‘Skill, innovation and hard work’: BAE System’s Barrow shipyard celebrates 150th anniversary | The Mail

The remarkable journey of BAE Systems has seen the shipyard forge a long-lasting and symbiotic relationship with the Royal Navy, delivering the Royal Navy’s first submarine, Holland 1, and their first fully nuclear-powered submarine, Dreadnought, as well as every key first-of-class ship since the Second World War.

RECRUITED: BAE Systems apprentices put Barrow on the map, Josh Procter and Mike Cormish, pictured in 2013

With three more Astute submarines to deliver, followed by the Dreadnought class and then further down the line SSNR, the shipyard’s partnership with the Royal Navy is set to continue for many more years to come.

The key to its success from the primitive early days to the yard’s current role in producing state-of-the-art nuclear submarines, has been its ability to move with the times through a combination of skill, innovation and hard work.

At the heart of it all has been the trusted, dedicated and skilled colleagues working on submarine programmes, with tens of thousands having walked through the shipyard gates over the past century and a half.

SUBMARINE: The HMS Astute submarine pictured on a shiplift after being rolled out

Together the workforce has designed and built the warships, airships, ferries, oil tankers, ocean liners and submarines which have sustained the business through thick and thin.

Submarines managing director Cliff Robson said: “Barrow shipyard reaching its 150th anniversary is a fantastic achievement.

“It is testament to the talent, dedication and resilience our workforce has consistently shown down all the years.

“We should all be proud of what we have achieved throughout our long history.

“Taking inspiration from our past can stand the Submarines business in good stead for what is sure to be a challenging but exciting future.

“Here’s to another 150 years.”