"Barrow Built" Submarines

In The Beginning
Although the Holland's were the first submarines built for the Royal Navy, the first Barrow Built submarine was the Nordenfelt built in 1886 on the instructions of Thorsten Nordenfelt, a Swedish industrialist and arms dealer.

(1902 - 1910) A, B and C class submarines
These were designed for coastal defence work and had a limited range. They became known in Naval Circles as 'Fisher's Toys' - a reference to Admiral Sir John Fisher who was a keen advocate of the submarine as a weapon of war.

(1907 - 1919) D class submarines
The D Class, approved by the Admiralty Board in 1906, was designed to overcome, as far as possible, the limitations of the earlier submarine classes. Initial design work was carried out by the Admiralty for the first time on a submarine project, but with the usual procedure for other Admiralty vessels. Between 1907 and 1912, eight of the class were built - six at Barrow and two at Chatham.

(1911 - 1924) E class submarines
The results of experience gained with D1, the prototype diesel-driven submarine, were incorporated in the design of the famous E Class submarines, which did such outstanding work during the First World War.

(1912 - 1921) V, N & G class submarines
Taking the identifying letter from the name of builder, the V Class was Vickers' interpretation of a coastal-type submarine designed to meet the requirements of the 1912 Submarine Committee.

(1915 - 1931) K class & K26 submarines
K Class submarines were the most bizarre and ill-fated submarines of the First World War period. Their conception, in the spring of 1915, arose from the demand for a submarine that could accompany the Grand Fleet at speeds of up to 24 knots.

(1916 - 1932) M class submarines
Inspired by the news of German U-cruisers with 5.9-inch guns, the Committee on Submarine Development decided to construct submarine monitors - the M Class - with 12-inch guns.

(1916 - 1945) L, H & R class submarines
Delighted with the success of the E Class submarines, the Admiralty decided, in 1916, to revert to the saddle tank-type of construction, but incorporating the lessons learned from war experience.

(1925 - 1946) Overseas Patrol Submarines
The first submarines to be designed after the First World War were the O Class - a post-war concept of an Overseas Patrol Submarine. With this class it appears that the Admiralty finally decided that the submarine deserved the dignity of a name; thus, the pioneer of the class was called Oberon.

(1929 - 1945) River Class Submarines
Even though marine diesel engines of the period were incapable of propelling submarines as fast as surface craft, the Admiralty still wished, perhaps misguidedly, to build Fleet Submarines, and continued to discuss, at length, the functions and requirements of such vessels.

(1930 - 1946) Minelaying Submarines
Naval Staff investigated the need and requirements for submarine minelayers - the main bone of contention being whether the mines should be carried internally or externally. As an experiment, M3 was converted in 1927 to carry mines externally.

(1935 - 1963) S Class Submarines
Includes the story of Seraph HMS 'CLOAK-AND-DAGGER'
During the modernisation of the submarine force in the early 1930s, the Royal Navy became aware of the need for smaller boats, suitable for employment in the North Sea and restricted waters such as the Mediterranean.

(1935 - 1970) T Class Submarines
During the 1930s, the construction of overseas patrol submarines waned considerably, and so the Admiralty decided, in 1934-35, to build a new ocean-going boat to replace the Oberon, Parthian and Rainbow Classes - which had not lived up to expectations.

(1936 - 1958) U & V Class Submarines
In 1939, a realisation of the inevitability of war and that the small size of the U boats made them particularly suitable for North Sea and Mediterranean operations, prompted the Admiralty to put the class into quantity production. Twelve identical vessels were ordered, but of these only four were eventually fitted with six bow tubes.

(1939 - 1952) Midget Submarines
No history of Barrow-built submersibles would be complete without reference to the Royal Navy's midget submarines and it is true to say that Britain, although one of the last countries to be involved with midget submarine construction, made the most impressive use of this type of vessel.

(1943 - 1977) A Class Submarines
On the morning of 7th December 1941, the US Fleet suffered more damage in one hour than during the whole of the First World War, when Japanese aircraft bombed Pearl Harbour - the United States' largest naval base - and the airfields which were an essential part of its defences. The attack lasted from 7.55 am to 9.15 am, and initiated the Pacific Ocean as one of the war's major battlegrounds.

Post War Submarines
Submarines with diesel-electric power units have an important role to play in anti-submarine warfare and against surface ships. Their underwater endurance is not as great as that of nuclear submarines but they are fast, silent and difficult to detect. The Royal Navy Patrol Submarine Fleet consisted of the Porpoise and Oberon Classes.

Nuclear Fleet Submarines
Fleet submarines are the nuclear-powered capital ships of the modern Navy. They are the main striking power of the Fleet and are themselves the single most effective anti-submarine weapon available. Fitted with complex computer-assisted sensors and the latest torpedoes, they can silently shadow a target for long periods at high speed while hundreds of feet below the surface, ready to attack with deadly effectiveness when required.

Polaris Submarines
The mid 1950s development of the submarine launched Polaris ballistic missile by Lockheed and the US Navy led, eventually, to the signing of the Polaris Sales Agreement between Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and President John F Kennedy.

(1990-1994) Upholder Class Submarines
HMS Upholder was the first of an entirely new class of diesel-electric submarine to be built for the Royal Navy. It was intended that the Upholder Class would be in service with the RN well into the next century, gradually replacing their predecessors, the Oberon Class.

(1993 - ) Vanguard (Trident) Class Submarines
The Vanguard submarines were built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited (now part of BAE Systems) at Barrow-in-Furness. They are the largest submarines manufactured in the UK, displacing 15,900 tonnes submerged, twice the displacement of the Resolution class Polaris submarines which they replace.

Astute Class Submarines
The Royal Navy's Astute class submarine is a nuclear powered attack submarine which is to replace the five Swiftsure class submarines launched between 1973 and 1977 and are approaching the end of their operational life.

Based on the 20-part Link Supplements of the same name written by Garry Nicholson during 1980 - 1983. Thanks to Martin Hebbert and Mike Valance of BAE SYSTEMS for permission to use these articles and photographs from the company archives.