1984 What a Year!

The Fairey Group and me 1984 >

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1984 was quite a significant year in my life, I returned to the UK after spending almost a decade living and working in a number of counties on the near continent, The Netherlands being my main residence. I responded to a job vacancy advertised by Fairey Engineering Ltd (FEL) of Stockport, after a successful interview and medical, my employment began on May Day 7th of May 1984. I moved to a new house to live locally and this is how I met my wife to whom I’ve been with for 37 years.

1984 was an eventful year, whilst being employed by FEL the sister company Fairey Construction Ltd (FCL) of Warrington were recruiting to man up the Heysham II and Torness Nuclear Power Station “Combined Core Erection” projects, I joined FCL in the October and started working alongside Mr W Kennedy “Bill”. The FCL facility had a reduced size mock-up of a reactor dome ( the main mock-up was at Heysham II site) this rig was some 3 meters off the ground so that a full length Fuel Guide Tube (FGT) could be fitted in to the reactor sleeve and allowed to move freely during the welding process replicating the actual build process. When the FGT was tacked in and in a true vertical position, the purge fixed to the underside of the joint, four DTI gauges located at the bottom of the FGT and fixed at North, South, East and West were set to zero “0”?(the purpose of the DTI’s was to measure the degree of deflection during welding and permanent set after welding).

The orbital Tig welding was performed using a Uniquely modified Diametrics Gold Track “F-head”, the head was modified to enable the welding of a “J” prep where access would require the use of extended electrode holders with a 15 degree offset to accommodate the weld prep, a wired remote control was added to adjust the position of the tungsten electrode. Each complete weld consisted of 5 passes, all welds were started at North in accordance with the WPS, but to satisfy the inspecting body, welds were made to reflect as close as possible, Real Life scenarios such as working shift meal breaks, shift changes and reactor evacuation due to emergencies. So, welds were started and stopped at various points of the compass, DTI reading logged, and checked for deflection, welds were restarted and permanent set values recorded. Welded samples were removed from the mock-up rig and transferred to the FEL laboratory in Stockport where they underwent various forms of NDT and Destructive testing.

I was making frequent site visits to Heysham II and Torness reactors, I was training and qualifying welders in the use of the welding equipment at the Heysham II site for both sites. The highlight of my involvement in the project was when I was asked to perform the first two full Interstitial Fuel Guide Tube Seal Welds, with a number of Parliamentary and local dignitaries that were invited to witness the event, as the senior site welding engineer for this element of the project I passed the remaining hundreds of welds on to the team. Just a few weeks later I was at the Torness reactor in Dunbar Scotland to repeat the process, again witnessed by various dignitaries but on this occasion, I completed the first weld, I then passed the remainder on to the Scottish team.

I was further involved in sections of the Heysham II and Torness project: Training welders to use the Diametrics automated pipe welding system using FFIP heads (Full Function In Position) this was wire fed orbital tig welding. After a group of fuel guide tubes are welded in position, the matting tube from the fuelling room is fixed to the fuel guide tube by use of a gimble ring, the gimbal ring has four positions at which it is adjusted, the bolts are tack welded to prevent being loosened by the reactor vibration and heating cycles. Access to the weld area was restricted due to the close proximity of the tubes, so mirror welding was involved, I welded the first six gimbal rings at Heysham II and then the team continued the process. Scottish welders were present at this time at Heysham II so I had no need to go North of the Border.

Whilst still using Warrington as my base, I developed the orbital weld procedures for projects at Dounreay Nuclear facility Scotland. Glove Box and chair pipework, this included an assembly (build) procedure. Orbital weld procedures for ICI Macclesfield (Now Astra Zeneca) pharmaceutical plant. Orbital welding of bio-bore, design and development of special offset collets to enable welding of non-standard fitments.

My final project with FCL was at Hinckley Point Nuclear Power Station Somerset. The “A” station was getting a 21st birthday overhaul. New emergency back-up water feed lines from the boilers to the turbine hall. I set up the on-site fabrication shop in the contractor’s compound, it was fully equipped with a 1 & 3 phase power supply, lighting, welding and auxiliary plant and equipment. My role as site welding engineer for FCL was to establish a working relationship with CEGB and RED (Regional Engineering Department) personnel, agree the required protocol relating to weld inspection requirements etc. Placed job advertisements locally and in South Wales for pipe welders, pipe fitter and labourers, tested welders and interviewed fitters with site manager.