Barnett-class lifeboat

The Barnett-class lifeboat consists of three types of non self-righting displacement hull lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland between 1923 and 1987

RNLB William and Kate Johnston (ON 682)
Class overview
Builders:
Operators: Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Built:
  • 60 ft: 1923–1929
  • 51 ft: 1928–1949
  • 52 ft Mk. I: 1950–1955
  • 52 ft Mk. II: 1957–1960
In service: 1923–1987
Completed:
  • 60 ft: 4
  • 51 ft: 13
  • 52 ft Mk. I: 10
  • 52 ft Mk. II: 10
Retired: 37
General characteristics
Type: Motor lifeboat
Displacement:
  • 60 ft: 40–44 tons
  • 51 ft: 27 tons
  • 52 ft: 28 tons
Length: 51–60 ft (16–18 m)
Beam:
  • 60 ft: 15 ft (4.6 m)
  • 51 ft: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
  • 52 ft Mk. I: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
  • 52 ft Mk. II: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power:
  • 60 ft:2 x 80 bhp D.E. 6-cyl. petrol
  • 51 ft: 2 x 60 bhp Weyburn CE6 6-cyl. petrol
  • 52 ft Mk. I: 2 x 60 bhp Ferry VE6 6-cyl. diesel
  • 52 ft Mk. II: 2 x 72 bhp Gardner 6LW 6cyl. diesel
Propulsion: 2 × pitch propellers in tunnels
Speed: 9.5 knots (10.9 mph)
Range: 300 nautical miles (560 km)
Crew: 6

60 ft Barnett

History

The 60 ft Barnett was the first twin-engined, twin-screw RNLI lifeboat, and when introduced in 1923, the largest. Designed by RNLI naval architect James Rennie Barnett, the boats pioneered many features which were to become standard on future lifeboats. They were, however too large to be slipway launched and had to be moored afloat at a time when the RNLI preferred to keep lifeboats in boathouses and consequently, only four were built.

Description

The boats had an open aft cockpit with a shelter ahead of it. The engines were in separate watertight engines rooms with exhaust taken up two side by side funnels amidships. There were fore and aft survivor cabins below deck. The boats were powered by two RNLI designed 80 bhp DE6 6-cylinder petrol engines, three built by Weyburn Engineering and the other by J. Samuel White. The final boat was 61 ft long due to a forward raked bow. The boats served their stations well until the early fifties when they were replaced by 52 ft Barnetts.

Fleet

ON[lower-alpha 1] Name Builder In service Principal Station Disposal Image
682 William and Kate Johnston J. Samuel White, Cowes 1923–1950 New Brighton Sold December 1950
693 Emma Constance S. E. Saunders, Cowes 1926–1951 Aberdeen Sold November 1951
696 Robert & Marcella Beck J. Samuel White, Cowes 1926–1952 Plymouth Sold June 1952
715 Princess Mary S.E.Saunders, Cowes 1929–1952 Padstow Sold June 1952

51 ft Barnett

History

The 60 ft Barnett was too large and heavy to be slipway launched and so the 51 ft type was designed as a scaled down version which would be able to be stationed at a greater number of locations. The class is sometimes referred to as the "Stromness" after the first station to receive one.

Description

The 51 ft Barnett had an open aft cockpit with a shelter ahead of it giving access to the engine room. Ahead of the engine room was a survivor cabin and there was a forward shelter ahead of the mast. The class was powered by two 60 bhp Weyburn CE6 6-cylinder petrol engines with a single exhaust funnel ahead of the aft shelter.

The final boat of the class, RNLB Southern Africa (ON 860), was built in 1949;, fourteen years after the end of regular production, and was more akin in deck layout to the first five 46ft 9in Watson-class boats built around the same time. This boat was powered by two 60 bhp Ferry VE6 6-cylinder diesels and was in effect a prototype for a post war production run of diesel powered boats. However, it was overtaken by events as James Barnett turned to midships cockpits and the new boats emerged as the 52 ft class the following year. The only other 51 ft Watson to receive diesel engines was ON 755 which was re-engined with twin Ford based 65 bhp Parsons Barracuda diesels in 1965. In 1976, ON 860 also received Barracudas while serving in the relief fleet and this boat was the final member of the class in service when retired in 1981.

Fleet

ON[lower-alpha 1] Name Builder In service Principal Station Disposal Image
702 J.J.K.S.W. S.E.Saunders, Cowes 1928–1955
1955–1964
Stromness
Relief fleet
Sold 1965
717 A.E.D. J. Samuel White, Cowes 1929–1950
1951–1957
Holyhead
Valentia
Sold 1957
718 William and Harriot J. Samuel White, Cowes 1929–1954
1954–1959
Stornaway[1]
Relief fleet
Sold 1959
719 Queen Victoria J. Samuel White, Cowes 1929–1940
1940–1945
1945–1954
1954–1958
St. Peter Port
Killybegs
St. Peter Port
Relief fleet
Sold May 1958
720 City of Glasgow J. Samuel White, Cowes 1929–1953
1953–1958
Campbeltown
Relief fleet
Sold 1959
731 Lady Jane & Martha Ryland J. Samuel White, Cowes 1930–1958
1958–1969
Lerwick
Relief fleet
Sold 1969
733 Mary Stanford Saunders-Roe, Cowes 1930–1959
1959–1968
Ballycotton
Relief fleet
Sold February 1968
734 George Shee Saunders-Roe, Cowes 1930–1958
1958
Torbay
Relief fleet
Sold December 1958
735 William and Clara Ryland Saunders-Roe, Cowes 1930–1957 Weymouth Sold 1958
754 Lloyds Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1932–1957
1957–1969
Barra Island
Relief fleet
Sold January 1970
755 Peter and Sarah Blake J. Samuel White, Cowes 1932–1958
1958–1972
Fenit
Relief fleet
Sold October 1972
776 The Rankin Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1935–1961
1961–1969
Aith
Relief fleet
Sold 1970
860 Southern Africa Rowhedge Ironworks, Rowhedge 1949–1967
1967–1981
Dover
Relief fleet
Sold July 1981

52 ft Barnett (Mk. I)

All built by J. Samuel White, Cowes

ON[lower-alpha 1] Name In service Principal Station Disposal
883 Norman B Corlett 1950–1973
1973–1981
New Brighton
Relief fleet
Sold February 1982
884 St.Cybi (Civil Service No. 9)[2] 1950–1980
1980–1985
Holyhead
Relief fleet
Sold 1986
889 Hilton Briggs 1951–1958
1959–1969
1969–1974
1974–1975
Aberdeen
Fenit
Relief fleet
Invergordon
Sold July 1976
890 Thomas Forehead & Mary Rowse 1952–1974
1974–1979
Plymouth
Relief fleet
Sold December 1982
898 Joseph Hiram Chadwick 1952–1967
1968–1977
1977–1979
Padstow
Galway Bay
Relief fleet
Sold April 1980
899 City of Glasgow 2 1952–1979 Campbeltown Sold April 1980
912 Euphrosyne Kendal 1954–1972
1973–1975
1975–1983
St.Peter Port
Dunmore East
Relief fleet
Sold May 1983
913 James & Margaret Boyd 1954–1973
1973–1974
1974–1975
1975–1984
Stornoway
Reserve
Macduff
Invergordon
Sold January 1985
923 John Gellatly Hyndman 1955–1972
1972–1984
Stronsay
Relief fleet
Sold August 1985
924 Archibald and Alexander M Paterson 1955–1984
1985–1986
1986–1987
Stromness
Arranmore
Lowestoft
Sold May 1989

52 ft Barnett (Mk. II)

ON[lower-alpha 1] Name Builder In service Principal Station Disposal Image
935 R.A.Colby Cubbin No. 3 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1957–1984 Barra Island Sold November 1984
936 E.M.M.Gordon Cubbin J. Samuel White, Cowes 1957–1982
1982–1985
Mallaig
Relief fleet
Sold 1985
938 Rowland Watts Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1957–1983
1983–1985
Valentia
Relief fleet
Sold 1985 to Brendan Walsh, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry. Used for Skellig's trips.
939 Frank Spiller Locke Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1957–1976
1977–1985
Weymouth
Galway Bay
Sold October 1986
943 Claude Cecil Staniforth Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1958–1978
1978–1985
Lerwick
Arranmore
Sold November 1985
944 Ramsay Dyce Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1958–1976
1976–1978
1978–1985
Aberdeen
Relief fleet
Lochinver
Sold August 1985
Ramsay Dyce (and Medina-class lifeboat MRI42 to starboard) at Glasson Dock
945 Princess Alexandra of Kent J. Samuel White, Cowes 1958–1975
1975–1983
Torbay
Relief fleet
Sold 1984
949 Ethel Mary Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1959–1985
1985–1987
1987–1988
Ballycotton
Relief fleet
Baltimore
Last on station. Sold 1989
952 Duke of Cornwall (Civil Service No. 33) Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1961–1984
1984
1984–1989
The Lizard
Padstow
Relief fleet
Sold 1989
RNLB Duke of Cornwall (Civil Service No,33)
956 John and Francis MacFarlane J. Samuel White, Cowes 1961–1986 Aith Sold October 1986
  1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

References

  1. "RNLB William and Harriot". RNLI. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  2. "The RNLI Chatham Museum". RNLI. Archived from the original on 14 December 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
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