Tyne-class lifeboat

The Tyne-class lifeboat was a class of lifeboat that served as a part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution fleet until 2019. They were named after the River Tyne in North East England.

Class overview
Name	Tyne-class lifeboat
Operators	Royal National Lifeboat Institution ADES Uruguay Seychelles Coast Guard Canadian Lifeboat Institution Sri Lanka Lifeboat Institution Jersey Lifeboat Association China
Preceded by	Rother, Oakley, Solent
Succeeded by	Trent, Tamar, Shannon
Cost	£1.2 Million
Built	1982–1990
In service	1983–2025
Completed	40
Active	4
Retired	36
Preserved	2
General characteristics
Displacement	26 long tons (26 t)
Length	47 ft (14 m)
Beam	14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)
Draught	4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)
Propulsion	2 × DDEC V6 diesels 2 × GM V6 diesels or 2 × V8 diesels
Speed	17.6 knots (20.3 mph; 32.6 km/h)
Range	240 nmi (440 km)
Capacity	Self Righting 20 Non-Self Righting 100
Complement	6 + doctor

They were designed to be launched from slipways or operate in shallow waters where hitting the bottom is a concern. The class was introduced in 1982, and the last boat was built in 1990.

The Tyne-class was superseded by the Tamar-class, which is 7 knots faster than the Tyne class. However, only 27 Tamars were built, compared to 40 Tynes, leaving the remaining Tynes on station to be replaced with the latest Shannon-class lifeboats.

History

The two prototype boats were built in 1982: 47-001 City of London (ON 1074) and 47-002 Sam and Joan Woods (ON 1075). Following completion of the test programme, City of London entered service at Selsey in November 1983 while Sam and Joan Woods was put into service in the relief fleet in 1984, by which time the first production boats were under construction.

Eventually forty boats were built. The last, Hermione Lady Colwyn (ON 1158), went into service at Shoreham Harbour in September 1990 and served at that station until 2010 when she was withdrawn and sold, the only Tyne not to record over twenty years' service. The RNLI had retired the first of the class in 2006 although eight of the earliest boats were sold to China for further duties in 2007 and 2008. Selsey received a new Shannon-class lifeboat in 2017 after almost 34 years' service by Tyne-class boats, the longest of any station. ^[1]

The last Tyne class boat in RNLI service was at Wicklow and this was withdrawn on 4 April 2019.^[2]

14 Tyne-class lifeboats continued in service with other rescue services around the world. As of March 2025, 11 are still listed in service, but as updates for 8 boats in China are not forthcoming (and only one boat at Ningbo still showing any activity), the number of Tyne-class lifeboats still in service is believed to be 4.^[1]

Design

The unusual design of this lifeboat derives from the requirement to deploy from slipway stations built for previous generations of lifeboats, with limited clearance. The Tyne also lies afloat at stations where the approaches, or operating areas, are particularly shallow. As the lifeboat's propellers are protected by heavy bilge keels, she is particularly well suited to operate where there is a danger of hitting the bottom, or tapping as it is known colloquially. The Tyne has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. The first two were powered by General Motors 8V-71 diesels of 425 bhp, but the production boats switched to the newer GM 6V-92 of the same power. In the 1990s some boats were re-engined with Detroit Diesel 92 DDEC six-cylinder engines of 565 bhp. During the course of production the weight of the boats increased by over 1 ton; this required an increase in superstructure volume to preserve the self-righting capability, resulting in the height of the aft cabin being raised. Later, further doubts about the self-righting capability resulted in air bags being added to the aft cabin roof.

Fleet

ON[a]	Op. No.[b]	Name	In service[1]	Principal Station	MMSI[3]	Comments[1]
1074	47-001	City of London	1983-2006	Selsey (Slipway)	413770291	Sold to China 2007, now Hua Ying 388
1075	47-002	Sam and Joan Woods	1984–1993 1993–1996 1996–2006	Relief Fleet Walton and Frinton (Afloat) Relief Fleet	413770292	Sold to China 2007, now Hua Ying 389
1094	47-003	James Burrough	1984–2006 2006	Padstow (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold to China 2007, now Hua Ying 387
1095	47-004	St. Cybi II (Civil Service No.40)	1985–1997 1997–2006	Holyhead (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold to China 2007, now Hua Ying 386
1096	47-005	Ethel Anne Measures	1985–2006 2006–2007	The Mumbles (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold to China 2007, now Hua Ying 385
1097	47-006	Ruby and Arthur Reed	1985–1996 1996–1999 1999–2007 2007–2008	Cromer (Slipway) Relief fleet Cromer (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold to China 2008, now Hua Ying 382
1109	47-007	City of Edinburgh	1985–1997 1997–2002 2002–2008	Fraserburgh (Slipway) Fraserburgh (Afloat) Relief fleet	770576383	Sold 2010. See ADES Uruguay below.
1110	47-008	Phil Mead	1986–2006 2006–2008	Teesmouth (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold to China 2008, now Hua Ying 384
1111	47-009	William Luckin	1986–2000 2000–2007	Arranmore (Afloat) Lough Swilly (Afloat)	412100300	Sold to China 2008, now Hua Ying 383
1112	47-010	RFA Sir Galahad	1986–2006 2006–2008 2008–2009 2009	Tenby (Slipway) Relief fleet Angle (Slipway) Relief fleet	912322377	Sold 2010. Renamed Sir Galahad. Workboat at Tallinn, Estonia, September 2024.
1114	47-011	The Lady Rank	1987–2008 2008–2011	Angle (Slipway) Relief fleet	770576384	Sold 2011. See ADES Uruguay below.
1115	47-012	Good Shepherd	1988–2000 2000–2001 2001–2010	Relief fleet Lough Swilly (Afloat) Relief fleet		Sold 2010. Renamed Carnarc. Pilot boat at North Longman Marina, Inverness, September 2023.
1116	47-013	Robert and Violet	1988–2013 2013–2015 2015	Moelfre (Slipway) Lough Swilly (Afloat) Relief fleet	232002745	Sold 2015. See Sri Lanka Lifeboat Institution below.
1117	47-014	James Bibby	1986–2008 2008–2010 2010 2010–2011	Barrow (Slipway) Relief fleet Shoreham Harbour (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold 2011. Renamed Pioneer. Aft Cabin removed, Workboat in Invergordon. Private ownership, Rothesay Dock, Clydebank, June 2023.[4]
1120	47-015	Hetty Rampton	1987–2012 2012–2015	Porthdinllaen (Slipway) Relief fleet	232002731	Sold 2015. Renamed Inch Burn. Pilot Boat with Montrose Port Authority, November 2024.
1121	47-016	Norman Salvesen	1988–1997 1998–2009 2009–2014	Wick (Slipway) Sennen Cove (Slipway) Relief fleet		Kept afloat from 1994. Sold June 2014. Unaltered, at Conwy Marina, September 2024
1122	47-017	Owen and Ann Aisher	1988–2012	Relief fleet		Sold 2013. Renamed MVS Prince George V104. Pilot Boat with Montrose Port Authority. Damaged 2016, subsequently stripped of spares. Sold to Mains Farm Wigwams of Stirling, May 2023. Used as a Glamping Pod, June 2024.[5]
1126	47-018	Max Aitken III	1987–2009 2009–2014	Bembridge (Slipway) Relief fleet	232003197	Sold June 2014. Renamed Sir Max Aitken III. See Jersey Lifeboat Association (Independent) below.
1127	47-019	Babs and Agnes Robertson	1988–2006 2006–2013	Peterhead (Slipway) The Mumbles (Slipway)		Kept afloat from 1998. Sold 2014. Renamed FVC-1. Unaltered, at Riverside Marina, River Hamble, September 2024
1130	47-022	The Baltic Exchange II	1988–2008 2008–2009	Salcombe (Afloat) Relief fleet		Sold 2010. Renamed PB Fortune. See Seychelles Coast Guard below.[6]
1131	47-023	City of Sheffield	1988–1996 1996–1997 1997–2000 2000–2001 2001–2016	Whitby (Afloat) Relief fleet Hartlepool (Afloat) Relief fleet Poole (Afloat)		On display at the National Emergency Services Museum, Sheffield
1132	47-020	Spirit of Lowestoft	1987–2014 2014–2018	Lowestoft (Afloat) Relief fleet		To RNLI Museum, Chatham Dockyard, 19 June 2019
1133	47-021	The Famous Grouse	1987–2004 2004–2010 2010–2012	Relief fleet Kilmore Quay (Afloat) Relief fleet	316028835	Sold May 2013. Renamed Fraser Lifeboat 1A-04. See Canadian Lifeboat Institution below.[7]
1137	47-024	Hilda Jarrett	1988–2012 2012–2015	Baltimore (Slipway) Relief fleet	232002581	Sold 2015. Renamed North Esk, Pilot Boat with Montrose Port Authority. Sold March 2023, Renamed Ascension. Pilot Boat, Stornoway Port, November 2024.[4]
1138	47-025	Lord Saltoun	1988–1999 1999–2012	Longhope (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold October 2012. Renamed Norma-G. Work boat with D. Ferran and Sons, Belfast Northern Ireland. On harbour wall at Carrickfergus, December 2021.[8]
1139	47-026	Garside	1988–2013 2013–2016 2016–2018	St Davids (Slipway) St Davids No.2 (Afloat) Relief fleet	232015993	Retained on station alongside Tamar-class lifeboat until completion of new boathouse in Oct 2016. Sold 2018. Renamed Triton. Workboat and crew transfer, Falmouth Docks, October 2024.
1140	47-027	George Gibson	1988–2010 2010–2011	Appledore (Afloat) Relief fleet	232008820	Sold January 2013. Renamed The John Faulding (SGI-007). Construction safety boat for Specialist Group International at Portishead Marina, April 2024
1141	47-028	Sir John Fisher	1989–1992 1992–2017	Relief fleet Workington (Davit)		Sold 2018. Renamed Eala. Private Ownership, Troon, May 2022.
1142	47-029	Mariners Friend	1989–2007 2007–2012 2012–2013	Relief Fleet Lough Swilly (Afloat) Relief fleet		Sold June 2014. Renamed Suilbhir Giomach (Jolly Lobster). Dive/Workboat at Loch Scridain (summer) and Dunstaffnage Marina (winter), September 2024.
1145	47-030	David Robinson	1988–2011 2011–2016	The Lizard (Slipway) Relief fleet		Sold 2017. Renamed Diligence J. Crew transfer boat for Togo Oil and Marine, at Lomé, Togo, West Africa, October 2018.[9]
1146	47-031	Voluntary Worker	1988–1990 1990–2005 2005–2017	Lytham St Annes (Afloat) Relief fleet Selsey (Slipway)		Sold 2017. Floating display with Helical Technology, Lytham, Lancs. Lytham Motive Power (Private) Museum (no public access), June 2024.
1147	47-032	Sir William Hillary	1988–2018	Douglas (Slipway)		Sold 2020. Renamed Sir William. Private Ownership at Portishead Marina, June 2024.
1151	47-033	Mary Irene Millar	1989–2011 2011–2013	Portpatrick (Afloat) Relief fleet		Sold December 2013. Private ownership, at Mayflower Marina, Plymouth, May 2024.
1152	47-034	Moonbeam	1989–2015 2015–2016	Montrose (Afloat) Relief fleet		Sold November 2016. Private Ownership at Salcombe, December 2023
1153	47-035	Annie Blaker	1989–2019	Wicklow (Slipway)	232003199	Last Tyne class boat on station[2] Sold 2020. Operating with Guernsey Boat Charter at St Peter Port, May 2024.[4]
1154	47-036	Kenneth Thelwall II	1990–1994 1996–2011	Ramsgate (Afloat) Walton and Frinton (Afloat)		Sold September 2011. Renamed Ocean Lad. Crew/Pilot boat for Atlantic Towage, West End, Bere Island, Co. Cork, Ireland, December 2023.[10]
1155	47-037	Sarah Emily Harrop	1990–1998 1998–2007 2007–2010 2010 2010	Lytham St Annes (Afloat) Relief fleet Calshot (Afloat) Relief fleet Shoreham Harbour (Slipway)	250002783	Sold October 2010. Renamed Ocean Lass. Ferry/Pilot boat, Bere Island Ferries, Co, Cork Ireland, September 2023.
1156	47-038	William Street	1989–2016	Fleetwood (Afloat)	232006029	Sold 2016. Renamed Amelia. Jun 2023, NHS Ferry Charter operated by Seafaris Adventures (Skye) from Mallaig. Private Ownership, Skye, October 2024.
1157	47-039	Alexander Coutanche	1989–2009 2009–2010 2010–2012 2012–2013 2013–2014	St Helier (Afloat) Relief fleet Calshot (Afloat) Lough Swilly (Afloat) Relief fleet	232002580	Sold 2015. Renamed Euan D. Pilot/Work boat with JD Marine operating from Swansea, November 2024.
1158	47-040	Hermione Lady Colwyn	1990–2010	Shoreham Harbour (Slipway)		Sold 2010. Renamed Odin Nautical, with Aegir Nautical, Lymington. Workboat at East Cowes, IOW, possibly now sold to Germany, April 2019

1. ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
2. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

China

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [1]	Station	MMSI[3]	Comments[1]
1074	Hua Ying 388	2007–	Xiamen	413770291	Last Seen 19 July 2020 Shanghai[3]
1075	Hua Ying 389	2007–	Ningbo	413770292	Last Seen Jan 2025 Ningbo[3]
1094	Hua Ying 386	2007–	Yantai
1095	Hua Ying 387	2007–	Rongcheng
1096	Hua Ying 384	2007–	Beihai
1097	Hua Ying 385	2008–	Shekou
1110	Hua Ying 382	2008–	Shenzhen
1111	Hua Ying 383	2008–	Guangzhou	412100300	Last Seen 17 July 2021 Haikou[3]

Uruguay

Operated by ADES Uruguay

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [1]	Station	MMSI[3]	Comments[1]
1109	ADES 19 Centenario	2010–2023	Puerto de Colonia	770576383	Oct 2023, Retired from Service. Sold 2024. Workboat with CG Traficos SRL in Nueva Palmira, Uruguay, December 2024
1114	ADES 20 Bicentenary	2011–2023	Puerto del Buceo	770576384	Oct 2023, Retired from Service. For sale, December 2024

Sri Lanka

Operated by the Sri Lankan Lifeboat Institution

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [1]	Station	MMSI[3]	Comments[1]
1116	Puffin XII[11]	2015–2020	Colombo		[6] Last seen in service, MMSI, 18 February 2020. Reported sold from service, with Master Divers (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka.

Jersey

Operated by the Jersey Lifeboat Association

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [1]	Station	MMSI[3]	Comments[1]
1126	Sir Max Aitken III	2019–2021 2023–	St Helier	232003197	Renamed Sir Max Aitken III. Lifeboat damaged on call on 10 November 2021, grounding on rocks at Pierre au Poisson. Repairs were carried out during 2022, and the boat returned to SAR service on 30 May 2023.[12]

Seychelles

Operated by the Seychelles Coast Guard

RNLI ON	Name	In Service	Station [1]	Comments
1130	PB Fortune	2010–	Mahe Plateau	Still in service, January 2024

Canada

Operated by the Canadian Lifeboat Institution

RNLI ON	Name	In Service [1]	Station	MMSI[3]	Comments
1133	Fraser Lifeboat 1A-04	2013–	Steveston, Richmond, BC	316028835