Chiswick Lifeboat Station

Last updated

Chiswick Lifeboat Station
Chiswick Lifeboat Station.jpg
RNLI lifeboat station by Chiswick Pier
Greater London UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Chiswick, London
General information
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
AddressThe Pier House, Corney Reach, Chiswick, London, W4 2UG
Country United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°28′56″N0°15′05″W / 51.4822°N 0.2515°W / 51.4822; -0.2515
Opened2002
Owner Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Chiswick RNLI
Chiswick lifeboat Chelsea Pensioner performing a rescue RNLI Chelsea Pensioner.jpg
Chiswick lifeboat Chelsea Pensioner performing a rescue

Chiswick Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station on the north bank of the River Thames at Corney Reach, Chiswick, in west London. It is one of the newest stations operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and one of the first to cover a river rather than estuarial waters or the sea.

Contents

Establishment

The inquiry set up after the collision in 1989 between the Marchioness and the dredger Bowbelle, that resulted in the loss of 51 lives, recommended a dedicated search and rescue presence on the Thames. As a part of this, the government approached the RNLI, who agreed to provide a rescue service that covered the tidal Thames between Teddington and the sea. Locations were approved for stations at Teddington, Chiswick, Tower and Gravesend. [1] [2] These all became operational at the beginning of 2002. [3]

History

Chiswick Lifeboat Station commenced service on 2 January 2002, and operated with an E-class Tiger Marine fast response boat. In July 2002 the boat was named Chelsea Pensioner at a ceremony held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. [3]

Demand for the services of the Thames lifeboats proved to be much higher than originally anticipated. In 2002, their first year of operation, London lifeboats were called out over 800 times, accounting for 10% of the total number of call-outs, or "shouts", that the RNLI responded to nationwide. Within two months of opening, Chiswick became, and it has continued to be, the UK's second busiest lifeboat station after Tower in Central London. [4] Between 2002 and mid-2018, Chiswick was called to 3,387 incidents and rescued more than 1,620 people. [5]

In 2012, three new E-class lifeboat Mark II lifeboats, E-07, E-08 and E-09, joined the Thames fleet at Chiswick and Tower, and served at both stations. E-003 Chelsea Pensioner was retired in 2015, followed by E-006 Joan and Kenneth Bellamy in 2018.
With the arrival of a new bigger E-class lifeboat Mark III lifeboat arriving at Tower in 2019, Chiswick became the Principal Station for E-08 Dougie and Donna B, and E-09 Brawn Challenge [6]

Crew

The Chiswick station is staffed continuously to provide an immediate response and is coordinated by the Coastguard. The crew is drawn from both full-time staff and a pool of about 50 volunteers. [5]

Chiswick Lifeboats

Chiswick Lifeboat Station operates two boats. [6]

Op. No. [lower-alpha 1] NameIn service [6] ClassComments
B-767Maritime Nation2002 B-class (Atlantic 75)
B-734Amy Constance2002–2004 B-class (Atlantic 75)
E-003Chelsea Pensioner2002–2015 E-class (Mk I)
E-006Joan and Kenneth Bellamy2002–2018 E-class (Mk II)
E-005Legacy2018–2021 E-class (Mk II)
E-08Dougie and Donna B2012– E-class (Mk II) [7]
E-09Brawn Challenge2012– E-class (Mk II) [8]
  1. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal National Lifeboat Institution</span> Rescue charity operating in Britain and Ireland

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways.

E-class lifeboat

The E-class lifeboat forms part of the RNLI fleet in the United Kingdom, operating exclusively in the tidal reach of the River Thames in London. The class was introduced in 2002 to serve the tidal reach of the River Thames, which had not previously been covered by an RNLI rescue service, as a result of a much delayed enquiry into the Marchioness disaster in 1989, in which 51 people died. The enquiry criticised the lack of a rescue service for the tidal Thames, and the UK government asked the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Port of London Authority and the RNLI to work together to set up a dedicated Search and Rescue service for this stretch of the river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tideway</span> Part of the River Thames subject to tides

The Tideway is a part of the River Thames in England which is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock. The Tideway comprises the upper Thames Estuary including the Pool of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teddington Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Teddington, in west London, on the River Thames

Teddington Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station in Teddington, in west London, on the River Thames. It is one of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)'s newest lifeboat stations and is also one of the first to cover a river rather than estuarial waters or the sea. Teddington Lock is the highest tidal point on the Thames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat pier on the River Thames in London

The Tower Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station on the River Thames in London, UK, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). It is located at Victoria Embankment on the North Bank of the Thames, next to Waterloo Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penarth Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

Penarth Lifeboat Station is located in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and originally opened in 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porthcawl Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales, UK

Porthcawl Lifeboat Station opened in 1860 and a boathouse was subsequently built on the promenade to house the lifeboat. This station was closed in 1902 when Porthcawl Dock was closed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southend-on-Sea Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England

The Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station is a lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea in the English county of Essex, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 1879.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falmouth Lifeboat Station</span> Royal National Lifeboat Institution base in Cornwall, United Kingdom

Falmouth Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Falmouth, Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1867 and the present station was opened in 1993. It operates a Severn Class all-weather Lifeboat (ALB) and an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat (ILB).

Waveney-class lifeboat

The Waveney-class lifeboat was the first class of lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) capable of operating at speeds in excess of 10 knots (12 mph). Based on an American design, 22 saw operational service between 1964 and 1999 at the RNLI's stations around the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland. After being superseded by faster boats in the 1990s, many were sold for further use with lifeboat services abroad, notably in Australia and New Zealand.

The Thames-class lifeboat was operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom between 1974 and 1997. Six were ordered but only two completed; they have both been sold on to other users.

Brede-class lifeboat

The Brede-class lifeboat was operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from its stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom between 1982 and 2002, at which time it was the fastest all-weather lifeboat in its fleet. Eleven were put into service and when replaced by larger boats, seven were sold for further use as lifeboats, mainly in South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwold Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Southwold Lifeboat Station, England

Southwold Lifeboat Station is an RNLI operated lifeboat station located in the town of Southwold in the English county of Suffolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newhaven Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI lifeboat station in East Sussex, England

Newhaven Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Newhaven in the English county of East Sussex in the United Kingdom. The original station was established in 1803 and taken over by the RNLI in 1854.

Sheerness Lifeboat Station is an Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in the town of Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in the English county of Kent. The station is on the north coast of the county, strategically placed at Garrison Point at the mouth of the River Medway and close the busy Thames estuary. The RNLI first stationed a lifeboat here in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skegness Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Lincolnshire, England

Skegness Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station located in the town of Skegness, Lincolnshire, England, operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The station is located on the seafront of the south-east coast, north of the Wash and south of the Humber Estuary. This area of the British coastline is characterised by many shoals and constantly changing sandbanks, many of which lie between the town and the East Dudgeon Lightship. The building dates from 1990 and was the first in the British Isles constructed especially for a Mersey-class lifeboat. The boathouse also accommodates an Inshore Lifeboat and a souvenir shop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littlehampton Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Fishermans Quay, England

Littlehampton Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station in the town of Littlehampton, in West Sussex, on the south coast of England. The station is on the harbour side on the eastern bank of the River Arun, a quarter mile from the harbour entrance and the pier. The current lifeboat house on Fisherman's Quay was built in 2002. The lifeboat station currently operates with two inshore lifeboats: a B-class lifeboat, Renee Sherman (B-891) and a D-class (IB1) lifeboat, Ray of Hope (D-769).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastbourne Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in East Sussex, England

Eastbourne Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat station in the town of Eastbourne in East Sussex. Founded two years before the RNLI was established, the station has operated continuously since 1822 and its lifeboats have been responsible for saving over 700 lives. There are two active lifeboat stations in Eastbourne, an all-weather station with the Trent-class 14-02 Esme Anderson at Sovereign Harbour and the D-class (IB1) The David H (D-876) at the inshore lifeboat station a couple of miles to the west at Fisherman's Green. An older lifeboat station, west of Eastbourne Pier, is now used as an RNLI museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wales

Barmouth Lifeboat Station is located in Barmouth, a town at the mouth of the Afon Mawddach river in Gwynedd, Wales. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1828.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravesend Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Kent on the River Thames

Gravesend Lifeboat Station is situated on the Royal Terrace Pier in Gravesend, Kent, on the lower reaches of the River Thames. It is one of the newest lifeboat stations operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and one of the first to cover a river rather than the sea or estuarial waters.

References

  1. ↑ RNLI. "2002: Lifeboats on the Thames" . Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  2. ↑ Lister, Sam (3 January 2002). "First Thames Lifeboats Launched". The Times. p. 9.
  3. 1 2 RNLI. "Chiswick's station history" . Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  4. ↑ Proto, Laura (27 January 2016). "RNLI crews rescue 245 people from the River Thames in just one year". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 Larter, Grahame; Dobinson, Isabel (13 August 2018). "Meet the Chiswick lifeboat crew who have attended 150 call-outs so far this year". My London. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  7. ↑ "Chiswick Lifeboat Named by Olympic Rowing Champion". WimbledonSW19.com. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  8. ↑ "Ross Brawn names RNLI lifeboat". Motorboat & Yachting. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.