When I was away sailing in Leros Greece I had an email from employment agency about welding work on naval vessels for Royal Navy.
They required welders for various U.K. naval shipyards; Portsmouth on the new aircraft carrier. Rosyth on the new frigates and Barrow in Furness on new nuclear astute and dreadnought class submarines.
The lady representing the agency sent off my CV to Portsmouth BAE systems she came back saying I didn’t meet the criteria?
However I’d been informed that my sister had fallen out walking her beagle dog Frankie. She damaged her wrist broke a number of ribs and bashed her head on the pavement suffering a gash to her head and severe concussion.
I thought what should I do? I’d quite a lot extra expense on the boat which was eating into my savings I thought should I go back see Avis my sister see how she is and try get a welding job?
The lady from the agency kept sending details about welding work at submarines at Barrow saying rates pay have increased. I sent her an email saying but I don’t meet BAE Systems criteria? She said no that’s Portsmouth I’ll send you CV to Barrow in Furness submarines. I said okay then!
I’d already had been up to the boatyard in Leros to check it out. I checked out flights to the U.K. with EasyJet from Kos cheapish one was for the 22nd September I pondered should I or should I not? I thought yet I need to see Avis and I’ll try get a job welding when I get back.
The agency got back to me about submarines Barrow, do you have your apprentice papers yes I had my Royal Engineer military papers with my City & Guilds sent those off to her.
She soon got back yes they’ve offered you a job but you have to go through a criminal record check mod gov security clearance fill out big questionnaire on your personal finances. I thought crikey I’ll have jump to over a number hurdles to get this job.
Eventually I was ask to start at the end of November. I have to give the lady at Morson group praise for her persistence with me over the job.
I find myself training in the Submarine’s skills and knowledge academy gaining welder codings for Lloyds Inspection on various types of pipes and exotic materials. It’s actually the largest shipyard in the U.K. employing over 10,000 people.
On the first day in the pipe welding school I bumped into the welding Engineer from my Mitsui Babcock days. I thought that’s a coincidence he’s responsible for all the welders in the shipyard. Maybe he’d came across my CV?
Now I’m training and working for one of largest Armaments companies in the world.
Having been in the military at the height of the Cold War against the soviet pact, now with the invasion of sovereign nation Ukraine by the Russian Federation, it made realise how important the defence industry is for democracies against tyrannical authoritarian regimes.
One of the greatest deterrent is the nuclear submarine, submerged under the water any where in the world using stealth and surprise to counter a ballistic missile attack from a rogue state such as Russia.
Barrow have been involved in building submarines for many years but the latest Astute class they had to get project engineers with expertise from the states. Evidently there were many teething problems with the construction of the first Astute class sub.
Barrow in Furness has an ancient interesting history with Furness Abbey. Prior to the dissolution of the Abbeys and monasteries of England by Henry V111.
The Abbott of Furness Abbey became very wealthy through the land they’d acquired from one the early kings of England. Selling of wool was major commodity and taxes weren’t always paid to the crown.
The Abbotts started to get corrupted by wealth generated from tenant farmers and the sale of wool. Now the Abbey stand in ruins. The crown sequestered lands and assets from all the dissolved monasteries.
Iron ore was plenty full in the Furness area and in the 1800,s there was a smelting furnaces for iron production. A harbour was built on Barrow island and rail ways were built right to the ironworks eventually a shipyard was built and the town of Barrow in Furness became quite wealthy. The Furness means a peninsular and Barrow at the tip of the peninsular faces out to the Irish Sea.
The Furness is on the edge of the south lakes or the Lake District that includes such lakes as Windermere, Coniston, Haweswater, Ulleswater, Crummock Water, Loweswater, Ennerdale Water, Wast Water ,Derwent Water
These lakes have been left after the Ice age that carved out these valleys through ice movement when the ice eventually all melted leaving all these various fresh water lakes.
Coniston was made famous by Donald Campbell the son of another famous speedster Malcolm Campbell. Donald was killed on Coniston in his aquatic bluebird speed boat. The boat flipped over and sank on one of his speed runs.
I guess that’s what happens when you push to the maximum limits but I think they were plagued with various technical issues.
Let’s briefly come back to what Barrow In Furness is famous for its shipyard and the construction of its nuclear submarines.
I’m presently in Submarine skills and training academy in the pipe welding school refreshing my skills and certifying on various exotic base materials such copper nickel.
From day one I have been impressed with the training facilities and the professionalism of the company, it’s impressive indeed.
I guess this is the ultimate nuclear deterrent with nuclear submarine out at sea 🌊 stealth is the name of the game a constant treat to our enemies such as the Russian Federation with its invasion of Ukraine and the proxy war that NATO is committed to helping Ukraine an independence sovereign nation eject a terrorist nation. We never know if and when another rogue nation might want to invade another independent nation. So standing armies navies and airforces are still a price worth paying for unfortunately so that we democracies remain free and independent from rogue state or tyrants.