Med 076 BNFL Springfields Fuel for Nuclear Electricity c1986

[@beautifulsmall]

apprentice in 1983, The bonfire night had an aluminium dustbin filled with the swarf from the magnesium fuel rod manufacture. It was lit in the middle of a field and was the brightest light I have ever seen, the silhouette of people around the edge of the field could be seen on the houses further away. I liked working there and my dad worked there most of his working career. Also remember the alarm system that always beeped to say it was working and the critically RUN. as an apprentice intro we were passed a bar of U238, it felt like it was trying to pull through your hand. amazing and rare .

[@joesprinter8202]

I worked here during this period when the workforce was over 4000. To see it now and you would wonder if it ever happened at all. I remember the training centre and all its characters, even those in the film. The site was opened up to the public for an open day that year to celebrate 40 years of production. I'm sure it was in another life....

[@markhowards420]

I wonder if 26bldg. is still wick?

[@joesprinter8202]

@@markhowards420 If there's any of it left, it won't be good. I was in there in the mid 80s, I can't believe that I put up with it for as long as I did...

[@PNEKarl]

I loved my time as an apprentice at Springfields. 1977, I was 16 years old. My first wage packet was £17.77. Mr Ward, my 1st trainer. Scared the death out of me but taught me well. I have great respect for him. He was like the Dad I never had. Thank you Hubert! I went on to spend 20 happy years at Springfields. I loved my job. I was a toolmaker. It was more of a hobby than a job.

[@joesprinter8202]

@@PNEKarl Nice words mate, you'd be in the same year as Pat and Dilly?

[@PNEKarl]

@@joesprinter8202 Hmmm...? Pat and Dilly? My memory's not so good. Where did they work? Canteen? BNFL had a great canteen. Proper meals. Dinner tickets. The best :-)

[@PNEKarl]

1977. 16 years old. Just passed my exams. I barely had pubes! English, Maths, Metalwork and Woodwork I left school and entered into the adult world. First day, September the 5th 1977, coincidentally Freddie Mercury's birthday. I'm a big Queen fan. BNFL was 8 miles away. There was a works bus daily to take us to work. W74 I think? I stood at the bus stop. 07:00 am and waited. No show. I was waiting for a bus when it was a coach I should have been catching. A taxi ride later and I arrived for my first day of work. I lived that job. 20 years.

[@joesprinter8202]

Yeh, when I started I'd just failed my exams and was sent into solitary confinement behind those damn railings. I remember the yellow meal tickets that were worth 15p each. I must have been bad as I lasted 38yrs. Hubert incidentally lived into his 80s, I think he passed away in the early 2000s.

[@PNEKarl]

@@joesprinter8202 Nice one Joe. Thanks for the memory's. (or is it memories?) Hubert was like a Dad to me. Eric Banks was another mentor. I loved those days. Evening school at Tuson College was another memory. I remember the 15p dinner tickets. The BNFL canteen, travelled to by bus!, was excellent. The food was proper. I was knackered after a meal. All for pence!

[@PNEKarl]

Hubert gave me my first square block. As young apprentices we were to behave, if we misbehaved we'd be given a square block. We'd have to hacksaw through a 2 inch bar of steel. File the fucker to square. All six sides. It was hell. Nightmare :-(

[@col8981]

@@joesprinter8202 I did 46 years from 1973! No1 canteen was open then

[@col8981]

331, 337, 338, restaurant, RFL all gone