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Bell ringing ceremony takes place for Troon RNLI’s new lifeboat

Lifeboats News Release

On Tuesday 28 January 2025, Troon RNLI's new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat was welcomed off the production line and officially took to the water for the first time.

RNLI/NathanWilliams

RNLB Roy Barker VI
Every time a new lifeboat completes its construction and leaves the dedicated engineering teams within the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) in Poole, Dorset a bell ringing ceremony is held. The traditional method of ringing the eight bells comes from maritime history signalling the end of the watch on ship and the start of a new watch. The RNLI conducts this ceremony when a new lifeboat replaces another lifeboat in the service.

At the bell ringing the RNLI Chief Executive Peter Sparkes, our Lifeboat Operations Manager Jim Redmond, RNLI engineering and support staff watched as our new RNLI Shannon class all-weather lifeboat RNLB Roy Barker VI 13-55 was lowered into the water for the first time.

The new Shannon class lifeboat has been largely funded from the legacy of Mr Frederick Roy Barker, who was known as Roy, who left his entire estate to the RNLI, with the request that the income received from the fund be known as the Roy Barker Memorial Fund. Income from the fund has already funded three Trent class lifeboats at Alderney in the Channel Islands, Wick in Scotland, and Howth in the Republic of Ireland, a Tamar class lifeboat at The Mumbles in Wales and a Shannon at New Quay in Wales. Roy admired the dedication, skill and bravery of the volunteer crews and, indeed, their families who support them.

The kind legacy of Mr Alan Lionel Aspinall also contributed towards the completion of this new lifeboat. Mr Aspinall had a deep love and interest in boats and ships of all types and recognised the vital role that lifeboats provide to the seafaring communities.

Jim Redmond, Troon RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said, “It was great to be invited to Poole to the All-weather Lifeboat Centre to see our new lifeboat being lowered into the water for the first time.

‘Since 2004, our Trent class lifeboat RNLB Jim Moffat has served us well. It will be sad to see her go later this year, but we are now looking to the future, and the Shannon class lifeboat will take us forward into a new era with its enhanced capability and technology.

‘The coming months will see a high level of training, both at Poole and on station, to familiarise the coxswains, mechanics and volunteer lifeboat crew with quite a different lifeboat compared to our current Trent Class lifeboat.

‘Everyone at Troon RNLI Lifeboat Station is very much looking forward to welcoming our new lifeboat to our station and to seeing her on service allowing us to continue to save lives at sea.’

The new Shannon class lifeboat will now undergo a number of tests, trials and checks over the next two months to ensure everything is working perfectly. During this time, a relief Shannon lifeboat will be available to the Troon volunteer crew to enable them to continue and complete their training, ready for the new lifeboat's arrival later this year.

RNLI/NathanWilliams

The new Troon Lifeboat Shannon class all-weather lifeboat RNLB Roy Barker VI 13-55

RNLI/NathanWilliams

Troon RNLI lifeboat Operations Manager Jim Redmond and RNLI Chief Executive Peter Sparkes

RNLI/NathanWilliams

Bell Ringing Ceremony for the new Troon Lifeboat

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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