Burry Port Lifeboat Station
Burry Port Lifeboat Station is located in Wales
Burry Port Lifeboat Station
Burry Port, Carmarthenshire
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationThe Harbour, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, UK
CountryWales, UK
Coordinates51°40′45″N 4°14′55″W / 51.67926°N 4.24858°W / 51.67926; -4.24858
Opened1887
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Burry Port Lifeboat Station (near Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales) was first opened in 1887, the cost of the station defrayed from a legacy bequeathed by the late Mrs J S Barclay of Edmonton and, in accordance with her wishes, the boat was named David Barclay of Tottenham (ON110), after her late husband.[1]

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution had taken over a lifeboat station at Llanelli in 1854, 2 years after it opened, but decided to close the station, and relocate the lifeboat operations to Pembrey in 1863. However, due to a constant increase of sand at Pembrey, it was necessary to move once again, this time to Burry Port.[1]

Reopening in 1973, the station currently operates a D-class (IB1) named Williams & Cole (D-882) and a B-class (Atlantic 85) named The Misses Barrie (B-915)

History

Burry Port Lifeboat Station opened in 1887 after moving twice in the previous 30 years. The station was previously 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.

A new 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, saving a total of 34 lives.

In 1914, the station was closed, as it was considered there was ample coverage for the estuary from flank stations.

In 1973, due to an increase in drowning incidents in Carmarthen Bay, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution decided to reopen the station and allocate it a D-class lifeboat.

In 2002 a Coast review acknowledged the need for a larger craft to complement the existing D-class lifeboat and decided that a B-class Atlantic 75 lifeboat would also be stationed here.

Following the delivery of the Atlantic 75 in 2010, which was housed in a temporary building, the dire need for a new boathouse to accommodate both boats under one roof was identified.

It would also offer, better volunteer facilities, increased capacity for school and group visits, a visitor experience with a shop and would be easier to manage. It would also be large enough to house a new Atlantic 85, a larger and more capable boat than the existing Atlantic 75.

Plans were drawn up and in Sept 2019 the new facility was officially opened and the new Atlantic 85 commissioned. The new building was designed by Llanelli Architects, Lewis Partnership Ltd.

Fleet

All-Weather Lifeboats

ON[lower-alpha 1] Name In service[2] Class Comments
Stanton Meyrick of Pimlico  ????–1886 32ft 10-oar lifeboat
110 David Barclay of Tottenham 1887–1897 37ft 2in Self-Righting (P&S)
262 David Barclay of Tottenham 1897–1903 37ft 1in Self-Righting (P&S)
296 David Barclay of Tottenham 1903–1914 37ft Self-Righting (P&S) Station Closed, 1914

Inshore Lifeboats

D-class

Op. No.[lower-alpha 2] Name In service[2] Class Comments
D-220 Unnamed 1973–1986 D-class (Zodiac III) Donated by Tiverton Swimming Club[3]
D-331 Dorothy Way 1987–1994 D-class (Zodiac III)
D-472 Kip & Kath 1994–2003 D-class (EA16)
D-611 The Young Watsons 2003–2011 D-class (EA16)
D-749 Diane Hilary 2011–2023 D-class (IB1)
D-882 Williams & Cole 2023– D-class (IB1)

B-class

Op. No. Name In service[2] Class Comments
B-768 Blue Peter 2 2010–2011 Atlantic 75-class
B-731 Dorothy Selina 2011–2014 Atlantic 75-class
B-777 Leicester Challenge II 2014–2018 Atlantic 75-class
B-915 The Misses Barrie[4] 2019- Atlantic 85-class
  1. ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Burry Port's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
  3. ↑ "Sponsored Sea Swim In August". The Lifeboat. 46 (466). 1978. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Saturday 14 September marks a historic day for Burry Port Lifeboat Station". RNLI. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
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