DRS
Waste Train Tracking.
On April 20th a single waste flask was seen on the way to Sizewell. While on March 30th four flasks were taken from Sellafield to Crewe.
New Publications
There are three new publications which feature DRS and the transport of Nukiller Waste flasks.
The first of these is a feature entitled: –
Those Mysterious Nuclear Flask Train Services. Trains & Wagons.
This is within the June-July edition of Modern Locomotives Illustrated, which has lots of glossy photographs.
Most importantly it includes a useful list of the Wagon Fleet,and the Flask Railheads.
The second of these publications is a book.
McAlone, David
The Railways and Britain’s Nuclear Industry
Key Publishing – 2020
ISBN: 9781913295653
What is particularly of interest with this book is that it contains not only photographs of the now very familiar spent fuel flasks, but all the other types of containers which radioactive waste are transported in.
Model Review
The current ( August 2021) edition of Railways Illustrated has a three page review about the new model OO gauge Accurascale KUA Nukiller Flask Wagons.
These Nukiller waste flask trains go from MOD Devonport and Rosyth to Sellafield. They have occasionally been used to transport Radioactive waste from Dounreay to Sellafield.
The article includes a very useful history of these flask wagons.
Of particular interest to note is the Radiation hazard and other signs on the wagons.
Short News Updates
Kick Nuclear Fukushima Pickets
JAN [ Japanese Again Nuclear ] and Kick Nuclear have restarted their regular pickets of the Japanese Embassy and TEPCO.
They are now held on the second and last Friday of each month.
11.00 – 12.30, 13.00-13.30.
Meanwhile in a statement recently made the head of TEPCO, it was stated that the company intends to restart some if their reactors.
While they intend to complete cleaning up the damaged Fukushima plant by 2051.
Workington Port Radioactive Storage
Cumbria County Council have said that the storing of up to 80 containers of radioactive scrap metal at the Port of Workington is “permitted development” requiring no discussion or vote.
Cumbria Coal Mine
There is now cartoon publication which explains just what the proposed new coal mine in Cumbria is all about. That includes the use it as a radioactive waste deposit once the mining has ended.
Spycops Targeted Anti Nukiller Activists
The Undercover Spycops Public inquiry has just published two SDS [ Special Demonstration Squad ] / Special Branch documents which refer to Anti Nukiller Protests, Torness, and SCRAM.
The first of them is the Special Branch report describing the development of the anti-nuclear movement in the UK
The second of these is the SDS annual report for 1980.
You can read more here: –
Secret papers reveal UK spied on Scottish anti-nuclear campaigners
Online Resources.
Emergency Exercises.
The Office of Nuclear Regulation [ ONR ] publishes Calender of Emergency Exercises, which can be found here.
This is a very useful list for local activists to note.
Future Events
– 64th Anniversary of the Windscale fire – October 10th.
– Fukushima Day – March 11th.
– The DRS Open Day – DRS have announced that this event will not take place this July, but that they do intend to hold it next year.
What Next ?
After what will be almost a year and a half of curtailed activities due to the pandemic we will need to kick start our work again.
In particular we will need to have a gathering of activists within the North West in order to work out how we focus our wok within the coming year.
In the meanwhile we will aim to hold a couple of small symbolic protests at both Capenhurst and Springfields over the coming months.