Barum & Dewar provide equipment for Astute class submarines

The mast and periscope workshop at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane recently took delivery of two MRE up-ending trolleys designed and manufactured by Barum & Dewar Ltd. Whether installed in the new Astute class submarines or stored at the Faslane base all MRE’s are located in a vertical configuration. Weighing around 2.5 tonnes each the MRE’s are transported and manoeuvred horizontally from base to submarine in custom designed containers and so require to be safely transferred from vertical to horizontal and vice-versa in a controlled and timely manner.

The task of how these MRE’s might be transferred from horizontal to vertical and vice-versa was presented to B&D’s design team and in conjunction with the Faslane workshop an up-ending trolley solution was adopted. This type of system had been used successfully on hull penetrating masts and periscopes for many years previously and therefore many of the key elements of use were well proven. The system involves the use of a crane to raise the MRE and two up-ending trolleys designed to take the full weight of the MRE’s to facilitate the lowering and raising in a controlled manner thus making transferring MRE’s from horizontal to vertical or vice-versa a safe and straightforward procedure.

Following site visits by B&D engineers and by working closely with the Faslane workshop the design of the up-ending trolleys was refined and agreed enabling manufacture and acceptance to be smooth and without issue.

Les Atack, Mast Periscope & Radio Workshop Manager at Faslane, HMNB Clyde commented:

“Between Faslane, the periscope project team in Abbey Wood and Barum & Dewar Ltd the trolleys were designed for this very purpose and have since proved highly useful and can be used anywhere, home and abroad should the need arise in supporting MRE work.”

Barum & Dewar have since commenced work on the design of custom transportation containers for the safe movement of MRE’s worldwide.

Source: Barum & Dewar

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