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13-46 'Duke of Edinburgh' arrives in Wells

Sat 8 Oct 2022

Our new Shannon-class lifeboat RNLB 13-46 Duke of Edinburgh  arrived in Wells today, completing the last leg of her voyage home from Poole. Named in memory of the late HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the new lifeboat also carries the names of 15,000 loved ones in its RNLI 13-46 decals as part of the 'Launch A Memory' scheme.

The new lifeboat sailed from Lowestoft with a crew from Wells and was met off Wells by the town's current Mersey-class lifeboat RNLB 12-003 Doris M Mann of Ampthill, currently the oldest lifeboat in service with the RNLI and the Wells Inshore Lifeboat. All three lifeboats made their way into the harbour where they were joined by the town's historic Oakley class lifeboat Ernest Tom Nethercoat and historic Liverpool-class Lucy Lavers. The flotilla then made its way up to a crowded quayside for 5pm where the local community, supporters and well-wishers were able to welcome the new boat.

The day started before sunrise for the Wells crew taking relief Shannon lifeboat 13-40, which has been in Wells for training since August, from Wells to Lowestoft before swapping over to 13-46 kindly assisted by Lowestoft lifeboat crew members. Brief stops were made on the passage back off Cromer and Sheringham to show neighbouring stations the new boat and both Cromer ILB and Sheringham lifeboat launched to meet up with the Wells crew and run alongside the Shannon.

The new lifeboat will be used for crew training in the coming weeks before finally going into service as Wells' station boat and the Mersey being retired.

Our thanks to Chris Taylor for this video of the arrival

13-46 to arrive in Wells this weekend

Thr 6 Oct 2022

Wells' new Shannon-class lifeboat RNLB 13-46 Duke of Edinburgh will be arriving in Wells on Saturday 8 October. It will be in the quay at approximately 5pm. We welcome members of the local community to witness its arrival from 4pm onwards.

Wells is unable to accommodate large numbers of people and vehicles so we ask if those from further afield could please wait until our new lifeboat station is open before coming to see the Shannon. We understand that there are many supporters and donors who are keen to visit, so we thank you for your understanding and patience. We will inform everyone when the station is open and details of tours as soon as we are able to.

13-46 to arrive in Wells this Saturday

6/10/22

Our new Shannon-class lifeboat RNLB 13-46 Duke of Edinburgh should arrive in Wells around 5pm on Saturday 8 October, completing the last leg of her voyage home from Poole. Named in memory of the late HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the new lifeboat also carries the names of 15,000 loved ones in its RNLI 13-46 decals as part of the 'Launch A Memory' scheme.

The new lifeboat will be met off Wells by the town's current Mersey-class lifeboat RNLB 12-003 Doris M Mann of Ampthill, currently the oldest lifeboat in service with the RNLI, and the two lifeboats will make their way into the harbour and then up to the quay, arriving there at about 5pm. Blakeney Old Wild Rovers will be singing shanties on the quayside and there will be time for the local community and well wishers to see and welcome the new boat before she returns to the beach to be recovered and taken into the new lifeboat station.

The new lifeboat will be used for crew training in the coming weeks before finally going into service as Wells' station boat and the Mersey being retired. The new lifeboat station is not yet open to the public but there will be opportunities and events for people to see the new lifeboat and we will publish details as soon as we can.

Wells' new Shannon heads to London

Thr 22 Sep 2022

Wells' new Shannon-class lifeboat RNLB 13-46 Duke of Edinburgh is to join 150 boats on the River Thames in London this Saturday to commemorate the life and 70-year reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 

The Reflections illuminated flotilla will start by Albert bridge, passing Chelsea bridge at 7pm on Saturday 24 September, Westminster bridge at 19:30 and arriving at Tower Bridge around 20.15. All 150 boats taking part, which will include the royal row barge Gloriana, built for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, will be lit up with white lights, creating a ribbon of light down the river. Illuminated River, the world's longest public artwork, will also be lit with a special display threading tones of purple and silver across nine bridges from Lambeth to London Bridge.

The new lifeboat's crew includes members of the Wells crew where the boat will be stationed.

RNLI Chief Executive, Mark Dowie said "Originally planned to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, this event provides a fitting occasion for the Thames’ river communities, of which the RNLI has been a proud member for 20 years, to express their sadness at the recent death of Her Majesty.

"The crew from Wells-next-the-Sea, where RNLB Duke of Edinburgh will be on service later this year, are extremely honoured to be part of this commemoration to our longest-serving Patron and a much-loved member of the RNLI family. I would like to thank the organisers, Thames Festival Trust, for nominating the RNLI as the official charity and raising much-needed funds for our new Tower Lifeboat Station at Waterloo Bridge."

The new lifeboat will be coming to Wells soon but no date has yet been fixed for its arrival.

First pictures of 13-46 at sea

Tue 30 Aug 2022

We're grateful to Martin Phillips of the RNLI in Poole for sending us some pictures of our new Shannon 13-46 'Duke of Edinburgh' on sea trials earlier this month. More images along with pictures of the new SLRS carrriage and some of the training with the relief lifeboat can be found in our photo gallery.

61st Annual Lifeboat Service

Tue 30 Aug 2022

'Doris M Mann of Ampthill' leaving the quay after the service

Our thanks to everyone who came to our Annual Lifeboat Service on Wells quay this Sunday... and everyone who turned out to help set up and organise the event, in particular to Fakenham Town Band for once again providing the music, Jack Richards for the lorry trailer and Wells Harbour Commissioners.

This will be the final time that our Mersey-class lifeboat 12-003 'Doris M Mann of Ampthill' takes part what is now an annual tradition in Wells for over 60 years... and, with the exception of any service launches in the coming weeks, may be the last time many have a chance to see the boat afloat before she retires.

A collection held on the night by the Wells RNLI guild raised over £1700 for Wells RNLI. 

SLRS arrives in Wells

Wed 17 Aug 2022

Training and preparation for the transition to our new Shannon class lifeboat have begun in earnest with the arrival in Wells of our Shannon Launch & Recovery Systems (SLRS) unit. SC-T27 is named 'Patricia Jean Bettany' and is a brand new SLRS built specifically for the station.

The SLRS arrived on 28 July by road in two sections which were assembled on the Beach Road and then carefully driven up onto the beach bank, past the new boathouse and onto the beach. The unit for now will be kept at the top of the ALB ramp while the new boathouse is still being finished.

An intensive driver training course with the RNLI's coastal support team followed which included long sessions around our low water launch and recovery site on Holkham beach as well as taking the SLRS round the back of the current boathouse for manoeuvres on the back beach. Finally, the new boat hall was temporarily cleared so our drivers could have a first go at taking the SLRS into and out of the new boathouse.

Other training is on-going including coxswains and crew attending a jet boat handling course at the Lifeboat College in Poole at the start of August, helming a jet training boat and Shannon relief lifeboats, and courses upcoming in Wells and Poole for boat and SLRS mechanics.

A relief Shannon lifeboat will be arriving in Wells soon for crew familiarisation, afloat training and launch and recovery practice.

Wells' own new Shannon RNLB 13-46 'Duke of Edinburgh' is still on commissioning trials at the All Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole. The boat will be on display to 'Launch A Memory' donors ashore at Poole from 20-24th August (event now fully booked) and should be arriving in Wells towards the end of September.

Unloading the cab/tractor unit, 28/7

Space is tight passing the new boathouse and down onto the beach

Stage 1 of SLRS driver training complete, 4/8

Bell Ringing Ceremony for the new Shannon - video

Fri 8 Jul 2022

A short film of Tuesday's ceremony as Wells' new Shannon lifeboat leaves the factory and is lifted into the water for the first time...