Events

Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2022 is now published

Members will be receiving your copy soon and we’re pleased to announce the publication of our LIFEBOAT ENTHUSIASTS’ SOCIETY HANDBOOK 2022.

Do you want to know what the lifeboat numbers relate to and the status of the current RNLI Lifeboat fleet and retired lifeboats back to the late C19th? Purchase this bumper 132-page handbook and you can quickly find details of each lifeboat on service, and more.

The new 2022 edition is the most complete guide available for anyone interested in lifeboat stations, lifeboats, hovercraft and launching vehicles.
It’s the perfect companion for visits to the coast. It includes an after-service list of retired all-weather lifeboats, showing last-reported locations. The handbook also lists lifeboats both pre and post the RNLI numbering system, plus all the boats that have served at both open and closed stations.

If you are an LBES member yours will be with you shortly. If not you can purchase one for £7 including postage by sending a cheque made payable to ‘RNLI’ to: Tony Denton, Dawn, Upper Battlefield, Shrewsbury. SY4 4AA. Why not join the society and get the handbook and 3 Lifeboats Past and Present magazines annually. 12 -18 year old membership is £18, Adults £22 (£30 overseas including airmail delivery). Details of how to join are on our website www.lifeboatenthusiasts.com or email anthonydenton569@btinternet.com

Does your organisation hold any Lifeboat / RNLI-related material?

By Callum Ives

Our very good friends and colleagues at RNLI Heritage in Poole are updating their list of lifeboat and RNLI material held by organisations outside its own (i.e. not in the RNLI’s six museums, Poole HQ Collection or their 238 lifeboat stations).

A Heritage Volunteer is doing a fantastic job of desk-based research and has worked through England and Wales with success, but is finding it more difficult to find information on-line for Scotland and the island of Ireland.

Does your Scottish/ Irish/ Northern Irish/ RoI organisation hold any lifeboat or RNLI material in its collection? If so, please send brief details of what you have to Joanna Bellis at joanna_bellis@rnli.org.uk

The purpose of the database is to have up-to-date information about lifeboat/ RNLI material held so RNLI Heritage can use this information to develop their Collections Policy; ideally create links with other organisations to increase awareness of and access to their Collections; see the ‘bigger picture’ UK and RoI wide ahead of the RNLI’s bicentenary in 2024.

So if any of our members can add details of their RNLI heritage items (however small) to the RNLI database via Joanna at the email address above that would be great.

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/news/nhs/does-your-organisation-hold-any-lifeboat-rnli-related-material

Last Tyne Class in RNLI Service retires after 30 years on station at Wicklow

By Callum Ives

There were mixed emotions on display at Wicklow on Sunday 28th April 2019 when a ceremony of celebration was held to mark the retirement of the last magnificent Tyne Class lifeboat in RNLI service. After some 30 years on station, she was also, coincidentally, the last steel hulled RNLI lifeboat in service too, after an unbroken 55 year run from 44-001 coming into service in 1964, historic times indeed!

Wicklow’s Tyne was ON1153, 47-035, Annie Blaker. She began her service at Wicklow RNLI in 1989 and along with ON1147, 47-032, Sir William Hillary who served at Douglas 1988 to 2018, is one of the two Tyne Class boats to reach a full 30 years on station.

47-035 will now sail to Portishead Marina for decommissioning from the RNLI fleet, the end of a wonderful chapter in the RNLI’s ongoing history.

The first Tyne was ON1074, 47-001, City of London, serving Selsey from 1983 – 2006 and the last built was ON1158, 47-040, Hermione Lady Colwyn that served at Shoreham Harbour from 1990 to 2010). Since retiring from RNLI Service 8 were sold to China and are serving as lifeboats, 5 are serving other lifeboat services in places as diverse as Canada and Sri Lanka, 23 are in private/business use as workboats, pilot boats, fast ferries and pleasure craft in places such as Portishead in England, California in the USA, a number in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and even one in Togo (West Africa).

Three are now allocated for Museums; ON1131, 47-023 City of Sheffield at the National Emergency Services Museum, Sheffield, ON1132, 47-020 Spirit of Lowestoft to the RNLI Museum Chatham and ON1146, 47-031 Voluntary Worker at Glasson Dock).

All the Tynes have an excemplary service record and of course their fabulous Detroit Diesel engine sound will be much missed!

Thanks to the excellent Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2019 for reference material.

(photos c/o Phil Griffiths)

Lifeboat Enthusiasts AGM 2019 at RNLI Llandudno a great success

By Callum Ives

On Saturday April 13th 2019 for the first time our Annual General Meeting was held at an operational lifeboat station, specifically Llandudno RNLI Station, who generously hosted and facilitated a very successful event in their iconic, state of the art, boathouse complex located on the shore at Llandudno bay.

Thirty five Lifeboat Enthusiasts members made the journey from around the UK to attend the AGM and their support was appreciated!

Formal events started at 14:00 with an entertaining and informative talk by Alum Pari Huws (DLA at Llandudno) on the history of Llandudno Lifeboat Station, which was fascinating.

The AGM proper, chaired by Peter Woolhouse, followed at 15:10.

Following the AGM, members were given an informative tour of the station and it’s lifeboats, conducted by Coxswain Graham Heritage, 2nd Coxswain Tim James and Crew Member Simon Adey-Davies.

Station Treasurer Arthur Barlow had his two amazing scale models of the 1971 built prototype Arun Class Lifeboat, ON1018, 52-01, “Arun” and the 1990 built Mersey Class Lifeboat, ON1164, 12-06, “Andy Pearce” that was the Llandudno station boat 1990 – 2017. Both models were exquisitely detailed, even down to foldable stanchions and launching platform cable release catches!

The event was capably hosted by the station’s Visits Team, led by Myfanwy Jones.

Following the day’s activities, members regrouped and enjoyed a social evening and dinner at Dylan’s restaurant on the seafront.

The next morning, early rising members, braving a chill south easterly wind, were able to watch the launch, exercise and recovery of the station’s two lifeboats, the 2017 built, Shannon Class, ON1325, 13-18, “William F Yates” and the 2016 built, D Class, D-793, “Dr Barbara Saunderson”.

Peter Woolhouse, our Chairman, said, ” The event had been a remarkable success for all involved”

Once again, many thanks to Llandudno RNLI for hosting this wonderful event!

CCI

(photos c/o Nick Leach)