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Bressay Lighthouse

Coordinates: 60°07′12″N 1°07′17″W / 60.120012°N 1.121456°W / 60.120012; -1.121456
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Bressay Lighthouse
Bressay Lighthouse
Map
LocationKirkabister
Bressay
Shetland Islands
Scotland
OS gridHU4892337593
Coordinates60°07′12″N 1°07′17″W / 60.120012°N 1.121456°W / 60.120012; -1.121456
Tower
Constructed1858
Built byDavid Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson Edit this on Wikidata
Constructionmasonry tower
Automated1989
Height16 metres (52 ft)
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower, black lantern, ochre trim
Operatorfrom 2012 Lerwick Port Authority [1] [2]
Heritagecategory B listed building Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit31 August 1858 Edit this on Wikidata
Deactivated2012 from Northern Lighthouse Board
Focal height32 metres (105 ft)
Range23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi)
10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) since 2012
CharacteristicFl (2) W 20s.

Bressay Lighthouse is still an active lighthouse in the Shetland Islands, Scotland, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-east of Lerwick. It is located on the island of Bressay at Kirkabister Ness overlooking Bressay Sound.

History

Bressay Lighthouse was one of four lighthouses built in Shetland between 1854 and 1858 which were designed by brothers David Stevenson and Thomas Stevenson. David Stevenson initially maintained that building a lighthouse in Shetland waters was impossible, too dangerous and too expensive, and that any ship's captain who took this route was mad.

The shore station was purchased by the Shetland Amenity Trust in 1995 and has been converted into a Marine Heritage Centre. The fog signal was discontinued in the 1980s. The notable red horn was removed, however, the building that housed the siren is still in place and now houses a radar mast, and the five pressurised air tanks are still in place.

See also


References

  1. ^ Bressay The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 28 May 2016
  2. ^ Bressay Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 28 May 2016