Since my arrival in West Cumbria at the end of July, I've spent a not inconsiderable amount of time and effort attempting to secure gainful employment. As no jobs were available through my connections in the vending industry it was necessary to broaden my horizons. Not having been out of work since 1982 my first visit to Workington's Jobcentre Plus was indeed an education. The staff there do an excellent job in what is obviously a pretty depressed area and appear to have to deal with a large amount of people who have either no desire, or no incentive, to work in the low paid positions available to them. I was able to keep visits there down to my once a fortnight signing on appointments due to my possession of a P.C. This enabled me to access job opportunities online. On more than one occasion I was informed that there is one main "Hoover" for manpower in the area. This is of course West Cumbria's "Elephant In The Room" the Sellafield nuclear power station. British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. employ about 10,000 people on the site, so to describe them as a major employer in the area would be an understatement of biblical proportions. I have to say I didn't fancy it. They do say that most fear is borne out of ignorance but I think a lot of people in the area sleep soundly because they just don't think about any potential risks to health. It's common knowledge that incidents of childhood leukaemia are well above average in the plant's locale. The government admit there's a problem but say they can't explain it. Two of my immediate neighbours work there and several others with whom I've come into contact with either do work , or have worked, there.
A work colleague of my Wife said that her Father worked there at one time. When she was younger he once came home from work with his left arm taped up inside a clear plastic bag. His forearm was green. He had to have injections to stop whatever it was spreading up his arm. The money might be good but you only ever get two arms. Bus driving'll do for me, thankyou very much.
...will not be going round quite yet! Yesterday a 'phone call from the powers that be at Stagecoach HQ advised me that, due to operational difficulties with the training vehicle, they would like to defer my start date by one week to Monday October 8th. So another leisurely week it is! Above is the company's depot and garage complex at Lillyhall. My initial training will be carried out here. If the weeks of training end with a successful out come.....
...I will be working from here, the bus station at Murray Rd., Workington, the oldest purpose-built covered bus station in the country, dating from 1926. As a newly qualified driver I will be restricted to driving vehicles like this....
Mercedes midi-bus. Presumably, if I can get by for a pre-determined time without lunching it I might have a chance of boosting my earnings by getting my hands on something like this....
double decker. This ex-London Regional Transport Leyland Olympian is seen at Rosthwaite in the Borrowdale valley, a stones throw from my Father-in-law's gaff. Only time will tell but I'm looking forward to the challenge.
