pier in 1882, enabling a lifeboat to be lowered into the water below, even at low tide. A new, larger lifeboat was stationed here in 1889 and a boathouse was built for it on the north-east side of the island with a slipway beside the pier. This facility was replaced in 1902 when a new boathouse was built on the south-east side of the island. This had a slipway which enabled the lifeboat to be launched at most states of the tide and was the longest in England. The slipway was closed in 2007 due to its poor condition, since when the lifeboats have been launched from the north-east side of the island. The crews continued to use the 1889 boathouse but the two inshore lifeboats were kept on their launch trolleys in the open air on Birnbeck Island. In April 2011 a new "temporary" boathouse was erected to give them cover. The structure cost £70,000 but has been designed so that it can be dismantled once permanent facilities are built and transported to be reused elsewhere. In 2015 the RNLI announced that it would seek planning permission for a permanent lifeboat station at Knightstone Harbour along with deep-water anchorage at Anchor Head and the facilities on Birnbeck Pier were closed. Weston-super-Mare is the busiest RNLI station on the south side of the Bristol Channel; in 2011 its two lifeboats were called out 42 times. Historically, the largest number of people rescued at one time was on 22 September 1884 when 40 passengers were taken off the SS Welsh Prince which got into difficulties after leaving the pier. See also Grand Pier List of piers References Bibliography External links The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust Friends of the Old Pier Society Photos and account of a visit to the derelict Birnbeck Pier Infrastructure completed in 1867 Piers in Somerset Grade II* listed buildings in North Somerset Buildings and structures in Weston-super-Mare Geology of Somerset Structures on the Heritage at Risk register in Somerset 1867 establishments in England Grade II* listed piers