Britain’s biggest warship back in dock at Rosyth

WARSHIP HMS Queen Elizabeth is safely back in dock after poor weather delayed its first return to Rosyth since launch.

It took some precision manoeuvring in the Forth yesterday to get the pride of the fleet back in port.

The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier was spotted on Wednesday as she made her way to the Fife port for a scheduled period of maintenance.

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“And that is now us safely in dock, ready to dock down for our scheduled inspections and checks,” read a post on the ship’s Twitter feed.

“A monumental feat of navigation, ship handling and seamanship supported by Forth Pilots and MOD Police.”

The boat lowered her pole mast to get under the three bridges on the Forth but had to wait for the right tidal and weather conditions to get safely through the lock into Rosyth Dockyard.

An inspection will be carried out on her 920 foot-long hull, with any defects being rectified and marine growth removed.

The 65,000 tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier goes under the Forth Rail BridgeThe 65,000 tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier goes under the Forth Rail Bridge
The 65,000 tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier goes under the Forth Rail Bridge

The ship tweeted last week: “Unfortunately the weather has ‘scunnered’ our plans to enter the basin today.

“Better safe than sorry and we will await the Scottish squalls ceasing.”

There were four-mile tailbacks on approach to the Queensferry Crossing from Edinburgh to Fife last week, with some reports drivers were slowing down to see the vessel.

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HMS Queen Elizabeth was floated in July 2014 and sailed from Rosyth Dockyard for the first time in June 2017.

Since then she has crossed the Atlantic to conduct historic trials with F35 Lightning test fighter jets in the USA and worked up towards her official in-service date next year.

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