LOCALS living in a city home to a £31bn nuclear base where a 167ft submarine is being built have revealed why they love it.
Cumbrian residents spoke after watching in awe as parts of a giant submarine were rolled through their streets.
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Incredible images show a ‘mega unit’ of the Royal Navy’s new nuclear submarineCredit: SWNS
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It was transported through the streets of Cumbria wrapped in black plastic. Photo credit: SWNS
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The submarines are being built in Barrow-in-Furness – and locals have shared their thoughts. Photo credit: SWNS
The plastic-wrapped “mega unit” of the Royal Navy’s new nuclear submarine towered over their houses as it made its way to its next home.
A 20-meter-high section of HMS Dreadnought was moved through the streets in September, but the Ministry of Defense only released the photos on Friday.
The nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines are being built by BAE Systems at its shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness as part of a £31bn program.
And it is this shipyard and the work done to “protect the nation” that makes locals proud.
A publican at the Crow’s Nest pub on the corner of Stanley Street and Ferry Road, just outside the BAE factory, told The Sun: “It was like the 8th wonder of the world with this mega unit driving down Ferry Road and towering over the houses .”
“Lots of boys from the factory come here for a pint and the town is proud of the work they do.
“These Trident submarines will provide a shield to protect the nation and we all recognize the importance of the work being done here.”
Father-of-two Ryan Warner, 34, helps unemployed people find work and joined other residents.
He said: “Without the shipyard there would be a lot fewer options.”
“We had a lot of shops closed in the city center but we are all grateful that the shipyard exists. Without them, the local economy would be doing much worse.”
Emma Hope, 35, a mother of seven, said: “It’s a place where a lot of our neighbors work. I’m originally from Doncaster but have lived in Barrow for 18 years now and it’s great to see the yard thriving.”
“It’s very, very good for the city. I only have to walk two minutes from my house and I can see the shipyard and it is a huge presence in the area.”
Chrissie Whelan, 35, agreed.
The mother-of-one said: “I have lived in Barrow all my life. Most of my family works there or at the hospital.”
“It’s a great place to work and they do great work for the UK. We have seven family members on both my mother’s and father’s sides who work there.”
“It’s not just this generation though, previous generations of my family also worked in the shipyard.”
Last week, BAE Systems said: “The longest ‘mega unit’ to date for Dreadnought Boat 1 has been moved down the road to BAE Systems Submarines’ Devonshire Dock Hall (DDH) in Barrow-in-Furness.”
“At more than 20m, it was the longest submarine unit to move on the road since the mega forward unit was moved to DDH for the final Vanguard boat in the mid-1990s.
“This mega unit will now take its place in the Dreadnought range as we continue to build the next generation of deterrent submarines.
“Three of the four dreadnought submarines are currently being built at Barrow and will join the Royal Navy fleet in the early 2030s.
“BAE Systems’ site on the edge of the Lake District is the home of British submarine construction.”
HMS Dreadnought is scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s.
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Pictured is an artist’s impression of the 167-foot-long nuclear submarine. Photo credit: Not known, clearly with picture plate
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HMS Dreadnought is scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s. Source: SWNS
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The move took place on September 21st. Photo credit: SWNS
Source : www.thesun.co.uk