A squad of engineering modern apprentices have completed their mission to complete the latest impressive metal sculpture developed from the Forth Valley College welding workshops.
HMS Forth Valley is a scale 100:1 model of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier The Queen Elizabeth, and has taken eight MAs 100 hours to build as part of their training.
The new model was unveiled nearly a year to the day since a unique Kelpie sculpture was created by lecturer James Constable with help from more than 80 mechanical, welding and fabrication students. It is hoped that like the Kelpie, the aircraft carrier will be displayed in the new build Falkirk Campus once complete.
Robyn Leslie (20) who works with SIBCUS, Nicholas Paton (20), Taylor Roy (19) and Liam McAughey (18) who all work for TechnipFMC, Rebecca Weir (19) and Calum MacTaggert (18) who both work for Diageo, Grant Watson (18) who works with INEOS and Fraser Preston (18) who works for WGM, used their skills in Computer Aided Design (CAD), platework and welding to complete the hull and superstructure of the carrier, before they finished for the summer. It is hoped detail such as adding planes and deck features will be added soon.
HMS Forth Valley is:
- Made of Low Carbon steel plate.
- Weighs 850 Kilogrammes
- Almost 3 metres in length from bow to stern
- Took almost 100 man hours to create
Fraser Preston (18) from Bo’ness an MA who works for WGM Engineering, said: “It has been a great project to work on and expand our skills. It has certainly been a bit different from the other work we do.”
Grant Watson (18) from Falkirk an MA who works for INEOS, said: “It has been really good and a lot of fun. The best bit for me has been that we had to be creative and improvise solutions during the building process.”
Engineering lecturer, Alan Lockhart, said: “It has been a great effort by the MAs. They put a lot of focus into the project and used great skill to get it to this stage over coming various Engineering challenges along the way reflecting those in major Engineering construction projects. I am very proud of them all.”
Dougie Ross, Curriculum Manager, Applied Science, Maths and Engineering, added: “This is another great example of the high standards of work that is being produced here in the department and shows the type of creative projects which our students are exposed to in order to hone their skills. The benefits to them as they progress in their careers will be extremely valuable and they will be able to always say that an example of their work is on public display at Forth Valley College.”