Berry Head Lighthouse
 Berry Head Lighthouse | |
 | |
| Location | Brixham Devon England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°23′58.5″N 3°29′0.4″W / 50.399583°N 3.483444°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1906 |
| Automated | 1921 |
| Height | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Shape | cylindrical lantern with dome attached to equipment building |
| Markings | white lantern and dome |
| Operator | Trinity House[1] [2] |
| Light | |
| Focal height | 58 m (190 ft) |
| Lens | 500 mm 3rd order rotating optic |
| Range | 18 nmi (33 km; 21 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (2) W 15s. |
Berry Head Lighthouse is an active lighthouse, located at the end of Berry Head near Brixham in Devon. It was originally built in 1906, and was then automated and converted to run on acetylene in 1921, and further modernised in 1994 (since when it has run on mains electricity); in 2019 it was converted to LED operation.[3] Berry Head is reputedly the shortest lighthouse in Great Britain, but also one of the highest, being only 5 metres (16 ft) tall, but 58 metres (190 ft) above mean sea level. It was also said to be the deepest because the optic was originally turned by a weight falling down a 45 metres (148 ft) deep shaft (though an electric motor was subsequently used).[4]
Placed within a revolving third-order dioptric optic, the light had an intensity of 4,200 candela and a range of 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi); it gave a double white flash every 15 seconds.[4] In 2019 the optic and lamp were removed and replaced with a pair of self-contained LED lanterns (one serving as the main light, the other as a standby); the old characteristic was retained. The installation was the first application by Trinity House of its so-called 'simple lighthouse scheme', intended to be extended to all other shore-based mains-powered lighthouses, except those with more complex display requirements (e.g. provision of a sector light).[3]
Semaphore signalling apparatus was on Berry Head before 1875 and acted as the Lloyds' Signal Station for Torbay.
See also
References
- ^ Berry Head The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 29 April 2016
- ^ Berry Head Lighthouse Trinity House. Retrieved 29 April 2016
- ^ a b "Trinity House completes Berry Head Lighthouse update". Trinity House. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
- ^ a b "Berry Head - Gallery". Trinity House. Trinity House. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
Further reading
- Pike, John. "Berry Head; Forts, Lighthouse and House". Torbytes. Torbay Council. Archived from the original on 12 October 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
External links
