Dave Cullen captured the moment HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived at Glenmallan in Scotland to destore ammunition and other supplies before heading to Rosyth..

Give Dave a follow by clicking here, you will not be disappointed.

The image is Copyright Dave Cullen Photography 2024 and was produced here with permission.

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

51 COMMENTS

    • True, but in this case there was little alternative to be able to offload all the live ordnance. On the plus side it has given rise to some absolutely gorgeous images.

      • All I’ll say is a lot of my working life was up in Caithness and a superb vantage point is Dunnet head on a clear day right next to the Light House. Just not sure how a drone would get on as it’s a wee bit windy.

      • yes, I know but it is a long old trip…. Wonder if the SNP could build a canal from the Clyde to the Forth ? 😄

    • At the beginning of the 20th century, two routes were proposed to build canals via the Loch Lomond route and a direct route via the Clyde to Rosyth. The carrier could have had a more direct route to Rosyth if they were built. It would have been the Mid-Scotland Ship Canal.

    • Unsure if DM Crombie is still in use, but that site does not store the munitions the QEC require, Glen Douglas does. So the long way round it will be,

  1. Like many on here we all wondered about why POW hasn’t and self defence weapons other than small arms. We are supposed to have 1 carrier operational and 1 in standby. QE was due to take part in the Cold Response exercise and then be available for other Tasking so she has the full outfit of CIWS and munitions and stores. So she will destore her munitions and other stores before entering drydock.
    Its very impressive how they got POW up and deployed whilst QE goes in for work at Rosyth. But if she has to go to the Red Sea then she will need up arming, it will be interesting if / how they do that.
    I dare say over the weekend there will some lovely shots of QE going up the West Coast and through the Pentland Firth on route to Rosyth.
    Optimum tides are Monday – Wednesday and then she is pretty well stuck for a month.
    IMHO the Achilles heal of our Carrier Operations is being 100% reliant on one shoe in sized drydock that effectively can only be accessed for 2/3 days per Lunar Month. The sooner H&W are fully back up and running the better, the Belfast Dock doesn’t have the access issues Rosyth has.

    • Not quite correct with your tidal predictions as she wont be stuck for a month..she will be at Mallen for a short time before coming around to Rosyth soon but wont be next week.. I can assure you

      • How so ? My understanding is that to get into or out of Rosyth she needs a Spring Tide, lowest possible to get under the Bridges and then highest to get over the Dock lip. And by my reckoning that’s Tuesday next week.
        If I’m wrong kindly point me in the right direction 🤔

        • She is due Rosyth within the next “few” weeks, however to say she will be stuck ifnot there by Wednesday .. well you are being very over dramatic and way if the mark. She can clear the Bridges at ANY low tide, and enter the dockyard at ANY high tide.

    • I can assure you she will not be stuck if she doesnt sail anytime soon, she will be at Mallen for awhile before going to Rosyth but she wont be going to Rosyth in the next few days!

    • Will they take her up the Sound of Mull like the battleship HMS Duke of York on completion? That would be interesting.

    • Yes.

      However, the the dry dock itself will need a comprehensive package of work before the carriers could use it, and dock-side infrastructure is, well… poor, in a word.

      It would require a decent amount of investment to make it usable, but the carriers would fit in there if required.

    • Size, access and location are fine. But cranes and infrastructure are gone and developers have their eyes on “Water front”developments. To be honest it’s a bloody shame but H&W ticks all the boxes when they get back to ship building.

  2. Any idea how long she will be out of action for? I believe she was due to go into planned maintenance at the end of the year. Will that be brought forward?

    • Both answers would be Guesses….. apparently the Issue is not the same as QE’s but it has to be fixed in the dry dock… planned Maintenance being brought forwards sounds a good Idea but who knows.

  3. Either the ship got a saboteur in the crew a joanna or she is jinxed, perhaps in future build warships in ENGLAND ,,just dont know what is going on in the Royal every few weeks something goes wrong maybe one of Putin’s mates ( a spy) needs to be flushed out perhaps someone can hide the drinks cabinet or get a better CAPTAIN all these breakdowns must be caused by someone

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here