Plymouth Bids Farewell to HMS Victorious

The Vanguard class submarine HMS Victorious has left Plymouth today, Thursday 10 July 2008, after completing her three and a half year multi-million pound overhaul at Devonport Royal Dockyard.>> Victorious is heading to Scotland for sea trials that mark the start of a process of regeneration of the platform and crew to operational status following her Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) [LOP(R)].>> Over 80 submarine design improvements have been incorporated with all the submarine systems having been surveyed, overhauled and refurbished or replaced, returning the vessel to 'as new' condition. 14,000 items of ship's equipment were removed and 2,600 new items manufactured. The project has involved some 2.2 million man-hours and 10,000 people in total.>> Work has included a new propulsor and tail shaft, major overhaul and commissioning of the safety critical 650kw motor generators, survey, repair and preservation of the huge main ballast tanks and substantial torpedo tube overhaul and upgrade, as well as major inspections of the main engines, gearbox and turbo generators.>> As the second Trident nuclear submarine refit and refuel to be undertaken at Devonport, a range of innovative project management and technical solutions have been employed including the first use of the new Primary Circuit Decontamination (PCD) facility.>> The MOD's Project Contract Manager, Commander Richard Carrick, said:> "Submarine conditions are pretty arduous, so the past three and a half years has seen a long overhaul period with refuelling as well.>> "The next stage of sea trials allows for any defects to be rectified before being returned to Fleet. The crew will then be brought up to operational readiness ready for HMS Victorious to be entered back into operational service in 2009.