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Tynemouth RNLI to Welcome New All-Weather Lifeboat

Tynemouth's volunteer crew are preparing to take on a new Tamar-class all-weather lifeboat, Irene Muriel Rees, replacing the long-serving Severn-class Osier this summer.

Tynemouth.live·9 July 2026

For anyone who has stood on the pier at the mouth of the Tyne and watched the lifeboat head out into a rising sea, the crew at Tynemouth RNLI need no introduction. This summer, the volunteers who keep watch over our stretch of coast are preparing to take charge of a new all-weather lifeboat.

The station is set to welcome a Tamar-class lifeboat, Irene Muriel Rees, which is due to arrive into the Tyne on Saturday 11 July. It replaces the station's current Severn-class boat, Osier, which has served the North Tyneside coast for many years.

The new lifeboat is not brand new to the water. According to the RNLI, Irene Muriel Rees (fleet number 16-19) was built in 2011 and most recently formed part of the RNLI's relief fleet, the pool of boats moved between stations as needed. It was the first lifeboat to be fitted with SIMS, an RNLI systems-and-information innovation that changed the way crews operate their boats and improved safety at sea.

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The Tamar class has a range of 250 nautical miles and a top speed of 25 knots, so Tynemouth keeps the offshore reach it needs to respond well beyond the harbour mouth.

Before the lifeboat can enter service, the station's volunteer crew members will undertake familiarisation and operational training at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset. Learning a new boat is no small task, and the changeover is planned carefully so that cover for the coast is maintained throughout.

Tynemouth is one of the busiest all-weather lifeboat stations in the North East, launching to everything from fishing vessels in difficulty to walkers cut off by the tide. The arrival of Irene Muriel Rees is a reminder of how much the town's safety at sea rests on people who volunteer their time, and on the boats that carry them out.

If you would like to see the lifeboat, Saturday 11 July is the day to keep an eye on the Tyne. And if you are ever tempted onto the rocks or into the water on our coast, the crew's advice is the same as ever: check the tide times, respect the sea, and call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if you see someone in trouble.

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