Institution of Mechanical Engineers Devon and Cornwall Area

Institution of Mechanical Engineers Devon and Cornwall Area We support the professional development of local Engineers throughout their career promote the benefits and achievements of our profession

We exist to support the professional development of local engineers and to raise the profile of engineering in general. At present, the committee is based in Plymouth, but we have ambitious plans to expand our activities across the Area, starting in Exeter. We organise a broad portfolio of events to support your professional development and - hopefully - to have some fun too! If you have an idea f

or an event, we would love to hear it . If you are planning an engineering-related event of your own and would like some support, just ask. Almost all of our events are FREE and OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. You do not have to be an engineer to attend - just keen to make friends and learn something new! There is no age limit either - everyone is welcome. To find out more about us, come along to one of our meetings, or contact us. We hope to see you at a local event soon!

On 5 March, the Committee hosted a fantastic technical lecture, “Learning from Experience (LfE) in the Delivery of a Com...
16/03/2026

On 5 March, the Committee hosted a fantastic technical lecture, “Learning from Experience (LfE) in the Delivery of a Complex Nuclear Project – The Submarine Disposal Programme”, in Plymouth. The event brought together engineers and professionals from across the region to explore the challenges and lessons learned in delivering the UK’s Submarine Disposal Programme, which aims to safely and responsibly defuel, dispose of, and dismantle 23 decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines.

A huge thank you to our speakers, Lisa and Hank, from Babcock International Group, for sharing their insights into programme delivery, infrastructure upgrades, and the importance of learning from experience in complex engineering projects.

We also extend our thanks to everyone who attended, asked thoughtful questions, and contributed to the engaging discussion. Events like this highlight the strength of the engineering community in Devon and Cornwall and the value of sharing knowledge across industry.

Keep an eye on our webpage for details of upcoming events; we look forward to seeing you at the next one!

https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23914White Cross Offshore Windfarm Webin...
08/03/2026

https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23914

White Cross Offshore Windfarm Webinar

📅 Date: 11 March 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00–13:00 (30‑minute briefing + 15 minutes Q&A)
💻 Format: Lunchtime Microsoft Teams Webinar
🎤 Speaker: Sam Park, Senior Project Manager, White Cross Offshore Windfarm (Flotation Energy & Cobra)

Event Overview:
Join us for an informative lunchtime webinar exploring the White Cross Offshore Windfarm, a pioneering floating offshore wind test‑and‑demonstration project located 52 km off the North Devon coast. The session will provide project background, technology insights, and an opportunity to engage directly with the project’s Senior Project Manager, Sam Park.

About Flotation Energy & Cobra:
Flotation Energy (UK-based developer) and Cobra (Spanish energy infrastructure company, part of Vinci Group) are joint developers of the White Cross Offshore Windfarm Limited entity responsible for delivering the project.
The project aims to accelerate floating offshore wind deployment in deeper waters of the Celtic Sea and contribute to the UK’s renewable energy and Net Zero targets.

Overview of the White Cross Offshore Wind Project:
The White Cross Offshore Windfarm is a 100 MW floating offshore wind test and demonstration project deploying six to eight floating wind turbines. It is designed to provide operational and environmental data that will inform future large‑scale floating wind developments across the region.

Speaker:
Sam Park — Senior Project Manager, White Cross Offshore Windfarm

Sam has led significant phases of planning and stakeholder engagement, including successful delivery of the 2025 full planning consent milestone. His insights offer a firsthand view of the project’s challenges, innovations, and future impact.

https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23914

Learning from Experience (LfE) in the Delivery of a Complex Nuclear Project - The Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP)📅Dat...
04/02/2026

Learning from Experience (LfE) in the Delivery of a Complex Nuclear Project - The Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP)

📅Date: Thursday 5 March 2026
⏰Time: 18:00 – 20:00
📍Venue: Copthorne Hotel Plymouth, PL1 1AR

Register for the event at: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23899

Event Overview:

The aim of the Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP) is to deliver a safe, environmentally responsible and cost effective solution for the disposal of 23 of the UK’s out-of-service nuclear-powered submarines.
The SDP consists of 3 key phases: decommission, defuel and dismantle. Babcock International Group (BIG) is the Ministry of Defence (MoD) nominated lead supplier for the SDP and will undertake disposal activities at 2 nuclear licensed sites: Rosyth Royal Dockyard and Devonport Royal Dockyard.
This presentation will describe the strategic approach to the SDP, the programme structure and scope, infrastructure upgrades required to support the required disposal activities and a lookahead to future challenges. The presentation will be themed around Learning from Experience (LfE) in a complex programme and will include a reflection on the importance of Project Management (PM) processes, tools, mechanisms, stakeholder engagement and developing the personnel required to deliver the required objectives.

Speakers:

Lisa Arding, Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP) Director – Babcock International Group
Lisa is responsible for the disposal of all 23 UK out-of-service nuclear submarines, both in Devonport (Plymouth) and Rosyth (near Edinburgh). Lisa joined Babcock as an Engineering Graduate over 14 years ago, and throughout her career has supported all UK classes of submarine.
She lives in Plymouth with her husband and 2 children and enjoys the outdoor lifestyle that the south-west offers.

Michael “Hank” Hancox, Capability and Technical Integration Manager – Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP) – Babcock International Group
Hank served as an engineer in the Royal Navy Submarine Service before undertaking posts in Babcock International Group (BIG) and as an independent contractor in both the civil and defence nuclear enterprises before returning to BIG. He lives in Cornwall and is starting to plan for retirement.

Register for the event at: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23899

Image of SM Swiftsure, UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024

The Robey Trust Sausage, Cider & Steam Festival📅 Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th October 2025 – 11:00 to 17:00📍 The Robey Tr...
03/10/2025

The Robey Trust Sausage, Cider & Steam Festival
📅 Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th October 2025 – 11:00 to 17:00
📍 The Robey Trust Ltd, The Works, Parade Business Park, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 9RQ

Overview
The Devon & Cornwall Area Committee is delighted to be supporting The Robey Trust’s Sausage, Cider & Steam Festival 2025 – a unique celebration of heritage engineering, local food, and community spirit.

This is a fantastic opportunity for engineers, families, and friends to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of steam power in action while enjoying some of Devon’s finest sausages and ciders.

About the Festival
Step back in time and immerse yourself in the golden age of steam at the Robey Trust’s workshops and exhibition site in Tavistock.

Highlights include:

🚂 Steam and heritage artefacts on display – from miniature trains to mighty traction engines.

⚙️ Live engineering demonstrations in the bustling workshops.

🚜 Vintage tractors and stationary engines at work.

🎡 ‘Round Robin’ steam-hauled trailer rides running hourly.

🍴 A mouth-watering selection of homemade cakes, locally sourced BBQ, and traditional Devon ciders.

The festival offers something for all ages – whether you’re a dedicated steam enthusiast, an engineer fascinated by heritage machinery, or simply looking for a fun and family-friendly day out.

The IMechE at the Festival
Members of the IMechE Devon & Cornwall Area Committee will be attending across the weekend. Come and meet us, chat with fellow engineers, and explore the world of mechanical heritage together.

We’d love to see as many members, families, and guests as possible joining us for this celebration of engineering, heritage, and community.

Find out more at: https://www.facebook.com/TheRobeyTrust/

Visit to Princess Yachts!- Date: Wednesday, 24th September- Time: 15:00 – 16:30- Location: Princess Yachts, South Yard, ...
12/09/2025

Visit to Princess Yachts!

- Date: Wednesday, 24th September
- Time: 15:00 – 16:30
- Location: Princess Yachts, South Yard, Vivid Approach, Plymouth PL1 4SG

Experience a guided tour of Princess Yachts’ South Yard facility in Plymouth, a historic dockyard now dedicated to the production of large luxury yachts. Attendees will gain insight into the design, engineering, and construction processes that go into building high-quality vessels, seeing first-hand how modern marine engineering is applied in a distinctive heritage setting. Gain firsthand insights into:

🛥️ Guided Tour of the South Yard production areas and workshops.
⚙️ Engineering Insights into yacht construction, materials, and design techniques.
🏗️ Production Processes including hull building, systems integration, and interior fit-out.

Who should attend?
- Marine engineers and designers
- Students and professionals in yacht construction and marine technology
- Anyone curious about large-scale manufacturing in a historic setting

🔗 Registration is required. Secure your spot now: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23520

Don't miss this unique opportunity to witness engineering in action at one of the UK's leading yacht manufacturers!

The Robey Trust Social Evening 2025Tuesday 10th June 2025 – From 19:00Join us for an evening of steam, socialising, and ...
30/05/2025

The Robey Trust Social Evening 2025

Tuesday 10th June 2025 – From 19:00

Join us for an evening of steam, socialising, and local flavour!

This joint social event, hosted by the Devon & Somerset and Devon & Cornwall Committees, returns for another year at The Robey Trust in Tavistock.

We’ll gather from 19:00 at The Works, where you’ll have time to explore the Steam Museum and mingle before our 19:30 departure to the nearby Stannary Brewery – via a vintage engine and trailer (limited to 24 spaces – first come, first served!). If you miss the trailer, it’s just a short walk to the brewery.

At the brewery, a local food truck will be on-site, alongside Stannary’s excellent selection of drinks.

This year, we’re excited to welcome Alex Masters, Chairman of The Robey Trust, who will speak about the future of the steam movement and how the industry is evolving beyond its nostalgic roots.

After the social at the brewery, we’ll return to the workshop to view additional engines and continue the conversation.

📅 Date: Tuesday 10th June 2025
🕖 Time: Arrive from 19:00 | Trailer departs at 19:30
📍 Venue: The Robey Trust, The Works, Parade Business Park,
Tavistock, Devon, PL19 9RQ
🍺 Food & Drink: Stannary Brewery (PL19 8DH), with food truck on site
💷 Cost: Please make a £10 donation to The Robey Trust to help cover coal and event costs. Food and drink at your own expense.

Important: Trailer space is limited to 24 attendees. If you’d prefer to walk, the brewery is only a few hundred yards away.

We look forward to seeing you there for a unique evening of engineering, heritage, and community.

More details at: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon—Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23187

Excellent visit to Altilium Clean Technology in Tavistock to hear about how they are approaching the challenge of recycl...
12/04/2025

Excellent visit to Altilium Clean Technology in Tavistock to hear about how they are approaching the challenge of recycling of key minerals from EV batteries - including lithium, cobalt. Very exciting opportunity to close the recycling loop and feed suitable material back to battery manufacturers in the UK.

Wish Altilium every success with their route to a full scale commercial facility and their approach to the engineering challenges in mineral processing. Thank you to Dr Ben Wickham for hosting the tour and leading a very interesting discussion.

Visit and Presentation by Altilium🔋 Date & Time: 📅 Thursday 10th April 2025, 🕔 17:00 – 19:00 hrsLocation: 🏭 Altilium EV ...
28/03/2025

Visit and Presentation by Altilium🔋

Date & Time: 📅 Thursday 10th April 2025, 🕔 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Location: 🏭 Altilium EV Battery Recycling Technology Centre, Plymouth Road Industrial Estate, Tavistock, PL19 9QN


🔎 About the Event
Join us for an insightful visit and presentation by Altilium at their EV Battery Recycling Technology Centre in Tavistock. This event offers a unique opportunity to explore cutting-edge developments in sustainable battery recycling technology and learn about Altilium’s innovative approach to the circular economy within the electric vehicle sector.

♻️ About Altilium
Devon-based clean technology group Altilium opened its ACT1 battery recycling technology centre in 2022, with the ambition of pioneering innovative green processing technologies for the recovery of critical battery metals, such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, from existing waste streams, including end-of-life EV batteries and Gigafactory scrap.
Using its proprietary Eco-Cathode™ process, Altilium is able to recover over 95% of the cathode metals, in a format that can be directly reused in the manufacturing of new EV batteries. The ability to recycle these metals and “close the loop” on their life cycle reduces the need for virgin mined materials, leading to significant reductions in the carbon footprint of new EV batteries, whilst also reducing the UK’s reliance on imported materials.

🏗️ Research & Development Facility
Today, the R&D facility serves as the foundation for Altilium’s process development and innovation, refining the company’s advanced hydrometallurgical technology. It contains:
🧪 A hydrometallurgical laboratory
⚗️ A solvent extraction lab
🔬 An analytical lab with state-of-the-art equipment to handle leaching, extraction, and purification.

🚶 What to Expect
The tour will provide insights into:✅ The challenges of recovering critical metals from EV batteries. ✅ The innovative technologies being developed to produce the UK’s most sustainable battery materials. ✅ A presentation by Altilium COO and co-founder, Dr. Christian Marston, on the evolving EV battery supply chain and the role of material science in supporting the transition to net zero.

Find out more: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23072

11/03/2025

We were pleased to welcome members of Institution of Mechanical Engineers (Devon & Cornwall) to the lifeboat station on Saturday morning. Senior Station Technician Jon-Paul Whaley showed the group around the station and gave them a tour of the Tamar class lifeboat (currently on service here) RNLB 'Edward and Barbara Prigmore'. All of the members thoroughly enjoyed their visit with us.

Photograph: Sam Hill

Group visits to The Lizard Lifeboat Station are most welcome.
To arrange a visit please contact our Visits Officer - Sam Hill on 07816886673 or via email [email protected]

Some more shots from Yesterday’s tour of The Lizard RNLI Lifeboat Station…
09/03/2025

Some more shots from Yesterday’s tour of The Lizard RNLI Lifeboat Station…

A huge thank you to The Lizard RNLI Lifeboat Station for an outstanding tour yesterday. JP and Sam were fantastic hosts,...
09/03/2025

A huge thank you to The Lizard RNLI Lifeboat Station for an outstanding tour yesterday. JP and Sam were fantastic hosts, offering an insightful look into the station’s impressive operations and engineering, which play a vital role in saving lives at sea. Their generosity and hospitality made the visit even more special.

The station itself is a marvel of engineering, housing meticulously maintained equipment and an impeccably clean and well-kept engine room aboard the Tamar-class lifeboat. It’s truly a testament to the dedication and hard work of the RNLI team.

Highly recommend visiting the station, an inspiring experience that showcases the incredible effort behind keeping our waters safe.



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