Described as "The Royal Navy's biggest and most powerful attack submarine", Astute has set sail from the Cumbrian shipyard where it was built for sea trials.

Almost 328 feet (100 m) from bow to stern, Astute is armed with 38 torpedoes and missiles - more than any previous Royal Navy submarine, was built by BAE Systems, and is due to go into full service next year.

The sub can circle the world while submerged and advanced nuclear technology means that it will never need to be refuelled.

BBC NEWS | England | Cumbria | New nuclear sub begins sea trials

Arrives Friday and I should have been out on one of the Military Vessels escorting her in but due to prior commitments in Edinburgh I am unable to make it.

An acquaintance has taken the spot and I will post a link to his pictures when he has them available.

Astute arrives:

BBC News - Astute submarine arrives at Faslane on the Clyde

I note the "PR" cut-away drawing shows only residential accommodation - a bit like pictures of a Travel-Inn sort of place, with even a bathroom. . . !  Oh how times have changed - or have they really?  What of the exciting bits that go "whoosh" and "bang" to justify the whole operation - are they still there?
Navigator

Lovely shots, especially the close-ups and their detail.

Astute has so many little fiddles around her hull design that she looks as if she spent time in the McLaren F1 wind tunnel

I have one small, and I would say surprising gripe

The captions say "HMS Astute - Gareloch, Faslane Naval Base", while it really should be the Gare Loch.

Am I right in assuming that Astute became HMS Astute at handover? (Memory failure - soemthing similar popped up elsewhere, and I've lost it).

Is Gareloch not the area? Gare Loch the actual body of water and Garelochhead the village?

I will come back to you on the Ensign as I am trying to confirm some details.

I have pics of Daring departing the Clyde and not 'HMS' but she flew the red and white ensign.

I am thinking it is to do with who was on board.

She certainly won't take the white ensign until she is officially accepted by the Andrew.  This will involve a handover ceremony unless cutbacks have done away with them.

Concur on Gare Loch as the wet bit, and Garelochhead being the village at the head of the loch.

But there is no area entry I can find on any Ordnance Survey gazetteer, or its official and ancient predecessors, or any proper map, of anything called Gareloch.

It's just a bugbear of mine (born of having to write in detail about the area), and I suspect it has just developed from sloppy writing when those who know no better hear "the Gare Loch" and write "the Gareloch".

Sadly, many maps, especially older ones dating back to Victorian times, are very poorly spaced and unclear in they typesetting, and although a considered look at the legen "GARE LOCH" on the water will show a space between two the words, again, a casual glance will reward the casual observer with an apparent single word. That it is also usually set on a curve does not help emphasis the spacing either.

Doesn't happen with "the Holy Loch", as Holy is a well known word, otherwise I am sure we would also be seeing "the Holyloch" referred to as well.

This is Daring on her departure from the Clyde and at the time was not handed over the the RN.

"The Andrew" is the nickname for the Navy.

I have seen articles referring to "Gareloch and Roseneath Penninsula"??

What do I know coming from Clyde Bank............ >

Either named after Lieutenant Andrew Miller, an 18th century Press Gang Officer or the one I prefer, St Andrew, not only the patron saint of fishermen but of sailors also.

I was born on St Andrew's day in Douglas IOM but you are all welcome to come to my 'Homecoming' party!!  

Quoted from Dougster

I have seen articles referring to "Gareloch and Roseneath Penninsula"??

You're just trying to wind me up now

"Roseneath" should, of course be "Rosneath" - with no "e" in the middle

You are no doubt referring to this site: Gareloch and the Rosneath Peninsula

Which begins with the words:

Welcome to Gareloch and the Rosneath Peninsula Community Website

Carries on with:

This website covers Garelochhead and the Peninsula villages and hamlets including:

Clynder
Coulport
Cove
Kilcreggan
Mambeg
Peaton
Portincaple
Portkil
Rahane
Rosneath

And then lets the cat out of the bag inside its pages, where a few moments' reading will reveal that they are referring to the Gare Loch when they use the non-existent term "Gareloch".

And no, I'm not evil enough to start a fight with someone who has taken the time and trouble to put together such a rich web site - I do have some compassion

If it doesn't matter if we use Gareloch instead of Gare Loch, then does it matter if we start using Holyloch instead of Holy Loch. Closer to home there's Hogganfieldloch, also Woodendloch, then Raeloch, and if you head north, many more with names folk have probably never heard of, but are "something Loch" nonetheless.

Forgive me for mentioning it again - I wasn't meaning to beat it to death, and only wanted to highlight the existence of the excellent Rosneath site.

I'm probably just a bit fussy, finding I have to write about these places in a way that makes the material an accurate reference, so will close this off topic bit before it turns into a thread

My apologies for the misspelling of Rosneath.

I am not that familiar with the area but have eaten in that cracking cafe in Kilcreggan and been made most welcome in St. Modan.