Dounreay Dome

[scotsboy]

I am speechless! "people come from all over the world to see the Dounreay dome"

I can see the holidaymakers saying at the Sphinx "To hell with this 100 degree sunshine, I canna be bothered with this 5,000 year old thing of beauty, let's go and see ee the manky 50 year old Dome o' Discovery in the peein rain"

As the well known saying goes "What a load of pish"

I have heard it all now.

The Loafer

Not everyone goes on holiday for Sunshine Loafer

[Loafer]

Not everyone goes on holiday for Sunshine Loafer

True, I am not a sunshine lover myself, just trying to make some sort of comparison.

Come on, the dome isn't herds of wildebeast, Sydney Opera House or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (apologies to Mr B Fawlty) is it??!!

I certainly haven't met strange accents in Thurso asking in awe of "The Dounreay Dome"

The Loafer

[TudorRose]

I am speechless! "people come from all over the world to see the Dounreay dome"

I can see the holidaymakers saying at the Sphinx "To hell with this 100 degree sunshine, I canna be bothered with this 5,000 year old thing of beauty, let's go and see ee the manky 50 year old Dome o' Discovery in the peein rain"

As the well known saying goes "What a load of pish"

I have heard it all now.

The Loafer

Hi Loafer,

Sorry if my post offended your sensibilities. I stand by my statement having worked at the Dounreay Visitor Centre for four years, I did indeed welcome thousands of visitors from around the World. Strange as it seems the people that had travelled so far, did indeed want to see the 'Dome'. Agreed, sometimes with our Caithness weather it wasn't always visible, white being the wrong colour when the harl comes in from the sea!

[TudorRose]

Not everyone goes on holiday for Sunshine Loafer

Thank you Scotsboy for that comment. We are all individuals with likes and dislikes. Some people like the Dome, some do not. Although I do have to say, I met an awful lot of Engineers from around the World during my time at the Visitor Centre.

Joking aside their is an awareness in other parts of the World of the great contribution made by the early pioneers of the nuclear industry at Dounreay.

[TudorRose]

I certainly haven't met strange accents in Thurso asking in awe of "The Dounreay Dome"

The Loafer

Have you thought Loafer maybe they didn't stop in Thurso. The people I met were either going on to Orkney or travelling West!

Just a thought!

[achingale]

I am speechless! "people come from all over the world to see the Dounreay dome"

I can see the holidaymakers saying at the Sphinx "To hell with this 100 degree sunshine, I canna be bothered with this 5,000 year old thing of beauty, let's go and see ee the manky 50 year old Dome o' Discovery in the peein rain"

As the well known saying goes "What a load of pish"

I have heard it all now.

The Loafer

According to books written about the Dome this is actually true Loafer. People have come from all over the world to see it. I have friends who have come for visits from abroad and they wanted to visit Dounreay because they had heard about it on the news or seen articles in magazines about the pioneering work done there. Ok it is not high on the agenda like Groats, Wick or Thurso but people do want to see it. I think it should be preserved and always have because I was led to believe that was precisely what was going to happen a few years back. I for one back the campaign although I wait and see if it makes the slightest difference, but at least there are people out there giving it a go and they can turn round and say they tried to preserve our modern history.

[John Little]

"The UKAEA frequently uses the word 'iconic' in their publications when writing about the Dounreay sphere. It is an appropriate description, its silhouette is universally recognised in much the same way as, for example, the Forth Road Bridge.
But it is also more than that. It is a symbol of how man's quest to stretch the boundaries of his knowledge in pursuit of energy took him to the north coast of Scotland; how there, a construction force gave form to the dream of both scientist and engineer, and how it all changed forever the social and economic structure of the area.
In short, it forms part of the evolving history of Caithness.
But the sphere has a symbolism that stretches beyond Caithness. In itself, and what it represents, it is triumph for British
engineering. With little more than their own intuition and a blank piece of paper, engineers and scientists set down their thoughts on what they considered to be the holy grail, energy that reproduced itself. Once they were satisfied that they had the answer to this alluring quest, there remained the type of structure in which to contain their dream.
The answer was a sphere, the shape ancient Greek scholars considered to be the perfect shape. Its construction was a major engineering feat. Shaped from flat pieces of steel, it formed the largest spherical object in the world.
Today, the sphere is dramatic evidence of a golden period for British scientists, engineers and craftsmen whose skills ensured that the dream of that group who sat down with that blank sheet of paper, bore fruit.
Wouldn't it be ironic if UKAEA destroyed the very symbol of their own presence in Caithness?"

http://www.dounreay.com/UserFiles/Fi...News_Mar07.pdf

[orkneycadian]

If they are anyways like Orkney Islands Council, I wouldn't get too nostalgic.

OIC had a prime chance to save an equally iconic (for Kirkwallians) piece of heritage in the shape of the Black Building, but despite protests, petitions and whatnot, they tore it all down anyway and are in the process of turning it into housing plots!

[Phill]

Some interesting points of view so far.

We will be adding a page to the website where people can share their thoughts, views, experiences and support for the Dome. Or any other input they like to share, anecdotes, working experience, photos etc.


Please feel free to email: info@dounreaydome.org.uk
(Privacy will be respected)

or PM me directly.

[John Little]

The DFR, which featured in a postage stamp in the 1960s, was the world's first fast-breeder reactor to produce electricity. It was included along with the Forth road and rail bridges on a list of modern sites of significance drawn up by the International Council on Monuments and Sites.


http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/..._DFR_dome.html

[achingale]

Maybe this thread and the 'demolish' thread should be merged??

[crayola]

I read the following in the Groat article from 2007 posted above....

The UKAEA and Historic Scotland had a so-called gentlemen's agreement that the sphere would not be listed until after it is stripped out and decontaminated. But that would be shelved were the current study to condemn the building.

Two senior officials from Historic Scotland, chief inspector Malcolm Cooper and Deborah Mays, head of listing, visited the site last Wednesday. Dr Mays said yesterday: "We had a positive meeting with Dounreay's managers and discussed plans to devise a heritage strategy for the future of the iconic features of the site.

"There is a lot of interest in seeing the dome preserved as it is a popular landmark but this must be balanced with the critical realities of the decontamination exercise. The heritage strategy will consider the options and include consultation with the public and UK heritage experts.
"We will continue to work with UKAEA to look at options for recognising this technological achievement within the context of the decommissioning process."

The DFR, which featured in a postage stamp in the 1960s, was the world's first fast-breeder reactor to produce electricity. It was included along with the Forth road and rail bridges on a list of modern sites of significance drawn up by the International Council on Monuments and Sites.

Dr Deborah Mays is quoted as saying

There is a lot of interest in seeing the dome preserved as it is a popular landmark but this must be balanced with the critical realities of the decontamination exercise.

I have read the DSRL/Atkins report and I fail to see any advice from any independent radiation contamination experts!

Did DSRL consult any experts at all or did they they convince Atkins and Historic Scotland that they are the experts and that independent corroboration is not required? It seems to me that the dome's condemnation due to claims of contamination is purely down to DSRL. An inside job if you like.

Have Historic Scotland and perhaps also Atkins been duped by DSRL? The response to DSRL's report suggests to me that that is indeed the case and that is something I suggest is not good. Indeed it seems to me that no independent experts have been consulted at all!

Where are the historians' reports? Where are the independent engineers' reports? Where are the architectural historians' reports? And where are independent radiation experts' reports?

From what I read in DSRL's report, Atkins have been paid by DSRL to do a job and they have done the job that DSRL paid them to do. Where is the objectivity in that?

[Phill]

Where are the historians' reports? Where are the independent engineers' reports? Where are the architectural historians' reports? And where are independent radiation experts' reports?

From what I read in DSRL's report, Atkins have been paid by DSRL to do a job and they have done the job that DSRL paid them to do. Where is the objectivity in that?

Errm, well.......in summary.....errrr....well spotted!

[hunter]

Does your misty-eyed nostalgia for a golden era include the same people who spewed the toxic crap from the dome into the seabed.

That's the sort of fruit I can liove without, thank you.

Maybe your energy would be better spent finding a way to clean up the mess left by these people, than painting them as some sort of angels who saved the universe blah blah.

They turned the land into a toxic no-go zone and they've done the same with the sea.

Keep the dome by all means - as a reminder of how stupid and wreckless people can be with the environment and people's health.

Heroes?

I dont think so.

[rob murray]

Fair points, which are unchallengable, Dounreay "management" over the years, have a lot to answer for..my basic point is to keep the Dome so as to commerate the thousands of ordinary people involved in the construction process and thereafter the day to day running of the place..the unsung heroes if you like...Dounreay was and is the economic centre of Caithness and North West Sutherland. I also believe that if you can "commodify" the Falls and Shankill as tourism attractions, then you can easily turn the Dome and related historical / scientific achievements into a post Dounreay, viable tourism centred business..I sincerley believe this. Maybe the powers to be wish to eradicate the Dome, but that lets them of the hook doesnt it..erase it and erase over 50 years of human experience...good bad and indifferent ! Im for a permanent memorial.

[rob murray]

Does your misty-eyed nostalgia for a golden era include the same people who spewed the toxic crap from the dome into the seabed.

That's the sort of fruit I can liove without, thank you.

Maybe your energy would be better spent finding a way to clean up the mess left by these people, than painting them as some sort of angels who saved the universe blah blah.

They turned the land into a toxic no-go zone and they've done the same with the sea.

Keep the dome by all means - as a reminder of how stupid and wreckless people can be with the environment and people's health.

Heroes?

I dont think so.

Heres a quote I pulled from the Org

"It is not clear how history will finally judge the fast reactor concept. What is not in doubt is the vision of the engineers and scientists behind the concept. When they started out they had no detailed template for the design of a 60MW reactor. All they had to guide them was their brilliant engineering and scientific design intuition"

Fair enough...dependant on your view point of history, the entire project impact can be seen positively or negatively.... pushing the boundaries yes indeed...but no mention of the footsoldiers..the concrete labourers, steel fixers, scaffolders etc who built the thing !

[John Little]

Rob - you are in the right of it and that's about as eloquently as I have ever seen a thing. I've seen the videos and photos of the guys who actually built that thing- knee deep in sea water in winter and working all weathers.

It's about them building something unique in the world and the biggest of all that were built.

I suppose it takes a local to see it clearly but you have the heart of the matter - I take my hat off to you sir.

[Phill]

The Facebook group currently has over 300 members showing their support for the Dome.

We are also very pleased to have the support of Sir Tam Dalyell, the former MP has taken a keen interest in and strongly supports our campaign to save the Dome.

[Phill]

Lord Maclennan
Jamie Stone MSP
Anything Radioactive
Authors Daud Sutton & Rene Cochlin

And more importantly a slow but steady growth to the Facebook group.

Do not be sold the easily the idea that after the scientific achievements and the hands on work by many, many people that UKAEA / DSRL / Govt' can walk away after leveling the site and fencing it off.

The area deserves acknowledgment. The people who built and worked the DFR, and the whole site, deserve celebration.

What better way than through the world recognised iconic structure?

[hunter]

I've read a lot of misty-eyed love for a giant rusting ball, but no-one seems to have any idea what to use it for or how they will pay for it.

The ringmaster here can't be campaigning to keep it for the asthetic value, since he lives in Kent and would need the eyesight of Superman.

I laugh when you accuse the nuclear industry of exaggerating the danger of radiation. That must be a first!