<\/p>\n
Barry Dock RNLI Lifeboat Station is discreetly located in what\u2019s called \u2018The Outer Harbour\u2019 which is next to Jacksons Bay on Barry Island. Unlike many other RNLI stations it is not an imposing building on the seafront, nor does it have any wonderful or imaginative launch mechanism like a tractor or impressive slipway. Indeed the current station is an old recycled office from a wood supply business that was once based on the dock.<\/p>\n
The lifeboat also sits out of view, permanently moored on the water alongside a floating pontoon which is secured to the dock wall. A big, beautiful orange and blue beast of a machine always \u2018on the starting blocks\u2019 with engines kept warm ready to go from a standing start to full power at a moments notice.<\/p>\n
However it wasn\u2019t always like that. The RNLI is forever changing, improving and upgrading. Innovation is a massive part of the seafarer\u2019s world as old technologies become redundant to be replaced by newer, safer, more hi-tech alternatives. And so the story goes\u2026..<\/p>\n
Work on the first Barry Dock Lifeboat Station started in 1884 as part of the larger development of Barry Docks itself. The initial lifeboat station built with a slipway then received its first Thames type lifeboat in 1901 and became operational which cost \u00a3600 and was named \u201cJohn Wesley\u201d after her benefactors the Wesleyans. She was a 43\u2019 long sailing boat with no internal engine but she was equipped with 10 oars rowed 5 a-side by the crew. She remained on station for 21 years before being sold for \u00a3135 having launched on 41 occasions and saved 1 life.<\/p>\n
In September 1922 the station received a new 40\u2019 Watson class lifeboat named Prince David which cost \u00a38,000 and stayed in service until 1937 when she was replaced by another 41\u2019 Watson Class boat named Rachel and Mary Evans which cost \u00a36,400. She was the first Barry lifeboat to have an inboard engine driving a single propeller, a fantastic innovation for the crew! This boat saw much service during the war years being called into action with much gallantry on many occasions. Regrettably she<\/p>\n
met her end smashed onto rocks at Western Super Mare in 1969<\/p>\n
In 1967 a brand new style of Waveney Class of lifeboat was delivered to Barry Dock named \u201cArthur and Blanche Harris\u201d. This was the station\u2019s first steel hulled lifeboat with much more power from twin Cummins marine engines and was much faster. Also, her metal hull meant she was to be left permanently afloat rather than garaged in a lifeboat station. She had a crew of 5 but could rescue up to 35 casualties in one journey \u2013 a huge leap forward. In 1974 she was replaced by an Arun Class lifeboat which didn\u2019t have a name but had the RNLI designation of 52-01. This was a fast craft capable of 18 knots with a crew of seven. In 1997 she was replaced by another Arun Class named Margaret Frances Love and in 2003 was further replaced by a third Arun Class named Mickey Salvesen which stayed there until 2006.<\/p>\n
In 2006 the existing boat was delivered \u2013 a huge, powerful, fast and very capable Trent Class lifeboat named \u201cInner Wheel II\u201d after the popular ladies charity organisation. Inner Wheel remains the only All-Weather Lifeboat covering the entire Severn Estuary (there are several other types of lifeboats around the area). She has 2 huge diesel engines which put out vast power to her twin-screw propellers and her wake at full power is something to behold. She carries a volunteer crew of 7 and has the most up-to-date navigation and lifesaving equipment. She is also a self-righting boat in the event of a capsize, keeping her crew safe in a watertight wheelhouse. This is one hugely capable boat supported by a very experienced crew.<\/p>\n
If you want to know more about Barry Dock Lifeboat you can follow us on Facebook. If you would like to donate you can contact our Barry Dock Fundraising Manager Avril Kitchen at kitchenavril@gmail.com or you can find out more about the amazing history and equipment of the RNLI at www.rnli.org<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Barry Dock RNLI Lifeboat Station is discreetly located in what\u2019s called \u2018The Outer Harbour\u2019 which is next to Jacksons Bay on Barry Island. Unlike many other RNLI stations it is not an imposing building on the seafront, nor does it have any wonderful or imaginative launch mechanism like a tractor or impressive slipway. Indeed the current station is an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[334,127],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-1qI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5441,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5441","url_meta":{"origin":5500,"position":0},"title":"Behind-The-Scenes of the RNLI","author":"Alan Williams","date":"6th January 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 The story in last months WWO about our local lifeboat crews and stations was just to whet your appetites about the local RNLI. Most of you will have viewed BBC2\u2019s programme \u201cSaving Lives At Sea\u201d about the day-to-day work of the RNLI but I thought it\u2019d be a bit\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5240,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5240","url_meta":{"origin":5500,"position":1},"title":"SUDDEN SINKING","author":"Alan Williams","date":"22nd December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"SUDDEN SINKING \u00a0 At sea things can go wrong very quickly, as Barry Dock and Penarth lifeboat crews found out on 12th June Kath Fisher couldn\u2019t sleep. Tossing and turning, she thought: \u2018Is this an omen that something\u2019s about to happen?\u2019. At 1.15am her lifeboat pager went off. Volunteers all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest News"","block_context":{"text":"Latest News","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=70"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Untitled-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13750,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=13750","url_meta":{"origin":5500,"position":2},"title":"November Letters","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st November 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 \u00a0 Dear Editor, I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude to our many friends and neighbours in Wenvoe for their tremendous support following the passing of my husband, Gordon Jones, on September 18, at the age of 86. Your cards, flowers, and messages of support have been a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Letters"","block_context":{"text":"Letters","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=138"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14492,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14492","url_meta":{"origin":5500,"position":3},"title":"Sully Island","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"SULLY ISLAND \u00a0 Most people in Wenvoe will know of Sully Island and many will have visited it, but for those who do not know it, here are some facts about it. It is a small tidal island of 14.5 acres by the hamlet of Swanbridge. It is located 400m\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Readers Articles of Interest"","block_context":{"text":"Readers Articles of Interest","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=228"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14835,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14835","url_meta":{"origin":5500,"position":4},"title":"A Brief History Of Barry To 1939","author":"Alan Williams","date":"22nd November 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"A BRIEF HISTORY OF BARRY TO 1939 We all go to Barry, at least now and again, but how often do we pause to consider how the town of almost 60,000 people today became developed in a relatively short space of time? This chronology has been (mostly) taken from the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Picture9.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15231,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=15231","url_meta":{"origin":5500,"position":5},"title":"The Life And Times Of Mr J C Meggitt – Part 1","author":"Alan Williams","date":"6th March 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MR J C MEGGITT - Part 1 \u00a0 In his article in the April 2024 Edition of What\u2019s On, Steven Jones wrote about certain people who were notable in the early days of Barry\u2019s development. One of these was named Meggitt. 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