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.
Burry Port Lifeboat Station | |
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Burry Port, Carmarthenshire | |
General information | |
Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
Location | The Harbour, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, UK |
Country | Wales, UK |
Coordinates | 51°40′47″N 4°14′54″W |
Opened | 1887 |
Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
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 85) named Misses Barrie
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 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.
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 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.
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 |
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 |
2014–2019 | Atlantic 75-class | B-777 | Leicester Challenge 2 |
2019-present | Atlantic 85-class | B-915 | The Misses Barrie |
References
- "RNLI - Tenby Lifeboat Station". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2014.