On the anniversary of the Windscale fire.
Author: martynlowe
Countering Capenhurst – Autumn 2025
We can not view URENCO and Capenhurst in isolation.
The activities of URENCO at Capenhurst are a key part of the way in the Nukiller industry operates, and need to be curtailed as a part of the campaign to close down all existing and proposed new reactors.
That is why we are equally concerned about what goes on at Whitehaven, Barrow,
Drigg, Springfield, and all the other existing nukiller plants.
This extends to a the mining of and transport of Uranium following through to that of dealing with Nukiller waste.
Given the size of all these problems we need to think about and commit ourselves to some very long term campaigning.
DRS
With the current closure of many parts of the West Cumbrian Railway line for repairs which started of late, we have not seen any reports of any waste trains going to or from Sellafield/Windscale.
The latest news report states that the tunnel under Whitehaven will be closed upon sometime in the spring of 2026.
It might therefore be expected that a lot of such flask movements will take place towards until the year.
DRS at 30
DRS marked a 30th anniversary during september.
URENCO and Capenhurst News
Slovakia and Urenco sign enriched uranium supply contract
Other News
Nukiller Waste
A new report by the Public Accounts Committee finds that the removal of nuclear waste from ageing buildings at Sellafield – the UK’s most
hazardous nuclear site – is progressing too slowly.
Letter to Nuclear Issues Board of Cumberland Council,
Plutonium, Public Money and a Perilous Nuclear Dump on the Lake District Coast, a Letter to Cumberland Council’s “Nuclear Issues Board”
Dungeness
Fire safety failings have been uncovered at the Dungeness plant in Kent.
Costing Sizewell C
The public could be expected to pay for up to £12bn of decommissioning costs
of the Sizewell C
Coming events
Future Actions
Leafleting about the DRS Nukiller Waste Trains
Some Nukiller Waste Trains leafleting has done in Warrington on several
occasions since July and more will be done over the next few months.
We would like to undertake more leafleting at such stations such as Preston, and Wigan.
We need more activists in order to make these events happen.
Countering Capenhurst – July 2025
DRS served an improvement notice by the ONR
‘The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served an improvement notice on a Carlisle-based specialist rail freight company that carries nuclear material.
In November 2024, Direct Rail Services Limited (DRS) temporarily suspended movements of UN Class 7 (radioactive material) dangerous goods when it was discovered that its appointed subcontractor was not complying with applicable regulations.’
DRS gets nuclear rocket from UK regulator
DRS has been handed an official Improvement Notice from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
https://www.railfreight.com/business/2025/07/16/drs-gets-nuclear-rocket-from-uk-regulator
URENCO and Capenhurst News Summary
Urenco announces no stabilisation for €500m bond offering
‘Urenco Finance N.V. announced Monday that no stabilisation activities were undertaken for its recent €500 million bond offering, according to a post-stabilisation notice issued by Deutsche Bank AG (ETR:DBKGn), Frankfurt.
The 10-year notes, guaranteed by Urenco Limited and its subsidiaries, carry a 3.625% coupon and are due on June 18, 2035. The securities were issued at a price of 99.415% with a spread of 116.3 basis points over the German government bond (DBR 2½ 02/35).’
Working with the RI
‘Urenco has teamed up with the Royal Institution (Ri) to support its interactive laboratory for young people.’
Other News
One of three National Union of Plutonium workers has reached a new deal with the Nukiller authorities.
‘Workers at Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) will now be represented in pay negotiations by the Prospect union, after a recognition agreement was signed between the two organisations.’
The other two National Unions of Plutonium workers are the GMB & Unite the Union.
New Build – £38bn for Sizewell C
Book Resource
Gibson, Neil
Line by Line: Cumbria
Amberley Publishing
Stroud, Gloucestershire – 2024
ISBN – 978 1 3981 0486 0
This is a book of photographs of trains passing through Cumbria taken between 2003 and 2023.
It includes many photos which show DRS engines hauling Nukiller Waste Flasks.
Coming events – Recent Events
Whitehaven, Barrow, Capenhurst, Springfield
Leafleting about the DRS Nukiller Waste Trains at Various Stations such as Preston, and Wigan.
Some leafleting was done at Warrington during July and more at other stations will be done over the next few weeks.
We need more activists in order to make these events happen.
Countering Capenhurst – Early Summer 2025
This issue of Countering Capenhurst is very much a news summary as we look at just what needs to be worked upon over the coming months.
DRS Flask Movements
On January 14th four flasks were taken via Crewe and Ullverston to Sellafield.
While on January 16th two DRS engines went from Crewe to Sizewell and back again.
Then on February 25th three flasks which were taken along the same route.
On March 29th a single flask was moved from Sellafield via Carlisle to Crewe.
At 08.00 on April 10th a single flask was seen heading north towards Sellafield.
On April 24th four flasks were taken to Sellafield from Crewe, while a single flask was taken back to crewe that afternoon.
NDA Marked All Fools Day
On All Fools Day (April 1st) it was the 20th anniversary of the NDA [ Nuclear Decommissioning Authority ] .
This is how the nukiller industry described it.
https://www.niauk.org/nda-celebrates-20-years-of-making-the-nation-safer
Windscale Site Crash Warning
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has issued a warning over a nukiller waste rail crash at the Sellafield / Windscake site.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74m1rxynkxo
Cumbrian Coast Line to close for 23 days
Network Rail has given advance warning that there will be a 23-day closure of the Cumbrian Coast Line between Sellafield and Workington from Saturday, 30th August.
The closure is on the line has been affected by water contaminated with ochre from abandoned mines flowing through the Bransty tunnel at Whitehaven before it is discharged into Whitehaven Harbour.
Capenhurst News Summary
Uranium’s Poison Power in Leafy Cheshire
Fukushima Remembered at URENCO, Capenhurst.
Costain lands three-year deal with Urenco
https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/costain-lands-three-year-deal-with-urenco/
Westinghouse Urenco Deal
Westinghouse and Urenco Sign First Agreement to Support Fuel for eVinci™ Microreactors
Costain wins design contract for Urenco HALEU facility
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/costain-wins-design-contract-for-urenco-haleu-facility
Other News
Capping work begins at UK’s Drigg repository
‘It’s [ the ] first time DRS has used its JNA-Z box wagons, with each train making the journey from Shap quarry to the Repository to deliver over 750 tonnes of material.’
https://www.neimagazine.com/news/capping-work-begins-at-uks-drigg-repository
Australia turns its back on new nukiller.
Coming events – Maybe
Whitehaven
Barrow
Capenhurst
Spreingfields
Leafleting about the DRS Nukiller Waste Trains at Various Stations such as Warrington, Preston, and Wigan.
We need more activists in order to make these events happen.
West Cumbria Railway Issues
Fires along the same West Cumbrian Train Route used by Nuclear WasteTrains should set alarm bells ringing say campaigners.
Campaigners in the North West have written to the Office for Nuclear Regulation and Network Rail expressing concerns that radioactive wastes continue to be hauled along the vulnerable West Cumbrian coastline from reactors in the south and from the north to the Sellafield nuclear waste plant.
Martyn Lowe from Close Capenhurst points out that “the Bransty Tunnel in Whitehaven is used regularly by nuclear waste coming from the north. The 1km long tunnel and tracks are being undermined by acid mine pollution so this along with the fires in the same area last weekend are a real cause for concern. “
The tunnel is set to be closed for 23 days from the 30th August to carry out infrastructure repairs but campaigners say that the continued transport of nuclear wastes through the tunnel should be permanently halted.
Campaigners point to the inadequacy of nuclear waste flasks to withstand the kind of tunnel fire already experienced in this country at the Summit Tunnel Fire between Manchester and Leeds in 1984 with heat rising well above 1500 degrees celsius. The reference fire for a nuclear flask is 800 degrees celsius, beyond this the flask is likely to release its radioactive contents. Nuclear waste flasks are pulled by two diesel engines rather than one electric engine to allow for the weight of the flasks and to ensure the flasks of nuclear waste can be moved if one engine breaks down.
Dear ONR and Network Rail
We are writing to express concern at the continued use of the West Coast Rail Line to transport nuclear waste flasks.
Radioactive wastes continue to be hauled along the vulnerable West Cumbrian coastline from reactors in the south and from the north to the Sellafield nuclear waste plant.
The Bransty Tunnel in Whitehaven is used regularly by nuclear waste coming from the north. The 1km long tunnel and tracks are being undermined by acid mine pollution so this along with the fires in the same area are a real cause for concern.
The tunnel is set to be closed for 23 days from the 30th August to carry out infrastructure repairs but the continued transport of nuclear wastes through the tunnel should be permanently halted.
Nuclear waste flasks would be unable to withstand the kind of tunnel fire already experienced in this country at the Summit Tunnel Fire between Manchester and Leeds in 1984 with heat rising well above 1500 degrees celsius. The reference fire for a nuclear flask is 800 degrees celsius, beyond this the flask is likely to release its radioactive contents.
Nuclear waste flasks we understand pulled by two diesel engines rather than one electric engine to allow for the weight of the flasks and to ensure the flasks of nuclear waste can be moved if one engine breaks down. This transport of nuclear wastes is clearly a danger to the public.
yours sincerely
Marianne Birkby
Radiation Free Lakeland
https://radiationfreelakeland.substack.com/
Martyn Lowe
Close Capenhurst
http://close-capenhurst.org.uk/
Countering Capenhurst – Winter 2025
This is having to be a short issue of Countering Capenhurst as we have had to deal with a lot of other priority issues over the last few months.
DRS Flask Movements
On December 21st four flasks were taken from from Sellafield to Crewe.
News Summary
Almelo
Expansion of Urenco’s Dutch enrichment plant under way.
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/expansion-of-urencos-dutch-enrichment-plant-under-way
Coming events
Capenhurst on Fukushima Day.
March 11th 14.00 onwards.
This event is to show our opposition to the continual use and development of the plant.
Barrow
March 22nd
CND national demonstration about the nukiller submarines being built at the shipyard.
Leafleting from noon Onwards in the town centre, with a rally on the High Level Bridge over the Devonshire Dock Bridge.
Please note that there are No Vegan or Vegetarian food outlets in the town – so please remember to bring your own food.
Countering capenhurst – New year 2025
This is very much an update edition of Countering Capenhurst as we are very overstretched with having to deal with a number of other important issues at present.
That said we could do with a few more activists to help out with the work – Especially to join us leafleting the various stations with the DRS nukiller waste trains go through. If you can help out that way then do email us.
DRS Flask Movements
On August 21st two flasks were taken from Sellafield to crewe, with one more on the same route upon the 22nd.
On saturday September 28th an single flask was observed going north from Sellafield towards Carlisle.
On October 8th two flasks from Hinkley left Bridgewater going north towards Crewe.
While on October 23rd four flasks were taken from Crewe to Sellafield.
Then on november 16th two flasks were taken from Sellafield to Crewe.
These are just a few of the nukiller waste train movemens which are regularly conducted by DRS.
News Summary
Civil Nukiller Police update.
Labour party politician Ed Miliband orders armed police to guard gas terminals.
https://www.gbnews.com/politics/ed-miliband-armed-police-gas-terminals-eco-zealot-climate-protesters
Urenco to continue supplying enriched uranium to Czech nuclear plants
Russia reduces uranium exports to the US: What’s next?
https://news.az/news/russia-reduces-uranium-exports-to-the-us-what-s-next
The 2024 George Monbiot Award Nukiller Greenwash award.
Sellafield’s “Social Impact Multiplied” Wins Greenwash Award for “The Edge” Water Sports Centre in Contaminated Harbour.
News from the Capenhurst Plant
Chester MP visits site of £196m nuclear power investment
‘ THE MP for Chester South and Eddisbury has visited Urenco UK’s nuclear facility at Capenhurst following the announcement in May that £196m would be spent on a new uranium enrichment facility.
Approval given for the demolition of three buildings at Capenhurst.
https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/24842927.chester-business-gets-approval-demolish-buildings/
Coming events
Capenhurst on Fukushima Day.
March 11th
Details to be confirmed in the new year.
Barrow
March 22nd
CND national demonstration
Work For Peace.
[ Please note that there are No Vegan or Vegetarian food outlets in the town ]
Countering Capenhurst – September / October 2024
While so many people are just concentratng upon what is happening within one area of the world, we comtinue to focus upon the nukiller issue which has global consequences.
DRS Flask Movements
On April 17th two flasks and on May Day [ May 1st ] two more from windscale [ Sellafield ] to Crewe. We do not know their final destinations.
While on May 20th a single flask was moved from Sellafield to Crewe, and exactly the same happened on july 30th.
There were also flasks moved from Windscale [ Sellafield ] to Crewe on June 1st & July 2nd, with flasks were taken in the opposite on June 20th.
The Last DRS Open Day at Carlisle ?
On July 6th we went and handed out leaflets at the DRS open day at Carlisle.
What was very obvious to us is that far fewer people attended the event than in previous years. This was confirmed to us having viewed the 4 your tube videos of the event. In past years there was always a lot more your tube videos to view.
Having previously being an annual event, it is now a biannual event, with the next one being scheduled to take place at Crewe.
Given the above we wonder if all future events will only be held at Crewe.
Americium-241
Americium-241 has been found in the harbour at Whitehaven.
It is is produced when plutonium absorbs neutrons in nukiller reactors and nukiller weapons tests.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americium
https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/176296.pdf
URENCO News Summary
Capenhurst Toxic Warning.
‘ Toxic acid leak at nuclear site ‘put workers at risk’
A watchdog said no workers were harmed but it had the potential to cause more serious consequences
Companies on a nuclear site were served improvement notices following an acid leak and a risk assessment shortfall. Watchdog, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), told a tenant and contractor on the Urenco UK site they must improve the safety of its operations.’
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/toxic-acid-leak-nuclear-site-29831937
IAEA Centre of Excellence(sic) launched at Capenhurst
‘ An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Centre of Excellence for Safeguards and Non-Proliferation has been launched at uranium enrichment services provider Urenco’s Capenhurst site in the UK. The centre will be fully operational in 2025.’
That is not how we would ever describe just what goes on at any URENCO site.
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-Centre-of-Excellence-launched-at-Capenhurst
New Urenco Office
Urenco has signed a 10-year lease to occupy 25,186 sq ft in Paddington, W2.
https://www.egi.co.uk/news/great-western-developments-signs-nuclear-firm-for-paddington-office/
Hex Costs
Nuclear fuel costs soar as conversion and enrichment bottleneck strains supply
‘ Russia controls 22% of global uranium conversion capacity and 44% of enrichment capacity.’
Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce to sell stake in mini-nukes arm
Engineering giant seeks fresh funds as backers’ £280m and government’s £210m due to run out.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/08/03/rolls-royce-sell-stake-mini-nukes-arm/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rolls-royce-small-modular-reactor-design-com
Resources
With so few activists and so many issues to currently deal with we recommend that everyone subscribes to the Radiation Free Lakeland website.
https://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/
Coming events
October 10th
To mark the anniversary of the 1957 Windscale [ Sellafield ] fire in Cumbria, the Close Capenhurst Campaign and Radiation Free Lakeland will soon be announcing who has won the fourth George Monbiot Award.
Countering capenhurst – June 2024
DRS
The Febrary 21st to March 5 issue of the Rail magazine has an article about some of the Class 68 train engines which are used by DRS. It includes a photo of a waste flask in transite to Heysham.
Flask Movements
On Febrary 28th a single flask was taken from Crewe to Sellafield Windscale. While on March 3rd three flasks were transported from the plant via Crewe,
Derailment
Furness Line track was damaged two days before derailment
This derailment was on a part of the route which is used by DRS to move Nukiller waste flasks.
DRS – From Winfrith to Drigg
In January DRS completed transporting some 1068 drums of low level nukiller waste from the former nukiller reactor at Winfrith in Dorset to Drigg.
This process started during march of 2022.
The open question is just how much more radioactive waste might land up at Drigg ?
DRS Open Day
The next DRS Open Day will be held on saturday July 6th at their Carlisle Kingsmore Depot.
We will be holding another lafleting event outside the event from 10.30 to 15.30.
News and resources updates
British nuclear site Sellafield to be prosecuted for cybersecurity failures.
https://therecord.media/sellafield-site-prosecution-nuclear-facility-cybersecurity
The IAEA’s nuclear fairy tales are leading nations — and all of us — into climate catastrophe.
https://dont-nuke-the-climate.org/blog/iaea-nuclear-fairy-tales
Nuclear supplier near Ellesmere Port given improvement order
Congress Approves Ban on Imports of Enriched Uranium From Russia
https://www.powermag.com/congress-approves-ban-on-imports-of-enriched-uranium-from-russia/
Capenhurst Strike
Around 500 staff at the Urenco Nuclear site in Capenhurst voted for industrial action after pay talks broke down
https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/cheshire-nuclear-workers-vote-to-strike
Nuclear workers in Cheshire vote to strike
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw0vvdr0xylo
Almelo
Urenco receives permit for new waste store at Almelo
https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsurenco-receives-permit-for-new-waste-store-at-almelo-11779117
Coming events
This summer there will be a demonstration at Barrow where the various nukiller submarines are built.
and
Outside of the annual DRS open day event at Carlisle this coming July.
More information once the exact dates for these events have been announced.
Countering Capenhurst – Winter 2024
Whitehaven
The condition of the Whitehaven train tunnel and harbour can only be described as a disaster in the making.
We have now learnt that the speed limit within the Whitehaven train tunnel has dropped from 20 to 10 miles an hour.
While there are still nukiller waste flasks and passenger trains going through it.
Here is some more background informayion on the current situation.
Whitehaven railway tunnel testing to find source of orange water
Fukushima Day
We were planning to mark Fukushima Day outside the Heysham Nukiller plant. That is another reactor which will be subject to rising tides in the next few years.
However, give the current situation we will be marking it at Whitehaven this year.
This will be a CCC and Radiation Free Lakelands event starting at Noon.
More details very soon.
DRS
Flask Movements
On November 14th there was another flask taken to Sellafield, while on the 15th one was taken from Sellafield to the Barrow Marine terminal.
Renaming the DRS Engines.
DRS, just like all of the railway companies, delights in giving names to its various train engines.
Such as Promethius, Titan, Astute [ Which is also the name of a class of nukiller submarines which are being built at Barrow ] , Achilles, etc.
In fact they make a feature of having a naming event at each of their open day events.
Yet if they were to be much more honest about what they do then the engines would be renamed again.
Here are some of the names which they might more reasonably become: –
Calder Hall, Windscale, Crockfords Folly, Dante, or Drigg.
You might like to make a few suggestions of your own.
News and resources updates
Cyber-hackers target UK nuclear waste company RWM
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/31/cyber-hackers-target-uk-nuclear-waste-company-rwm
Uranium Prices
One of the most important long term reasons why we need to stop nukiller power is just what it will cost us all.
What has been of note for a while is just how the price of uranium has been increasing. Though the clean up cost of mining it is never mentioned by those who promote it.
https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/uranium
Uranium surge after Kazakh mine cuts.
https://www.mining.com/web/uranium-stocks-extend-surge-after-kazakh-miner-cuts-output/
‘ In the midst of geopolitical tensions and energy security concerns, the head of Urenco, the largest western supplier of enriched uranium for nuclear plants in the US, asserts that his company stands ready to replace Russian supplies if Washington enacts a ban on imports from Russia. ‘
https://thedeepdive.ca/western-nuclear-supplier-prepared-to-replace-russian-uranium-says-urenco-ceo/
Flood Danger Warning
Cumbria emergency services on major incident alert as Storm Isha hits.
Operations at the Sellafield nuclear site were suspended as a precautionary measure amid the weather warnings.’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-68050372
We should expect many more such warnings in the years to come.
Book Reference
Plokhy, Serhii
Atoms and Ashes: From Bikini Atoll to Fukushima
Penguin Book – Paperback – 31 Aug. 2023
ISBN 978-0141997179
This very readable book covers some of worst nukiller disasters which have taken place so far. That includes the windscale fire.
It is an excellent book for all activists to use.
Coming events
This summer there will be a demonstration at Barrow where the various nukiller submarines are built.
and
Outside of the annual DRS open day event at Carlisle this coming July.
More information once the exact dates for these events have been announced.