I was under the impression that the RN stuck with the tried and tested medium pressure plants due to the fact they were tough and easy to repair with the facilities throughout the empire, which a efficient but highly stressed high pressure plant might not be. Also the UKs industry wasn't really up to making the high pressure engines, certainly from what I recall the steam piping on the high pressure plants was prone to leaks, also the RN would not pay for the water additives needed to keep the boilers clean.
Admiralty three drum boilers were tough reliable units, and actually quite economical at high speeds.
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That the tried and true types did have there advantages, despite the other advantages of their high pressure alternatives is well known. While the technical complexities of the High Pressure units are a concern, they could be overcome if need be. The main advantage of these newer designs will continue to be in economy, weight and space savings in both rebuilds and new designs. The main concern against them will indeed be the maybe unneeded extra efforts required to bring such units up to a proper operational standard, while at the same time staying proficient with the old designs, which as well will be further upgraded as they go.
One of the interesting spin offs of staying with the proven 3 drum design is that, as historical, it would help provide for a quicker catalyst in the development of new technoligies for motive power in the RN.
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Good update, however I cant see the RN decommissioning 12" battleships while the country is still at war, certainly channel fleet predreds would go first to be replaced by the 12" dreadnoughts.
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The issue of taking the 12" dreads out of commission relates to various factors, including manning, their general usefulness and budgetary needs as well. As well, they are geting long in the tooth when it comes to age, and very dangerous to their crews with their lack of proper underwater protection. They will be held initially at a reserve status, but at this point, they are really of little use, other than maybe a Mediterranean presence, but even that is not needed at this point.
The main point of understanding at this point is simply that other than 5 German dreadnoughts, along with a few cruisers and torpedo boats, there is no real foreseeable threat that the navy might face at this point that would require their presence. That the German threat can be better contained by new patterns of patrol, backed by an ample number of newer British dreadnoughts, there's so real reason to keep them going, and by their eventual full decommissioning, their crews will be freed up for other duties.
As to the pre-dreads, they are being wound down as well, there's really nothing left for them to do in many cases, and as well, due to their age, their collective cost of upkeep just to keep them at a rudimentary level of activity is expensive. Historically, the bullet of those costs was well bitten, simply due to the threat of the High Seas Fleet, and other commitments on the channel and in the Mediterranean. These threats do not exist here that would demand their active presence in this TL.
The fiscal realities that face Great Britain at this point are very large, and any way of finding economies will be sought out, with every penny saved meaning less interest on the already burgeoning debt load of the nation.
While the damaged units will be stripped of everything usable in a reasonably swift manner, as any of their salvaged equipment will be of better use, The pre-dreadnoughts will be dealt with first, starting with the oldest. It will be some time before the time will come for the three remaining 12" dreadnoughts to be scrapped, as a result.
Thanks for your comments, they are appreciated!
