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Thames-Class 50-foot
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Specifications:
| Dimensions | 50.0' x 14.6 | Speed | 17.5kts |
| Displacement | 27t | Endurance | |
| Construction | Steel hull, aluminium superstructure | Range | 210nm |
| Engines | 2 x General Motors 390hp diesels | Crew | 6 |
In the early 1960's the RNLI had a fleet that were limited by their speed due to the hull design. The USCG had developed a planeing hull-form that enabled the boat to skim over the water giving a greater speed. The RNLI decided to acquire one from the USCG and it entered service as the Waveney-class. However the RNLI decided they needed a larger version and a new boat was designed by their architects resulting in the Thames-class. There were six boats ordered, four fromBrooke Marine in Lowestoft and two from Richard Dunston at Hessle. Due to financial issues the order was reduced after the first two were built with the RNLI having to compensate the builders as the long-lead items had already been purchased. The cancelled boats were to have been 50-003 to 006 oN 1038 to 1041.
Fleet Details
| No. | Name | O/N | Year | Base/Comments |
| 50-001 | Rotary Service | 1031 | 1973 | Launched 1973. On station Falmouth 19/11/74 to 08/1978. On station Dover 02/10/79 to 15/03/97. Relief15/03/97 to 07/10/97. Sold to Bere Island Ferries as Pilot Boat Treffrey in 1998.Purchased by the Thames Lifeboat Trust in 2015 for restoration and to be based at Lowestoft. Left under tow by tug Nomad on 12/10/15 for Portland and onward by road. Arrived Lowesstoft 22/10/15. |
| 50-002 | Helmut Schroeder of Dunlossit | 1032 | 1976 | Trials 29/05/76 to 02/05/79. On station Islay 02/05/79 to 09/03/97. To Relief 09/03/97. Crew Training 1997-1998. Sold 1998 as P+o Nedlloyd Rescue in New Zealand with Sumner Rescue. Sold as LPC Rescue at Lyttleton in 2010. |
The Ex-Rotary Service at Castletownbre on 15/06/04 (Photo Martin Fish)
Another picture of ex-50-001 taken on 26/10/14 (Photo Scott Snowling)
50-001 ON HER RETURN TO THE Water on 17/05/15 (Photo TLT)
50-001 arrives back at her birthplace in Lowestoft on 22/10/15 (Photo TLT)
RNLB Helmut Schroeder of Dunlossit 50-002 pictured at Falmouth, date unknown,
LPC Rescue pictured at Littleton, ex 50-002, on 18/09/11 (Photo Burmeja Images)
e-mail: lifeboatsonline@yahoo.co.uk