Construction of the Dungeness ‘A’ Power Station started in 1960 and it was the fifth nuclear station built for the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). It was constructed by The Nuclear Power Group (TNPG) whose headquarters were in Cheshire. The group had previously built stations at Bradwell and Berkeley and the main contractor was Sir Robert McAlpine with Messrs. Balfour Beatty, C. A. Parsons, AEI, Whessoe, Reyrolles and John Thompson also involved. The site at Dungeness was ideal for the purpose with large quantities of cooling water available and the area covered was over 200 acres. Before work could commence, an approach road had to be built from the existing Lydd to Dungeness road (partly along the route of the old mainline railway track). Other road works in the area included the widening of New Romney High Street, the strengthening of the Warren Railway Bridge and a new slip road alongside the bridge at Lydd station. Also a new lighthouse was built at Dungeness as the new buildings would obscure the old one.
The same year, a small gang of workers arrived at Folkestone Harbour and work started on a structure known as ‘The Thing’. When completed, it was intended to act as a marker tower above the cooling water tunnel to the Power Station (see photo). On top of the structure was a working platform with a crane which would be used for maintenance. It was about 90ft across and 80ft high and four tanks were fixed to the sides. In 1961, the structure was floated through the harbour entrance, towed by Dutch tugs and into the Channel en route to Dungeness. When there the legs were dropped and secured to the seabed.
During the construction of the Station, two steel drums, each weighing 22 tons, crashed from a height of nearly 100 feet and caused considerable damage. The drums were being lifted into position by the ‘Goliath’ crane when the lifting equipment slipped, and the drums broke loose and fell onto the roof of the boiler house. No-one was injured but a workman was treated for shock.
New Romney Primary School in the 1960s was becoming overcrowded and there had been talk of a new school for some time. The nearby Scouts Hut and the Church Hall were both used to provide space for classes. The school’s replacement buildings finally went up in 1967 with eight of the ten junior classes transferring to Fairfield Road. It was still crowded at Church Lane however and in the early 1970s, Greatstone Primary School was built together with the new infants school at Fairfield Road.
Pupils at Southlands put on three plays through the 1960s and the productions were very successful and attracted large audiences to the school’s Derville Hall. The first play was “A Family Comedy” and included Barry Jarvis, Cynthia Paine, David Bateman and Susan Attwood. The next was “Safe Custody” which starred Chris Goldfinch, Jean Moores, Martin Connor, Linda King and Robert Piper. The last play was “The Happy Journey” with Gillian King, Anthony Allen, Janet Wynn, Les Whiting and Suzanne Haskett.
Frank Gillett, a New Romney policeman, won two cups at the Romney Marsh Garden and Produce Society show. The floral art display was won by Mrs. Finn-Kelcey. Other prize-winners included Miss Bone, Mrs. Hersee, F. Smith., W. Collins, Stan Ramsden, Mrs. Prior, Mr. Bark, Mrs. Amos, Robert Ellender, F. Gillett, Mrs. Rolfe and Mrs. Arnold.
M r. Highwood Humphery of Churchlands, New Romney finally gave up the job of winding and oiling the church clock. 81-year-old Mr. Humphery gave up the job because the massive key used for winding became too heavy for him. For the previous few years, his grandson Vernon Hutchens had helped him, but Mr. Humphery finally decided to call it a day. He became a bellringer in 1909 and helped to ring the bells regularly since then.
A further stage of the development of Ferryfield Airport was reached with the completion of the new ‘Customs long room’ and the provision of offices for cargo agents. Passenger facilities were also enhanced with the provision of a new bar in the lounge. The airport that had recently been taken over by British United Air Ferries was expected to become one of England’s best airports. The runways were to be extended and BUA were plotting new routes to Liege, Basle, Geneva, Strasbourg, Nimes and Bordeaux.
During the decade, King Hussein of Jordan arrived at Ferryfield Airport on a Norman service Bristol Freighter flight from Ostend. He was accompanied by his younger brother Prince Hassan who was returning to Harrow School for his final year. The Bristol Freighter was the ‘City of Durham’ which also brought over two of the King’s private cars.