Work began in September 2002 on the long-awaited extension to the Boathouse. The existing facilities were built in 1896 with relatively minor alterations in the last ten years or so. The result was a building rich in historical features but far from conducive to running a modern lifeboat service. The building had one toilet and one shower and a kettle. The former tractor house attached to the east wall was occupied in the summer by the local councils beach lifeguards.

Following a visit from Andrew Freemantle, the Chief Executive, things took a decided turn for the better and architects and planners began to visit us. They took their thoughts away with them and eventually produced a proposal which was submitted to the local authority, the Metropolitan District of North Tyneside. Some debate followed and the modified proposal was accepted.

Once the 150 celebrations had been concluded, work began on the demolition of the tractor house and the levelling of the site.
 

After that was done, work could begin on creating the basic "shape" of the floor, with pilings going in to support the various uprights of the steel skeleton that had been laid in its component parts to the west of the boathouse.

Some special shaping now began to appear in the building. At this time, the retaining wall for the braid was rebuilt; it had been in poor condition and its level was raised a little. Leaping onto the sand is now more "thrilling" for the youngsters who enjoy the beach. The weather also took a turn for the worse during this phase of construction, with high winds and seas causing quite a bit of damage and a need for re-work.

The steel framework was next to be erected. Joining up like an enormous Meccano kit, the gaps were to be infilled with brickwork, but we could at last see the shape the building was to take.

 

As I said, the brickwork was to go in next, along with the floor sections. The crane driver slotted the floor sections deftly into place and the brickies seemed to throw the walls up. In no time at all, the walls were up to first floor level and the roof work began.

Here a few shots of the roof timbers being prepared to take the tiles, which match those of the main building, the roofers started on March 31st:-

The new merges seamlessly with the old, at least on the roof, and there is also some titivation of the original brickwork of 1896, ensuring that the belltower will be good for another 106 years. 

After this, the finishing touches were made (like the addition of windows and doors) and the furnishing, and here are some pictures taken in November 2003 when work on the bell tower was ongoing.