Burry Port Lifeboat Station
Burry Port Lifeboat Station (near Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales) first opened in 1887, with all funds coming from a legacy left by Mr and Mrs Barclay.[1] The station was moved to Burry Port, due to the original lifeboat based at Llanelli being deemed too far away to be helpful; and the previous station based in Pembrey put at risk due to storms.
The station was closed for over half a century between 1914 and 1973 as it was deemed un-needed by the RNLI.
The station currently operates a D-class (IB1) named Diane Hilary and a B-class (Atlantic 75) named Dorothy Selina
History
Burry Port Lifeboat Station opened in 1887 after moving twice in the previous 30 years. The station was allocated a 32-foot-long (9.8 m), 10-oar lifeboat named Stanton Meyrick of Pimlico which operated until 1886, when the boathouse was also abandoned due to operational issues in launching and recovering at that site.
The current boathouse was built on the eastern side of Burry Port Harbour in 1887 to replace it, and up until the station closed in 1914 operated three different lifeboats, all named David Barclay of Tottenham, and saved a total of 34 lives.[2]
In 1973, due to an increase in drowning incidents in Carmarthen Bay, the RNLI decided to reopen the station and allocate it a D-class (EA16) lifeboat.
In 2002 there was a Coast review, in which it was agreed that a hovercraft may be stationed at this station, and also that a B-class (Atlantic 75) lifeboat would be stationed here as well.
Fleet
All Weather Boats
Dates in service | Name | Comments |
---|---|---|
1887–1886 | Stanton Meyrick of Pimlico | |
1886–1914 | David Barclay of Tottenham | (Three different boats, all named the same) |
Inshore Lifeboats
D-class
Dates in service | Class | Op. No. | Name | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973–1987 | D-class (Zodiac III) | D-220 | Unnamed | Donated by Tiverton Swimming Club [citation needed] |
1987–1995 | D-class (Zodiac III) | D-331 | Dorothy Way | |
1995–2003 | D-class (EA16) | D-472 | Kip & Kath | |
2003–2011 | D-class (EA16) | D-611 | The Young Watsons | |
2011–present | D-class (IB1) | D-749 | Diane Hilary |
B-class
Dates in service | Class | Op. No. | Name |
---|---|---|---|
2010–2011 | Atlantic 75-class | B-768 | Blue Peter 2 |
2011–2014 | Atlantic 75-class | B-731 | Dorothy Selina |
2014–present | Atlantic 75-class | B-777 | Leicester Challenge 2 |
See also
References
- ^ "RNLI - Tenby Lifeboat Station". Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Burry Port Lifeboat". Retrieved 11 May 2014.