2-847-405 - Historic England Archive/Heritage Images

A view over Reactor No.1 during the construction of Berkeley Nuclear Power Station, showing the jib for the 10 ton Scotch Derrick being lifted in to place for the erection of the Monotower Crane, with the Monotower foundation on the right of the foreground. Berkeley Nuclear Power Station was the first commercial nuclear power station in the United Kingdom and one of the first generation of nuclear reactors in Britain. It had two Magnox reactors and was one of four stations located close to the mouth of the River Severn and the Bristol Channel. Laing were the civil engineers for the project with work commencing on 7th January 1957. The nuclear power station came into service in 1962 but has since been decommissioned following its closure in 1989.