Fred Barclay’s extensive and varied career began with various posts with Rolls-Royce, the Navy, BTH, CEGB and AWRE: he redesigned the latter’s Herald reactor. In 1963 he became the Manager of the Dragon International Reactor Experiment at AEE, Winfrith  where he successfully completed the commissioning and construction of the plant sections.

 Between 1966 and 1968 he was the Manager of Engineering Development, Dounreay. Here he solved the liquid metal superheat problem, developed reactor acoustic equipment, investigated parallel channel instability, sub-cooled bubble collapse and cavitation  in electromagnetic pumps.

 In 1968 Fred Barclay was appointed the Head of Dounreay Fast Reactor, and controller of Overseas Irradiations. The post gave him the opportunity to operate and utilize the world’s major fast neutron irradiation reactor and power plant, including programming of in-core liquid metal boiling experiments at the end of reactor life

 From 1977-1982 he worked as the Manager of Engineering, Prototype Fast Reactor, UKAEA Dounreay Nuclear Establishment. He was responsible for crucial repair and rescue of leaking sodium-heated steam generators as well as the diagnosis of fundamental design errors.

 From 1982 – 1986 Fred was employed as the Acting Director for the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Department, United Arab Emirates. This involved work on a 3000 Mwe, 1 500 000 tone/day power and desalination project.

 Since July 1986 Fred Barclay has worked as a successful independent consultant.  Clients have included the Abu Dhabi government, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers  and Legal and General Insurance.