Coastguard Stations, Lighthouses and Associated Equipment
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 10:12 pm
Flamborough Head
On my recent holiday to Bridlington I had a trip up the coast to Flamborough Head. As well as a nice little cafe and some brilliant scenery, I came across what I thought might be a Coastguard Station. I just had a shufty at Wiki and it turns out that the installation was, originally, a Fog Signal Station perched on the cliff top near the lighthouse.
In 1859 a fog signal station was built at a short distance from the lighthouse, close to the cliff edge. Initially an 18-pound gun was used as the fog signal (the cottage was built as accommodation for the gunners). In 1878, explosive rockets replaced the cannon, discharged every 5 minutes in foggy weather and reaching an altitude of 600 feet (180 m). By 1889 an engine house had been built to provide compressed air for a fog siren, which sounded through twin horns (Rayleigh trumpets from 1908) mounted on the roof.[ In 1924 this was replaced by a diaphone system, itself superseded by the current electric fog signal in 1975.
The fog signal compound remains in Trinity House ownership; along with the modern fog signal apparatus, it has since 1998 accommodated a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) signal station.
DGPS can assist the safe passage of all classes of vessel from cargo ships, cruise liners and fishing vessels to small yachts.
You learn something every day
Jim
On my recent holiday to Bridlington I had a trip up the coast to Flamborough Head. As well as a nice little cafe and some brilliant scenery, I came across what I thought might be a Coastguard Station. I just had a shufty at Wiki and it turns out that the installation was, originally, a Fog Signal Station perched on the cliff top near the lighthouse.
In 1859 a fog signal station was built at a short distance from the lighthouse, close to the cliff edge. Initially an 18-pound gun was used as the fog signal (the cottage was built as accommodation for the gunners). In 1878, explosive rockets replaced the cannon, discharged every 5 minutes in foggy weather and reaching an altitude of 600 feet (180 m). By 1889 an engine house had been built to provide compressed air for a fog siren, which sounded through twin horns (Rayleigh trumpets from 1908) mounted on the roof.[ In 1924 this was replaced by a diaphone system, itself superseded by the current electric fog signal in 1975.
The fog signal compound remains in Trinity House ownership; along with the modern fog signal apparatus, it has since 1998 accommodated a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) signal station.
DGPS can assist the safe passage of all classes of vessel from cargo ships, cruise liners and fishing vessels to small yachts.
You learn something every day
Jim