KEEL—T.AYING CEREMONY OF DREADNOUGHT

BY

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH,

AT THE WORKS OF VICKERS-ARMSTRONGS (SHIPBUILDERS) LIMITED, BARROW-IN-FURNESS

ON FRIDAY, 12TH JUNE, 1959.

SHORT PROGRAMME NOTES

His Royal Highness will arrive at Barrow in the Royal Train attended by Rear—Admiral C.D. Bonham Carter, and

will leave the train at ... ... ... •••

His Royal Highness after a civic reception will drive through the town to the Engine Gate of Vickers— Armstrongs, where he will be received by The Viscount

Knollys, Chairman of Vickers Limited ... ...

The party will leave the Engine Gate for a tour of

the Shipyard and Works at

They will visit all departments.

His Royal Highness will also inspect DREADNOUGHT Pressure Hull and Assembly Facilities.

The party will arrive at Berth

His Royal Highness inspects the Guard of Honour and

Sea Cadets.

Short Address by Major-General Sir Charles Dunphie,

Chairman of Vickers-Armstrongs Limited.

His Royal Highness is invited to lay the keel of DREADNOUGHT. An electric winch will be used and, following,an engraved plate will be secured in

position. ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ©••

His Royal Highness will make a short address

His Royal Highness after Lunch leaves V/alney Airfield in an aircraft of the Queen's Flight ...

1000

1015

1020

1152

1200

1209

1214

1414

11th June 1959.

VICKERS NUCLEAR ENGINEERING LTD.

Some Notes on the Steam Cooled Marine Reactor.

The marine reactor designed by Vickers Nuclear Engineering for the Admiralty gives 50,000 SEP. In a nuclear powered fleet aircraft carrier, damage control would suggest fitting four separate reactors, each normally supplying steam to one shaft but with cross connections. Four V.N.E. reactors would be suitable in a sister ship to the Ark Royal, three of them being built to provide her full power of 150,000 S.H.P.

The design could be simplified by fitting only one thermo-compressor, one primary steam generator, and one secondary steam generator for each reactor. As no uptakes for combustion gas are needed there is great freedom in positioning the reactors fore and aft the ship. The carrier would have unlimited radius of action and an endurance at full power measured in years.

At the request of the Galbraith Committee our reactor project is now being scaled down for a tanker requiring only 20,000 S.H.P. The work is still in hand but it seems that the steam cooled reactor may show up best on such small heat output with its moderator changed from heavy water to a mixture of lead and light water. This will reduce the size of the core and the shielding required and save both weight and space. The cost will be reduced by this and by saving the cost of the heavy water. Headaches for the ship's company will also be lessened by not having to conserve expensive heavy water.

This new variant of the V.N.E. reactor may prove so small that it can be fitted in the small submarines (less than 1,000 tons) that N.A.T.0. would like as anti-submarine submarines, Only one thermo-compressor and primary steam generator need be fitted and the steam passed directly to the turbines at full power, a small secondary steam generator being fitted for use if a fuel element develops a leak. Thus, the system would be extremely compact and far more flexible operationally than the pressurised water reactors fitted in the U.S. Navy. The advantage of unlimited submerged endurance at full power would be the same as in NAUTILUS.

H.M, SUBMARINE DREADNOUGHT

The following information relating to the Royal

Navy8 a first nuclear propelled submarine has been officially released by the Admiralty.

The keel of DREADNOUGHT will be laid down by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh on 12th June at Barrow-in-Furness, and as a result of the agreement announced by Mr. C.I. Orr-Ewing, O.B.E., M.P., Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, in March to purchase American propulsion machinery she will be in service with the Fleet much earlier than originally considered possible.

Negotiations between Rolls<*ftoyce Ltd. and Westinghouse Electric Corporation have been concluded and under the contract a complete set of machinery similar to that installed in the latest submarines of the Skipjack class of the United States Navy is being acquired.

Full design and manufacturing details of the machinery together with safety information is also being made available, while training in manufacturing techniques and inspection is being provided for employees of Rolls-Royce and the Admiralty. The American Government is giving intensive training in U.S. nuclear submarines and shipyards for the ship's company of the DREADNOUGHT.

Vickers-Armstrongs, who are to build the DREADNOUGHT and install the machinery, are also to obtain information and other help from the Electric Boat Company, who were responsible for building the U.S. submarine Skipjack. Britain will have the right to use all this knowledge in manufacturing machinery for the shore based prototype for nuclear submarine plant, which is building at Dounreay.

Speaking in the House of Commons in the course of the debate on the Navy Estimates on 9th March, 1959, Mr. Orr-Ewing made the point that as a result of the agreement with Westinghouse Electric Corporation, the final cost of construction of the DREADNOUGHT would probably be reduced and the saving made in research and development would be considerable.

Already material work has been started on the hull of the DREADNOUGHT-a limited amount of redesigning has been necessary because of the different dimensions of the American machinery - and orders for components have been placed with various sub-contractors.

In the House of Commons in March, the Prime Minister announced that Rolls-Royce Ltd, are to manufacture fuel elements for the DREADNOUGHT's machinery. The material would be supplied by and remain the property of the Admiralty.

When an official artist's impression of the DREADNOUGHT was issued by the Admiralty last year, it was stated that a prominent feature of her design would be a whale-shaped hull, the near perfect streamline of which would give maximum underwater efficiency. A fin-like conning tower was aimed at reducing drag to the minimum. The DREADNOUGHT will be capable of continuous high underwater speed and have a particularly long endurance.

No information concerning the cost of the DREADNOUGHT has been given.

For H„M„S, DREADNOUGHT, which will be an operational submarine, a new floating dock was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard in January and work on it is expected to take about 21 months.

The Name Approved for the First British Nuclear Submarine

The name DREADNOUGHT has been approved by Her Majesty The Queen, for the first British nuclear submarine.

This is an old and honoured ship's name and will be the ninth to appear in the Navy List.

This announcement was made to the House of Commons on 5th March, 1957, in the course of the speech by the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, introducing the Navy Estimates.

H.M.S. DREADNOUGHT

The name DREADNOUGHT was made famous by the battleship of this name built at Portsmouth in 1906„

This ship was of 17,900 tons and of a design which revolutionised battleship construction at that time. She was superior in both firepower and speed to any other ship then afloat, and was described by Lord Fisher as the "hard boiled egg - because she cannot be beaten"„

Her main armament consisted of ten 12" guns, eight of which could be fired on either beam and six ahead and astern. The armament of battleships immediately before the completion of the DREADNOUGHT was normally of about four 12" guns supported by a miscellaneous battery of nine, eight,six and four-inch guns.

Many ships of DREADNOUGHT design subsequently built materially helped to maintain and strengthen Britain's position as the premier Naval power in the pre-World War I period.

Before the DREADNOUGHT of 1906, seven other ships had borne this name. The first, a 450-ton 41-gun ship built at Deptford in 1587, was one of the British fleet which engaged the Spanish Armada. Subsequently she took part in the expedition commanded by Sir Francis Drake which resulted in the capture of Corunna.

The second DREADNOUGHT was a Cromwellian frigate built at Blackwall in 1653. She took part in the four days' fight against the Dutch between Dunkirk and the Downs, and also in the battle of Solebay.

The fifth DREADNOUGHT was present at the battle of Trafalgar and later became a Seamen's Hospital at Greenwich.

His Majesty King George V served in the seventh DREADNOUGHT as a Lieutenant. She was built at Pembroke in 1875 and ended her career in 1908.

Fuller details of the former DREADNOUGHTS are:

H.M.S. DREADNOUGHT

450 tons Built at Deptford 41 guns Launched 10th November, 1573

April, 1587s sank or captured 100 vessels in the Bay of Cadiz. 1588 Took part in the campaign against the Spanish

Armada. 1589 In expedition commanded by Sir Francis Drake.

Capture of Corunna. 1592 Ship Rebuilt. 1594 Capture of Brest 1596 Capture of Cadiz 1597 Expedition to the Azores 1602 Attack on Coimbra 1613 Ship rebuilt and classed as third rate. 1625 Expedition to Cadiz 1645 Broken up.

-2-

738 tons Originally a Cromwellian Frigate built at Blackwall in 1653 52 guns as the TORRINGTON and renamed DREADNOUGHT in 1660.

1665 Blockade of Zuyder Zee 1666 Operations against the Dutch - Four days fight

between Dunkirk and the Downs.

1672 Battle of Solebay 1673 Battle of Schoonweld 1690 Foundered off the South Foreland, 16th October;

Officers and men rescued.

852 tons Built at Blackwall in 1690 60 guns 1692 In action off Cape Barfleur

1705/6 Rebuilt at Blackwall 4th Rate I7I8 In action against Spaniards off Cape Passero

1722 Rebuilt at Portsmouth 1748 Broken up

1093 tons Launched at Deptford in 1742

60 tons 1744 Captured French Ship "Medee"

1747 West Indies Station - In action against French

4th Rate convoy

1757 In action against French at Cape Francois

1782 Prison Ship at Portsmouth

1784 Sold for £350

2111 tons 98 guns

2nd rate

Built at Portsmouth in 1801 (13 years seasoning on the stocks) 1803 Blockade of Brest 1804/5 Blockade of French Ports 1805 October 21 - Battle of Trafalgar

1811 Baltic 1830 Became the Seamen's Hospital at Greenwich.

1857 Broken up

2602 tons Launched at Plymouth as CALEDONIA 120 guns Renamed DREADNOUGHT in 1857 and became Hospital Ship at

Greenwich

Later became smallpox convalescent hospital ship for Metropolitan Asylums Branch and later as a training ship.

1875 Broken up.

Battleship Launched at Pembroke 1875 4 gun Original name FURY but was changed to DREADNOUGHT before twin—screw completion. turret ship King George V served in the ship as a Lieutenant

10,820 tons 1908 Sold at Portsmouth

Battleship Launched at Portsmouth 1906 17,900 tons Completed 1906 10 12" guns 1914-18 War turbine driven 1915 Rammed U. 29 in North Sea

1920 Sold

DREADNOUGHT KEEL-LAYING 12th June, 1959.

GUEST LIST

Captain Adams

Mr. R. Baker

Mr, and Mrs* W=H» Barnes

Mr. and Mrs. H 0L„ Barman

Submarine Command

Technical Chief Executive, Dreadnought Project, Admiralty

Ship Department, Admiralty

Commercial Manager, Rolls-Royce & Associates

Mro and Mrs. R0A. Bourne Ship Department, Admiralty

Mr„ and Mrs* E„A<, Broken-sha

Commander and Mrs* Buxton

B Rear-Admiral and Mrs, N.A. Copeman

A Admiral and Mrs o R..L, Dennison

A Earl and Countess of Derby

A Captain L«D0 Empson

A Mr. and Mrs. G. Fawn

Mr« and Mrs® H =C<, Fitter

Commander and Mrs0 Foster

A Rear-Admiral J.G, Hamil­ton

A Mr» and Mrs» J .So Hollings

Mr0 and Mrs* G„H„ Hope­well

Mr a and Mrs® H „T 0 Johnson

Mr= and Mrs0 D«> Kilbum

Lord and Lady Kindersley

A Admiral Sir Charles Lambe

Rear-Admiral and Mrs* W.FoBo Lane

Sir John Lang

Sir Hamish and Mrs* McLaren

A Mr6 and Mrs, A, Marsh

A Mr„ P0D0 Naime

Principal Admiralty Constructor Overseer

Ship Department, Admiralty

Vice-Controller of the Navy

Commander-in-Chief, U .S0 Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean

Lord Lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster

Naval Assistant to First Sea Lord

Director, Rolls-Royce & Associates

Superintending Electrical Engineer (T.C.Eo), Admiralty

H.M.So Dolphin

Naval Secretary to First Lord

Director, Rolls-Royce & Associates

Managing Director, Foster-Wheeler Ltd.

Director of Ship Production, Admiralty

Ship Department, Admiralty

Chairman, Rolls-Royce Ltd0

First Sea Lord

Director of Marine Engineering, Admiralty

Secretary of the Admiralty

Director of Electrical Engineering, Admiralty

Director, Rolls-Royce & Associates

Lnc Lo

Principal Private Secretary to First

(2)

A Mr. Orr-Ewing Parliamentary and Financial Secretary s Admiralty

A Mr* and Mrs, J,DU Pearson Deputy Chairman, Rolls-Royce Ltd,

A Mro and Mrs, D, Pepper Director, Rolls-Royce & Associates

Commander and Mrs-, E.G« Deputy of U.So Naval Attache Pollak

Mr, Robert Rickover Son of Admiral Rickover

Captain and Mrs. W»T.C„ Dreadnought Project Team Ridley

Mr0 and Mrs. L»J = Rydill Ship Department, Admiralty

Mrs, B.EoPo Samborne Wife of C=0o Designate, Dreadnought

C Captain J„P. Scatchard Director of Naval Equipment, Admiralty

A Earl and Countess of First Lord of the Admiralty Selkirk

Mr. and Mrs* AtiJ = Sims Director General„ Ships, Admiralty

A Mrs, R, R o Squires Wife of First Lieutenant Designate, Dreadnought

Mr* and Mrs, J.Fa Starks Chief Constructor (T,CeE„)„ Admiralty

Captain and Mrs, Stewart, H0M0S, Dolphin

Commander and Mrs, Pa Ship Department, Admiralty Tatton-Brovra

Rear-Admiral and Mrs, Flag Officer, Submarines B,W„ Taylor

Commander and Mrs* HuM0So Dolphin Thatcher

Mr» and MrSo L JJ„Truseott Ship Department» Admiralty

Group Captain and Mrs, Director, Foster Wheeler Ltdo CeEoH. Verity

C Rear-Admiral G.AvM,Wilson Rear-Admiral Nuclear Propulsion, Admiralty

Commander and Mrs* T. V o Ship Department, Admiralty Wilson

Captain FuR.G. Wingfield Director of Underwater Division Weapons Department, Admiralty

Lord Winster

VICKERS

B Viscount and Viscountess Knollys

A The Lord Weeks

Mr» and Mrs0 Eo00 Faulkner

Sir James and Lady Reid Young

A Sir Charles and Lady Dunphie

Rear-Admiral Sir Edward and Lady Rebbeck

A Commander and Mrs„ R-Bc Lakin

A Captain and Mrs L,F, 1ngram (DounreayJ

Mr. and Mrs. J.Co Puxley

Mr, W.T)0G„ Doughty

A

B

C

Not on train

On train to Barrow

On train from Barrow

Extracted from Vickers Magazine, Spring 1957

ISOTOPE

DEVELOPMENTS LTD.

With the type of construction used for modern submarines,

"laying the keel" consists of setting up the first cylindrical section

on the slipway. Since this is a project in the field of atomic power,

the conventional procedure of pressing a button or cutting a tape will

be dispensed with and the ceremony will be performed by turning on a

gamma-ray beam to operate a Gamma Switch which will start the winch

used to draw the sections on to the slipway.

The GammaSwitch is a radiation detector built by Isotope

Developments Limited as a standard product and its normal role is in

industrial control where gamma-ray techniques are used to measure

level of liquids in tanks, etc.

The gamma-ray source will consist of 10 millicuries of

Caesium 137 housed in a standard lead shield designed by Isotope

Developments Limited. The shield is fitted with a built-in shutter

to open and close the radiation aperture and this shutter can be

moved by means of a locking handle at the rear of the shield.

To perform the keel laying ceremony, therefore, the

Duke of Edinburgh will turn the source shutter handle and so project

gamma radiation to the detector mounted some feet away.