MORE than 20 years ago, Barrow shipyard was treated to a royal visit as Diana, Princess of Wales, oversaw the commissioning of Britain's first Trident submarine.
The Princess, who was responsible for naming the sub was the guest of honour in a ceremony held at Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering in Barrow on August 14, 1993. She toured the submarine, met crew members and she also enjoyed a special lunch to mark the occasion in a marquee next to Devonshire Dock Hall.
A small number of protesters from anti-Trident peace groups tried to disrupt proceedings but police managed to keep things under control as the sub was commissioned without a hitch.
The Vanguard-class of ballistic missile submarines entered service in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, with an intended service life of 25 years.
, which weighs 16,000 tonnes, is set to be decommissioned with Successor-class submarines set to be built as part of the UK's Trident submarine programme, which was backed by MPs last month.
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Barrow's 100-year shipbuilding legacy lives on
NOSTALGIA: Construction of shipyard's Devonshire Dock Hall 30 years ago
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