Launch of a new era as modern lifeboat station set to speed up response times

Jun 25 2008 By Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

New RNLI building on North Parade Hoylake _320

THE replacement for one of the oldest lifeboat stations in the country is nearing completion – with the volunteer crew expected to take ownership at the end of next month.

Built on Hoylake’s North Parade, the new station will house the life- boat – Lady of Hilbre – and is expect- ed to improve rescue response times.

The present boathouse, which dates back to 1899, is cramped without proper crew training or changing facilities and the lifeboat and launching tractor have to be housed in separate buildings. The new boathouse will allow them to be kept together.

Lifeboat operations manager John Curry said: "The bottom line is the speed at which the boat will hit the water in an emergency emergency call-out."

Presently, the tractor which pulls the boat to the water’s edge, is housed in a separate building to the boat and this can slow launches down.

Also, the existing boathouse is on the wrong side of the road – meaning traffic on North Parade has to be stopped to even get the boat on its way.

The new building now stands on the edge of the beach and is long enough to allow the tractor to be left connected to the boat. There is also a gallery so that the crew can climb straight on to the boat

Mr Curry added: "All this can save five or seven minutes and allow us to be on our way to the rescue quicker. The sooner we get out, the more chance we have of saving lives."

As well as offering improved training facilities, a mechanic’s workshop, a crew room, and changing rooms, the new station has an innovative and environmentally- friendly heating system.

The ground heat pump recovery system works by extracting heat from the adjacent beach and transfers it to the concrete floor of the lifeboat station.

Heat recovery loops – known in the trade as slinkies due to their resemblance to the toy – are buried under the slipway leading down from the station to the sand.

It is hoped that burying the loops in the intertidal zone will mean faster heat replenishment, as each incoming tide will bring renewed warmth.

The system has been supported by the Government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme, which has given a grant worth 35% of the installation value.

Shoreworks manager for the RNLI, Martin Brough, said despite bad weather they had made good time in completing the station.

An appeal to raise £2m towards the new lifeboat station and a new boat for Hoylake has reached £700,000.

A boat to replace the existing Mersey class lifeboat – Lady of Hilbre which is nearing the end of its operational life, having been introduced in 1988, and a – with a faster, more sophisticated engine, is being developed.

It is known as "Fast Carriage Boat 2" (FCB2) – which will become the new focus of the fundraising campaign.

FOR more information, or to contribute to the appeal, call 0845 650 3999, log on to www.rnli.org.uk/hoylakeappeal or send a donation to RNLI Hoylake Appeal, Admail 4049, Hoylake, CH47 1AA.

liammurphy@dailypost.co.uk