The Atomics

Details how it affected a small and remote rural community, particularly the market town of Thurso, Caithness. 

Concentrates on the social history, and features numerous recollections of workers and people of the local community

Published to mark the 70th anniversary of Dounreay

The UK Government’s 1954 decision, made without any community consultation or public inquiry, to centre the country’s fast reactor R&D nuclear programme at Dounreay’s disused military airfield in Caithness, eight miles west of the town of Thurso, changed the fishing and farming county forever. 

Around 1,100 workers, labelled by the locals as ‘Atomics’, arrived from the South, and joined around 1,200 locals to operate three nuclear reactors. In one fell swoop, the continual depopulation of Caithness was reversed and Thurso’s population trebled from 3,200 to over 9,000 in only eight years. The recreational, economic, social and welfare upheaval was immense, but due to good foresight and planning by the UKAEA in conjunction with local councils and officials, social integration was viewed as successful. 

In 1988, the Government decided that fast reactor technology was not required and the last reactor was shut down in 1994. The world-leading pioneering work left a legacy of radioactively-contaminated facilities and environment.  Views by anti-nuclear campaigners are also featured so the book does not shy away from the controversy that surrounded Dounreay with its incidents, health scares, bad press and court fines.  The challenging work programme of clean-up, decommissioning and demolition will extend to the 2070s, and so Caithness and North Sutherland have time to prepare for life after Dounreay. 

As Dounreay slowly disappears from the skyline, could nuclear reactors make a dramatic comeback due to the Government’s revitalised nuclear build programme and energy security concerns? Whatever the future holds, enjoy the 70-year journey and discover how the incomers became labelled as the ‘Atomics’.