by 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.