Looking back at the Queen's visits to West Dunbartonshire and Helensburgh through the years

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Residents will have fond memories of Queen Elizabeth visiting West Dunbartonshire on numerous occasions during her 70-year reign.

Her Majesty’s first visit to the region was on April 16, 1953 – six weeks before her Coronation – when she attended John Brown’s shipyard to launch HMS Britannia.

She also accepted the keys to Dumbarton Castle on a visit with her husband Prince Philip later the same year, which was attended by thousands of people eager to see a glimpse of the new Queen.

There is a black and white video documenting the Royal occasion, with a commentator narrating: “At Dumbarton Castle, thousands of Scots gather to welcome the Queen and the Duke.“The keeper of the castle Major General Telfer Smollett brings the key of Dumbarton Castle to Her Majesty to touch in token of acceptance.”They returned in 1967 to launch the luxury cruise liner named in her honour – the Queen Elizabeth 2, more famously known as the QE2.On June 28, 1965, the Royal couple made another visit to the area with the Duke, visiting the Singer Factory, where 1700 school children lined the carriageway from the factory entrance in Kilbowie Road to catch a glimpse of the Royal party.They visited Dumbarton Municipal Chambers and Dumbarton Common before leaving to fomally open the new county council offices in Garshake.In the afternoon, they cruised around Loch Lomond on the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer, before visiting the Vale of Leven Hospital and Helensburgh Municipal Chambers, signing Helensburgh Town Council’s visitor book.While in the town, they also visited Helensburgh Central railway station and are pictured admiring a model of the first ‘Blue Train’ which would soon be introduced into service on the Helensburgh-Glasgow line.It was the