[D]o you have a piece of Sellafield history that could help tell the story of one of its most famous plants – the Thermal oxide reprocessing plant (Thorp)?
Perhaps you’ve got artefacts or memorabilia from when it was built, pictures of former workmates in your photo album, or an old poster rolled up under your desk?
If so, you could help celebrate Thorp’s final ‘shear’ in November.
The milestone will mark the end of reprocessing operations at the facility after 24 years.
In that time it received, reprocessed tens of thousands of tonnes of spent nuclear fuel.
Thorp’s customers spanned the world, from Hartlepool to Hamaoka, Japan.
To mark the end of operations, Sellafield Ltd is holding an exhibition at Whitehaven’s Beacon museum, compiling a commemorative book, and filming interviews with current and former employees for content to be shared via social media.
The company is looking for additional artefacts to help build the social history of this one-off feat of British nuclear engineering.
Head of Thorp Scott Macaualy said: “Thorp is one of Sellafield’s most enduring achievements.
“Just getting it built was a huge task requiring a public inquiry and a lobbying campaign led by local trades unions.
“It was Europe’s biggest building site when under construction and many of its internal features were world-firsts in nuclear safety design.
“Most of all though it has been a community. Generations of nuclear professionals learnt their craft there and safely operated the plant for quarter of a century.
“It’s this social history we’re interested in: personal stories, memories of former workmates, memorabilia from the plant’s past…
“It doesn’t have to be valuable or historically significant, it just needs to have a story to go along with it.”
Anyone interested in contributing should contact Sellafield Ltd’s visits team on 019467 77491 or email visit.requests@sellafieldsites.com
