The RINA Cumbria Branch delivered a varied programme of talks and events in 2025 and into 2026, held mainly at Barrow Town Hall, Barrow-in-Furness, with one event at the Coniston Institute. Speakers covered a wide range of topics, from history to the future of decarbonisation, to the Titanic, to the engineering behind world speed records.

In September 2025, James Royston, head of projects at the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, gave a talk on the specification and acquisition of Manxman, its latest ferry serving the Heysham to Douglas route with some quite stringent infrastructure and environmental constraints and Return to Port requirements.

Martin Thody, a chartered ergonomics and human factors specialist, fellow and president of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, and senior engineering consultant for Human Systems Integration at BAE Systems Submarines, gave a talk on 1 October 2025 titled ‘The Evolution of Human Factors in the Maritime Industry: From the Age of Sail to the Modern Day’, exploring people-centred design and operational performance across the maritime sector.

The following month, the branch presented an evening of talks centred on Coniston Records Week, held at the Coniston Institute on 4 November 2025. Organisers and participants described the engineering behind their vessels and their pursuit of world speed records on Coniston Water, with attendees encouraged to watch the racing during the day ahead of the evening session.

The new year opened on 7 January 2026 with Steve Bee, group commercial director of Veritas Petroleum Services, and a chemist by background. His insightful talk addressed maritime decarbonisation, outlining the company’s testing and advisory work across a fleet of almost 13,000 vessels, with a focus on protecting vessels, crew and the environment while improving operational efficiency.

On 28 January 2026, John Hudson CBE, FREng, FRINA, past managing director of Barrow shipyard, delivered ‘Surviving Perestroika: The Impact of the End of the Cold War on Barrow’s Shipyard’, charting the yard’s response to the post-Cold War defence landscape, its industrial rationalisation, and its eventual refocusing on the UK submarine programme.

In ‘Barrow and the Great Liners’ on 10 March 2026, Dr Stephen Payne OBE, FRINA examined the shipyard’s historic role in the construction of great ocean liners. Payne had previously delivered a talk to the branch on his work as the chief designer of Queen Mary 2.

Forthcoming events include talks by Dr Stephen Payne on Titanic Revisited, Alan Phizacklea on 50 years at Barrow shipyard and Jerry Turner on the stability of large sailing yachts. The branch also has a networking evening planned at Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club and a visit to Barrow Lifeboat Station.

BRANCH COMMITTEE

Chair: David Hooper MRINA

Vice-chair: Adam Cowley MRINA

Secretary: Crayston Renner MRINA

Treasurer: Simon Newby AMRINA

Honorary member: Jason Dobb MRINA

Members: Nick Heather FRINA; Aaron Willis AMRINA; and Sheldon Keizner AMRINA

The RINA Cumbria Branch works closely with the Barrow and District Association of Engineers (BDAE) and Professional Engineers South Cumbria (PESC) to contribute about one talk per month to a series of weekly talks from September to April. Aside from talks and events, the branch also provides Professional Review Interview interviewers for RINA members looking to progress their professional status within the Institution.

Cruising on Lake Windermere (image: Crayston Renner)

This article appeared in Members, TNA May/June 2026.