other side of Leek the way things are looking, there’s no way over that I can find”.
“Dope, not everything is shown on a map” said Helen as she focused her field glasses again on a point about ¾ of a mile north of the bridge they had wanted to cross.
“Take a look at that about ¾ of a click up the side of the valley just in front and slightly below that small works site” said Helen “I think it’s our way over but not with the bikes”.
Darren pulled his compact monocular from the sleeve pocket on his DPM smock and looked at the spot Helen had seen. “ Yes, I see it it’s a pipe bridge, a steel lattice box section of steel carrying what looks like a 36 inch water main. We can use that, well done darling don’t forget to mark its position on the map for future use.
That night after dark the pair emerged from the woods and used the pipe bridge to cross the gulley and river 100 ft below, and by morning they were resting up in a storm drain a good five miles further south.
Eleven days later the couple were sat on top of a hillock near Warminster army camp enjoying a hot stew from a 24 hour ration pack they had collected from another survivalist called Mal who they knew via a mutual friend. Mal had said they were welcome to rest overnight, do their laundry, clean their kit, and have a good meal. When they left the next day Mal had presented them with a 24 hour ration pack each, some climbing rope, some spare carabineers, and a carrier bag of assorted meals from other part used ration packs. Last but not least Mal had been told to give the pair a crossbow from the mutual friend’s cache of gear he left with him. So Darren was now kitted out with an elderly but a still very functional Barnett Wildcat Crossbow with a 4x scope and a small bag with 10 spare bolts and spare two strings.
As they sat enjoying their meal and feeling the sun warm their backs they heard a sound, a very rare sound these days, it was a motorcycle engine. Darren jumped up and using his wife’s field glasses he looked for the source of the sound. Finally he saw the motorbike as it rounded a curve in the road, it stopped and the rider scanned the area ahead of him then he looked up at the skyline, he eyes immediately spotted Darren looking down at him.
The rider swung a pair of field glasses in Darren’s direction stopping briefly on Darren but quickly scanning the rest of the hilltop until he spotted Helen. At that he stopped, waved to ensure Darren and Helen were watching and then produced a large piece of yellow paper with the symbols of RZ=? written on it. The rider held up the piece of paper or card so he could be sure Darren could read it.
At the top of their voices Darren and Helen shouted down the hill to the very large and bearded biker “Rendezvous”, but the biker waved to say wait and he leant over and turned off his bike engine.
The biker then took off his helmet and then put both hands to his ears to signal the couple to shout again. “RENDEZVOUS” they yelled and this time the biker gave thumbs up in response.
The coupled grabbed their gear and set off down the hill towards the biker Darren keeping the loaned crossbow loaded and cocked as they approached the biker who was by now brewing a hot drink by the side of the road.
After tense introductions all three realised they were among allies from the same preppers forum and Paul the biker had been hoping to find this couple en-route to their destination as he had agreed with quite a few people from the preppers forum to try and help them the first time they came into Paul’s area for the initial RZ.
Paul asked the couple to camp overnight at the layby and promised to come back in the morning, sure as the sun rises the next morning the couple heard the familiar sound of the bike coming back. As Paul rolled into the layby they were tickled to see his motorcycle was towing a trailer. Paul loaded their rucksacks and a bemused Darren into the trailer with instructions to watch in case anyone was following.
Then Paul and Helen mounted the bike and all three rode off to the place Paul and wife Jane had naturally migrated towards in order to set up the southern RZ Glastonbury. Glastonbury was that chosen location a place revered by millions and a place noted since the dark ages as a place that was special. Glastonbury was where the new community in the southwest would do their bit to start rebuilding society.
Next day Darren and Helen found themselves being guided by Jane around the Rendezvous they had set up. Jane was seen by most of the gatherings attendees as an apothecary, she used her years of experience in herbalism and foraging to build up a huge range of potions, lotions and knowledge, and that knowledge was greatly in demand these days.
Helen soon managed to start bartering by trading the climbing rope, carabineers and spare 24 hour ration pack meals for other items they needed. Darren spent the next few days teaching the three R’s to the kids of other preppers and survivalists who were desperate to ensure that even during a crisis their kids got an education. By the end of the week the couple had what they needed and established firm friendships and contacts with other preppers and knew that in 3 months’ time another RZ would be held.
The beginnings of a new dawn perhaps?

The Convoy
The four vehicle convoy was parked up in a layby shielded from the main road by a crescent shaped barrier of trees and shrubs, the crewmembers of the convoy pottered about doing various jobs such as tightening up straps and tie-down ropes, greasing tow-ball hitches, checking tyre pressures and oil levels whilst they waited for the last member of their group who was out ahead of the group on a trail bike checking the route ahead. As always one of the group stood guard with a crossbow and a pair of field glasses.
Just over 2 hours later the guard first heard the little motorcycle’s engine long before he saw the machine itself, and five minutes later the motorcycle was back with the convoy and its rider briefing the group. This little Honda XL125 trail bike had certainly earned its place in the group’s inventory as it was ideal for scouting and patrolling its tiny 123cc 4 stroke engine was very quiet as was its exhaust note.
“As we thought the main roads are blocked with abandoned vehicles, the smaller ones too, but I have found a way through. We will have to move only one vehicle to get by one blockage and a short cross country trip will get us past the other blockage. Its only 12 miles as the crow flies but the trip meter on the bike makes it a little over 22 miles with all the diversions. The Jimny will lead followed by the F150, I want the van next behind the F150 because I reckon there is a risk its 2 wheel drive system will get stuck when we have to leave the road for about 100 feet going uphill until we bypass the landslip on the A689, and before we go across that piece of track I want the F150 set up with its tow rope already attached to the van.
There are signs of people still living in the area so I don’t want us getting the van stuck where we may come under fire. The Landy will bring up the rear. We leave as soon as the bike is reloaded onto the carrier on the back of the van.” Crook should be the last of the larger communities we have to skirt before we are clear of the lowland areas.
The Jimny set off followed a few minutes later by the rest of the convoy, conversation over the CB radios (27FM) was prohibited unless an ambush or other serious emergency occurred, the group did not want anyone triangulating the convoys positions or eavesdropping on the groups plans.
The Jimny had its pre-arranged route to follow and the other 3 vehicles would follow behind a few minutes later, everyone knew where the agreed stops would be and an alternative meeting place should they have to scatter in a hurry.
Just over 12 miles later the main part of the convoy approached the location of the Jimny the little Suzuki was exactly where it was supposed to be and its 3 person crew were out of the vehicle. One man had coupled a steel tow wire to the big old Volvo blocking the road, they had tried to push it out the way but either the transmission or brakes (or both) were totally jammed on, besides the near side from suspension was firmly impaled on the remnants of a steel bollard. The two others from the Jimny’s crew were deployed as guards one by the Jimny itself and the other about 20 feet past the wrecked Volvo.
In one fluid motion the F 150 drove up to the guy with the tow wire and the Landy moved to just behind the Suzuki, it took less than 20 seconds for the man with the tow wire to pass it through the towing eye on the F150, loop it back and fasten it with a shackle. Immediately the girl driving the F150 popped it into reverse and slowly took up the strain on the wire. The Volvo was reluctant to move at first but with a few sharp tugs by the F150 the Volvo was torn free and pulled aside.
With equal fluidity the crew of the Jimny uncoupled the tow wire from both vehicles and stowed in their little 4x4 and re-boarded their vehicle before taking point again. Less than six minutes had passed before the survivors had cleared the blockage and were on their way again.
That evening the 4 vehicles were hidden in an empty and abandoned retained Fire station (retained stations had volunteer crews and were normally unmanned) The survivors took the opportunity to cook a good meal on the gas burning stove in the firemen’s rest room.
The crew of the F150 were especially pleased to be able to cook a meal without it smelling of diesel as up to then much of their food had been prepared by wrapping it in foil and placing it on the exhaust manifold of the pickup, cooking the food with the heat from the vehicles exhaust. The van crew had benefitted from a tiny 12V microwave oven for much of their journey, but the group as a whole all enjoyed eating a communal meal sat round a table. All water supplies were now considered to be risky so by default the water they used in the fire station was first put through the Berkfield filter that was part of the vans fittings.
They rested overnight in the Fire station with everyone taking turn for 2 hours at standing guard, once overnight in the very distance one of them heard two shots, but it was so distant he did not raise the alarm.
Next morning after repacking, reloading and checking over the vehicles the convoy set off again, by mid-morning they had found one extra hazard they had to deal with, it was a minor land slip from a farmer’s field which has deposited a fair amount of soil and turf to a depth of about 12 inches right across the road. Again it was overcome by the convoy with the F150 pulling the van over the land slip. By noon they were in the upper dales and only had one more problem to deal with which was the issue of an entire chunk of the road had slipped away leaving a gap the full width of the road and some 40 feet long. Luck smiled on the convoy though because not 30 feet to the right of the landslip a forestry track paralleled the road and by knocking down a small dry stone wall either side of the landslip the convoy could gain access to the track and also regain access to the road. The diversion would be simply for the 4x4s but a challenge for the van.
The crews of the Landy and the Jimny went ahead and whilst one of them kept watch the others pulled down the dry stone walling, using a few of the rocks and slabs to help level out the incline that separated the road from the forestry track, Knocking down the wall and breaking a few saplings cleared enough room for the vehicles.
First up was the Jimny which went ahead and re-joined the road north of the landslip, its crew took up all round watch, next went the Landy which stopped just on the forestry track, the Landy was then connected by the steel tow wire to the F150, and the F150 was ready connected to the van as agreed earlier. Polypropylene and steel tow ropes had definitely earned their places in the preppers vehicle kits. When the signal was given the two 4x4s engaged low gear and set off making easy work of pulling the van up and onto the track. To prevent van from sliding off the track into the drainage ditches the towing vehicles just kept going along the track they did not pause until all the vehicles were on the other side of the landslip.
After everything was re-stowed and checked the convoy again set off with the Jimny still taking point
By late afternoon they were just pulling up alongside the part concrete block part steel prefab hill-farmers barn the group had leased some years earlier.
Unlike lowland barns these hilltop barns were solid draft proof structures with heavily re-enforced roofs to allow for the build-up of large amounts of snow. The large double door and single pedestrian access door were very close fitting to ensure both snow and vermin could not enter, and being less than ten years old it had a solid concrete floor not dirt like so many old barns.
The group went and unlocked the single door and entered the barn, the structure was lit only by the 10 clear triple wall Polycarbonate skylights set into the galvanised and zinc roof. The barn resembled a modern factory unit more than a traditional barn structure.
The group immediately opened the main doors and started offloading the equipment and supplies they had brought with them, they carried the supplies into the barn where the group had store two 36 foot x 12 foot used but still very serviceable mobile homes.
Over the next few hours they washed down the vehicles by the stream near the barn then reversed them into the barn, each one would be fired up and idled until warm at least once every 5 days. Outside the girls set up a selection of radio receiver aerials and a campers portable satellite dish hidden in a clump of gorse, the boys set up a modest sized solar panel on the south facing rear wall of the barn, it was not massive either in size or power but was enough to provide a healthy charge for various batteries.
Inside in the barn was the equivalent of 4 cords of logs machine cut and split to feed the wood burning stoves set in each mobile home (vented through the roof). Almost twenty x 20 litre water containers were filled from the stream, treated and brought into the barn to ensure they had a good supply of stored water.
Last but not least using a gardeners 4 wheeled cart the group hauled nearly 20 potted shrubs of the same variety and type as those that bordered the B road that the access path to the barn ran from, the group laboriously planted the shrubs across the turn off from the road and spent nearly another two hours brushing, shovelling and locating fauna and flora to disguise the entrance track to their retreat.
Once closed off the only way out from the retreat would be across the ford and up over the grouse keeper’s track that led its way back to the road but nearly two miles further up the hillside. This group could survive here for nearly six months perhaps seven if they were strict with their food rationing.
Now all they could do was wait and pray that things would settle in time and they would not be discovered.
The Old Fort
Roger and Chris crested the hill and stopped for a rest, five weeks after sailing from Whitby and creeping along ever so slowly and never letting the coast out of their sight they visited dozens of likely locations before finally dropped anchor in Cawsand Bay.
They snuck ashore at dusk and rested overnight in a campsite near Millbrook. They had previously spent months travelling across the UK seeking out families and groups of preppers whose details they had collected from the Prepper forums before the collapse. They were the accepted experts on joining up the dots, or more accurately identifying useable and tradable assets that the various groups and factions of widely dispersed survivalists had to offer for barter.
This particular venture came about because the group living in Stainsacre Hall near Whitby had with the help of the folks along the Esk valley managed to get the old Whitby to Darlington Railway line up and running again, they had 6 small steam locos but were currently running a small diesel railcar. It was fuelled by a mix of salvaged diesel from other locos, fuel from Thornaby Marshalling Yard, blended with a whopping great tank of Seed Rape oil they found on a farm. They estimated if they ran one train a day between Whitby up to possible as far as Shildon they had enough fuel to last just over 2 ½ years and this would open up access to a great deal of coal, timber, hill farms and abandoned lowland communities.
When the Whitby group had ventured down to Northallerton to salvage a replacement injector pump from a Pacer Railcar they knew to be stored there they came across a small group from Wensleydale who said if they could get a reliable supply of milk they could start making cheese and yogurt again in largish quantities. Essential nutrition with a good shelf life that is easy transportable was very desirable and the cheese plant they had control of could produce various types of cheese not just the local Wensleydale variety, but it needed milk and lots of it.
Roger and Chris had heard a whisper than some place along the south coast another group of survivalists had survived and had a healthy collection of small animals including apparently a lot of goats. The duo knew dairy cattle would be preferential but so long after the collapse they doubted that there were any cattle left alive in England, so goats would have to do providing they could find them.
So over five weeks previously they had set sail in a 31ft Yacht called ENTERPRISE they had found in Whitby harbour. With the help of the Whitby group they got the boat something close to seaworthy and chose to use it to recce the coast for other communities.
Chris had roughly painted the letters NCC1701 underneath the boats name in homage to the famous spaceship which earned him the nickname of Scottie of Roger. They had supplemented their meagre supplies with produce they found growing wild along the south coast and from line caught fish caught as they cruised down the coast.
For water they used a reverse osmosis filter to convert salt water into fresh water, and they played safe by passing the water through a British Berkfeld filter unit. Four small jerry rigged solar panels bolted to the cabin roof coupled to a small and very noisy micro turbine provided them with power for running a radio, fridge and small sonar unit.
The following day the duo set off west along the coast in the hope of finding a place high enough to give them a panoramic view of the area. Pretty soon they reached the top of one of the cliff side paths, as they paused Roger said “That doesn’t look right” whilst pointing at something in the distance. He got his mini binoculars from his DPM smock and dropped his Eagle Becker Patrol pack to the ground, but kept his BSA Ultra Carbine over his shoulder and focused his attention on a slope about 2 miles away. “Watcha make of that?” Roger said to Chris whilst passing his binoculars to his partner.
Chris peered through the glasses and scanned the area thoroughly then without lowering the glasses said “It’s one of the old Napoleonic era coastal forts I think, yes it must be the old Tregantle Fort that’s listed in the guide book we have been using to seek where preppers could be living”
Then Chris froze and turned to look at Roger and said “and if I’m not mistaken that is very closely cropped grass all around the outside of the fort, I can’t see anyone having enough time to be mowing grass any more can you?”
Two hours later they were being introduced to Neil who originated in Exeter who was a long term prepper as well as a noted chef. After a meal and washing up Neil and his people gave the duo a tour of the fort, Neil’s group had managed to get parts of the old accommodation block, offices, workshops and old cookhouse block operational mainly using wood burning stoves they salvaged from B& Q and Machine Mart after the collapse.
The forts old well had been uncapped and a wind driven lift pump brought water up for both the humans and animals to use. The animals were numerous and plentiful and housed in great comfort within the forts walls and gun enclosures. The neatly mown exterior of the fort leading down towards the ranges was through the actions of the goats being allowed out to forage during the daytime.
On top of the central redoubt they found solar panels working next to boards with jerky being sun dried on, shortages of sea salt for also preserving meat were not a problem here by the sea.
Next day they all got down to discussing trade, Yes the Tregantle community were more than happy to trade goats, goat meat, goat milk and goat skins with anyone. In return they had a desperate need for stuff like bitumen to repair roofs with, fishing nets (Whitby was awash with new unused nets) medicines vetinarian and human, a working vehicle, a DIY small scale bio diesel plant, new footwear.
More livestock were wanted to prevent inbreeding among their current stock. The skills of a Blacksmith and Leathermaker for at least twice a year visits. And especially hay and dried grasses for winter feed.
If they could get enough food for the animals they were willing to make the risky journey over to the Channel Islands to trade the islanders for a few of their cattle to start a breeding program again on the mainland.
Neil knew that there were still quite a few ponies alive on Dartmoor and back eastwards in the New Forest, and he had been told by a traveller called Gavin that wild boar were flourishing in the forest. Neil offered some very generous rewards for anyone who could bring him some young wild boars he could start his own herd with.
He was hoping that if he could he would catch some ponies before winter to break and train to pull small wagons from the beach up to the fort and to provide mounts for foraging patrols.
Neil’s people also raised the issue about fuel for the stoves and boilers, finding timber was becoming harder and harder as the months went by, They asked Chris and Roger to see if the people in the north east could arrange to ship coal that was very abundant across the north east all the way down to Tregantle. A stock of coal built up bit by bit over the spring and summer would massively improve the quality of life of the Tregantle community and reduce their workload in the long winter.
So the beginnings of new commercial links that would ensure the continuity and security of the preppers communities may be assured providing Chris and Roger returned safely to Whitby.