Calshot Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 50°49′12.8″N 1°18′30.1″W / 50.820222°N 1.308361°W / 50.820222; -1.308361
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Calshot Lifeboat Station
RNLI lifeboat station
LocationCalshot Activity Centre, Calshot, Hampshire, SO45 1BR
CountryEngland
Coordinates50°49′12.8″N 1°18′30.1″W / 50.820222°N 1.308361°W / 50.820222; -1.308361
Opened1970
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Technical details
MaterialMasonry, brick, on concrete stanchions

Calshot Lifeboat Station

B-class (Atlantic 85) and a D-class (IB1)
.

History

Until its closure in 1961, Calshot Spit had been the site of Royal Air Force station RAF Calshot, which was the primary seaplane/flying boat development and training unit in the United Kingdom.[5] After the departure of the RAF, Hampshire County Council opened an educational activities centre on the site, which was The centre was constantly being asked by HM Coastguard to use its boats to go out and rescue people in trouble off shore. The administrators of the centre decided that they would contact the RNLI with a view to there being a more formalised rescue service for this busy stretch of water. The RNLI spent a year evaluating this proposition and as a result opened a lifeboat station on the site in 1970.

1960–1985: early lifeboats

The first lifeboat to be stationed at Calshot was a 40 ft (12 m) Keith Nelson-type lifeboat made of fibreglass or glass-reinforced plastic. She was called Ernest William and Elizabeth Ellen Hinde (ON 1017) and had the operation number of 40-001.[6][7] Although lacking in self-righting capability, she was viewed as a successful experiment in the use of fibreglass for lifeboats.[7] She cost £24,559 (equivalent to £479,832 in 2023).[citation needed]

In the evening of 10 January 1976, during

gale force 8 to 9 winds and a choppy sea the lifeboat Ernest Williams was called to help a small motorboat which had been driven ashore on salt marsh in the Ashlett Creek channel.[8][9] As the water was too shallow for the lifeboat, the crew of the Ernest Williams waded through the marshes, dragging the lifeboat's inflatable boarding boat while they looked for the vessel. Eventually the vessel's three crewmen were located and rescued. The Calshot crew were awarded RNLI Bronze Medals for the difficult rescue.[8]

The second lifeboat at the station was the

Newhaven, East Sussex in 1985.[11] Like the Ernest William she had a fibreglass hull but was self-righting due to her watertight cabin.[citation needed
]

1996–2007: new facilities and lifeboats

In 1996, the RNLI funded the construction of new shore facilities for Calshot Station, constructed on concrete stanchions to prevent flooding.[9] Hampshire County Council provided a new boarding jetty for use jointly by the lifeboat station and the Calsholt Activity Centre.[9][12]

The Arun-class lifeboat Margaret Russell Fraser (ON 1108)

The Safeway was withdrawn from service in December 2001 and replaced by the former Poole-based Brede Inner Wheel, which was itself replaced after only a few months by the

Solent from Yarmouth Lifeboat Station on the Isle of Wight, where she had been a part of RNLI's relief fleet.[13] She arrived in 2002 and was replaced in 2004 by another Arun-class, the Mabel Williams (ON 1159.[14]

In 2003 the station was given its first D-class (EA16) inshore lifeboat from the relief fleet. She was called Marlborough Club (D-407). 2003 also saw improvements made to the station facilities. At the cost of £266,424 an extension was added to the side of the station.[15]

The Tyne-class Alexander Coutanche (ON 1157) - service 21 January 2010 to 2012

Arun-class lifeboats were withdrawn from service in 2007. The Mabel Williams was replaced by the Tyne-class Sarah Emily Harrop (ON 1155), which was moved to the relief fleet in January 2010 and replaced by the Tyne-class Alexander Coutanche (ON 1157).

2012–present: reorganisation

In 2012, the Calshot board of trustees decided that Calshot would cease to be an all-weather station; consequently the Tyne-class lifeboat was withdrawn on 4 April. In its place an

B-class (Atlantic 85) Max Walls (B-860)[16] was placed on the station along with a new New Holland Launch tractor
and the Calsholt was officially re-designated as an inshore lifeboat station.

Station honours

The following are awards made at Calshot[17]

Peter King, Emergency Mechanic - 1976
John Street, crew member - 1976
Christopher Smith, crew member - 1976
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
Duncan Christie, Helmsman - 2001
  • Framed Commendation from the RNLI Medical Director
Andy Headley - 2023
Kelley Leonard - 2023
Damian Lester - 2023
Chris McDonald - 2023[18]
John Horton - 2020[19][20]

Calshot lifeboats

'ON' is the official number used in RNLI records from 1884.
'Op. No.' is the operational number displayed on the boat.

All-weather lifeboats

At Calshot[21] ON Op. No. Name Class Comments
1970–1985 1017 40-001 Ernest William & Elizabeth Ellen Hinde
Keith Nelson
1985–2001 1104 33-11 Safeway Brede
2001–2002 1089 33-07 Inner Wheel Brede
2002–2004 1108 52-34 Margaret Russell Fraser Arun
2004–2007 1159 52-45 Mabel Williams Arun
2007–2010 1155 47-037 Sarah Emily Harrop Tyne
2010–2012 1157 47-039 Alexander Coutanche Tyne All-weather lifeboats withdrawn from Calshot in 2012.

Inshore lifeboats

At Calshot[21] Op. No. Name Class Model Comments
2001–2002 D-429 RJM D EA16
2002–2003 D-418 (no name) D EA16
2003 D-407 The Marlborough Club, Didcot D EA16
2003–2011 D-609 248 Squadron RAF D IB1
2011–2023 D-748 Willett D IB1
2012– B-860 Max Walls B Atlantic 85
2023– D-880 David Radcliffe D IB1

See also

References

  1. ^ "Home Page of the Calshot Lifeboat Station". RNLI Calshot Lifeboat Home Page. Calshot Lifeboat Station. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Calshot Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Calshot station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Zone 8: Calshot Spit" (PDF). nfdc.gov.uk. New Forest District Council. February 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  4. ISBN 9780319241509
  5. ^ "RAF Calshot - Air of Authority, A History of RAF Organisation". Details and History of RAF Calshot. courtesy of Steve Clements. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the NBOC website". Home Page of the Nelson Boat Owners Club. Copyright © 2010 Nelson Boat Owners Club. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  7. ^
    ISBN 9780750943079
  8. ^
    ISBN 0907605893
  9. ^
    ISBN 1 85794 129 2
  10. ^ "33 Foot Brede-class". List of Foot Brede-class lifeboats, includes Safeway ON 1104. Lifeboat World On-Line© 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Home Page - Lochin Boatyard Services". Details of the Boatbuilder and there services. All Contents © 2014 Lochin Marine International. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  12. ^ "Calshot Activities Centre". Home page of the Calshot Activities Centre. © Copyright Hampshire County Council 2014. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  13. ^
    ISBN 9781907426216
  14. ISBN 9781907426216
  15. ^ "History Section - Calshot Lifeboat Station website". RNLI Calshot Lifeboat Station History Tab. Calshot Lifeboat Station. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  16. ^ "Lifeboats online - B-class Atlantic 85 Production List". List of Atlantic 85-class lifeboats, includes B-860. Lifeboat World On-Line© 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  17. ^ "Calshot's station history". RNLI. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  18. ^ Leonard, Justyn (3 June 2023). "Commendations for Calshot RNLI crew after jetski rescue". RNLI. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  19. ^ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  20. ^ Yandell, Chris (27 December 2019). "New Year Honours list: Hampshire residents who have been honoured". Daily Echo. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  21. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
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