The Submarine Heritage Centre - First "V" Class

Sponsorship Comments

This painting was commissioned by a kind donation from the Barrow and District Licensed Victuallers Association. The payment for the painting was presented by the Chairman of this Association, Mr. Mike Fallon, in May 2004.

Specifications of "V" Class:

- Yard Numbers: 437, 449, 450 and 451.
- Dimensions: Length: 148 ft, Beam: 16 ft, Draught: 11 ft.
- Displacement: Surface: 364 tons, Submerged: 486 tons.
- Machinery: Surface: 2 Vickers 8 cylinders diesels = 900hp. Submerged: 2 electric motors = 380hp. Twin shafts.
- Fuel: 16.5 tons.
- Speed: Surface: 14 knots, Submerged: 9 knots.
- Endurance: Surface: 3,000 nautical miles at 9 knots. Submerged: 50 nautical miles at 5 knots.
- Armaments: 2 x 18 inch torpedo tubes, 2 spare torpedoes carried. 1 x 2 pound deck gun.
- Complements: 18.
- Cost: £75,799.00

Historical Facts:

A class of four submarines built by Vickers Limited between 1914 – 1915.

The class letter “V” is taken from the first letter of the shipbuilder, the “V” class was Vickers concept for a coastal submarine designed to meet the requirements of the 1912 Submarine Design Committee, which was set up to explore various designs for coastal submarines from both British and foreign shipbuilders.

The outcome unfortunately was not very successful, due mainly to a low underwater speed and low endurance, as a consequence this class of submarine was employed mainly as training boats and they saw no active service.

Artists Words

Main Picture

Water Colour. Submarine V3 passing H.M.S. Victory on passage through Portsmouth Harbour.

Lower Mount

A view of the Devonshire Dock, circa 1915, a part of the Barrow landscape, showing the Iron and Steelworks and the Corn silo along with many other local industrial sites.

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