RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Lifeboats past and present between Berwick and Grimsby

RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby hartlepoolmonkey » Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:34 pm

theprincessroyal.jpg
The Hartlepool lifeboat from 1939-68 RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL. She was a Watson class vessel and one of the very latest in design - incorporating a water-tight engine compartment. In 1941 HRH the Princess Royal visited Hartlepool and named the lifeboat on July 21st of that year.
Last edited by hartlepoolmonkey on Sat Jun 22, 2013 7:04 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby magoonigal » Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:06 pm

And looking Splendid!!

The Princess Royal. (CS No 7).
Sponsor: The Civil Service Lifeboat Fund.
Official Number 828 and built by J S White in 1939 at a cost of £10,145.
Considered quite a 'Heavy' boat at 20 Tons 8 Cwt.
She was a 46 ft Watson, Twin Screw Motor Lifeboat with a Cabin and a beam of 12ft 9ins.
Engines. 2 x 40 BHP Ferry VE4 Engines.
History.
Hartlepool 1939-1968.
Humber No 2 1968-1969.
Relief 1969-1976.
Sold out of Service 1976 and initially named 'La Rochelle.
Later renamed The Princess Royal.
Last report: Seagoing Display at Hartlepool Marina December 2011.

The "Watson" Class was the largest in the RNLI fleet and there were 43ft, 45ft, 45ft 6ins, 46ft, 46ft 9ins and 47ft Watsons over the years.
The first Watson was RNLB JOHN RYBURN built by Thames Ironworks in 1908 and the last was RNLB JOSEPH SOAR (CS No 34) built by J S White in 1963. The JS was number 125 in Line and the PR was 69.
By the time we got to the Princess Royal, as the caption says, the Engine Room was Sealed, a fore Cockpit with partial shelter, a survivors Cabin, and an aft cockpit with Shelter had been provided.
By the time we reach the end of the line Watson's had enclosed fore and aft cabins with a Midships Cockpit which in some boats was enclosed to provide better crew protection.
The Cruising speed of the first of class was 7 knots with a maximum of 8.1 knots whilst the last could manage 8.4 to 8.7 knots. A far cry from the RNLI's current fleet where 25 Knots is the minimum requirement of the "Big Boats".
Paul Hood. + WSS Tyneside Branch Hon Sec.
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby hartlepoolmonkey » Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:27 pm

princessroyal2.jpg
The PRINCESS ROYAL in Hartlepool Marina July 12th, 2012.
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby hartlepoolmonkey » Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:57 pm

princessroyal1.jpg
princessroyal2.jpg
The RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL in Hartlepool Marina. It's just a shame she appears to be deteriorating and certainly not as good as she looked back in 2012.

See also: http://www.northeastmaritime.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=24338&p=54174&hilit=rnlB+The+Princess+Royal#p54174
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby magoonigal » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:02 pm

It is a shame, but unfortunately you need very deep pockets to maintain a boat of her age these days.
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby hartlepoolmonkey » Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:04 am

RNLB-THE-PRINCESS-ROYAL3.jpg
RNLB-THE-PRINCESS-ROYAL2.jpg
RNLB-THE-PRINCESS-ROYAL1.jpg
RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL CIVIL SERVICE LIFEBOAT No.7 in Middleton Boat Yard - and certainly looking a lot worse than she did. A shame to see her in this condition.
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby Hornbeam » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:20 am

It is indeed a terrible shame to see her like this after all the hard work done on her in previous years, the Covid shutdown hasn't helped of course bearing in mind those that worked on her were mainly of the older generation of Craftsmen now sadly getting less and less. Is she owned by a Committee that has run out of contributions?
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby hartlepoolmonkey » Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:43 pm

I don't know who owns her.
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Re: RNLB THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Postby Hornbeam » Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:15 pm

If my memory serves me correctly she was rebuilt with the aid of a Lottery Grant, getting the first Grant is difficult enough as you need a very skilled "Pleading Writer" getting a second Grant will I suspect be even more difficult unless you employ the same "Pleading Writer" as the "Medusa" who managed to get £1million the first time around. You could have built a brand new HDML for that all it needed was part of the old "Medusa" built into it to call it "Original" which is what aircraft restores are doing with Spitfires and the like. ;)
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