What is Windscale Pile 1?

Windscale Pile 1 was one of two nuclear reactors built as part of Britain’s urgent post-war effort to develop its own nuclear weapons programme.

The Piles – an early term for nuclear reactors - were the earliest development of the UK’s nuclear programme, producing plutonium for the defence industry over a period of 6 years.

The Windscale Piles in 1951.

Pile 1 was constructed by 1946 and operational by 1950, shortly followed by Pile 2 in 1951. Both Piles remained in operation until they were shut down in 1957 following a fire in the core of Pile 1.

Afterwards, Pile 1 was de-fuelled as much as possible and transferred into a state of care and maintenance.

How did Windscale Pile 1 work

The structure of Pile 1 was designed for plutonium production. It consiste

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