@Umpqua1012 It has a little room with signs and pictures of the lights history. The keepers houses are used as holiday accommodation and the tower is kept locked by NLB
I heard that the St Abb's Head fog siren was the first fog signal in Scotland to be switched off; but I don't think so; I read on your website that this fog signal here at Rua Reidh was switched off in 1980; and I also read on your site that the Tiumpan Head siren was switched off in 1984; so the St Abb's head siren could not have been the first to be switched off.
@Umpqua1012 You are correct. Those were the windows of the engine room. When the horn was taken down (You can see the actual horn at 1:50, the siren itself at 1:36 and the clockwork that controlled it at 1:46), the engine room was demolished, but the front wall was retained so that it looked the same from the sea.
It is likely that the buildings were in a poor condition - this is why these and so many NLB buildings and fog signals were removed over the years.
@WorldWideLighthouses Thanks, but where was old fog siren site? I know the horn is on display at the Gairloch heritage museum, but where was the horn house before it was flattened?
@Umpqua1012 The round part of the building that you see in front of the lighthouse at 1:22 was originally twice the height - the horn was mounted on top of that tower. It was removed and the tower shortened to only one floor.
@WorldWideLighthouses Was the top that tower flat with the horn coming out the middle, or did it have a dome shape at the top with the coming out the middle like Mull of Kintyre?
@WorldWideLighthouses Where did you get that recording of St Abb's fog siren; that horn hasn't sounded since 1987. And where did you get that recording of the Tiumpan Head fog siren? That horn was knocked flat in 1984. The only place you could of got them fromis Kinniard Head; it has the only fog siren still healthy and in full working order; but hasn't sounded in a long time.
@Umpqua1012 From an old radio interview recording. An interview was conducted near the foghorn in around 1970-1980, and it could be heard in the background.
@Umpqua1012 ...I'm not sure how it would have sounded? I've never heard it. I doubt it would have sounded like any other fog signals in Britain - it was certainly of a unique design, unlike many of the other horns around the Scottish coast!
@WorldWideLighthouses Well then check out my video of Mull of Galloway. I have a recording of what the siren there should sound like. Like you said; it doesn't make that BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARP like St Abbs and Tiumpan Head; but instead it should sound like; BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWUUUUUUUUP. I mixed that recording to use for those two abandoned sirens on Ailsa Craig.
How come it says 'visitor's center' on the sign yet you can't climb the tower?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 It has a little room with signs and pictures of the lights history. The keepers houses are used as holiday accommodation and the tower is kept locked by NLB
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses oh alright.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
I wanted to ask you but I kept forgetting; where is the engine at St Abb's head that housed the engines for the fog sirens?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 Probably at the buildings above the lighthouse, further up the cliff.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Oh, I wonder if the building is still there? I don't know so much about the engines
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 I know that the buildings are still there - i saw them when i visited.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses That's funny that I haven't seen them yet; although I have seen some of the old air tanks that supplied the air to the siren.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
I heard that the St Abb's Head fog siren was the first fog signal in Scotland to be switched off; but I don't think so; I read on your website that this fog signal here at Rua Reidh was switched off in 1980; and I also read on your site that the Tiumpan Head siren was switched off in 1984; so the St Abb's head siren could not have been the first to be switched off.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
Were those windows at 02:04? Were they removed and patched up or weren't they windows at all? I believe this is the old engine room
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 You are correct. Those were the windows of the engine room. When the horn was taken down (You can see the actual horn at 1:50, the siren itself at 1:36 and the clockwork that controlled it at 1:46), the engine room was demolished, but the front wall was retained so that it looked the same from the sea.
It is likely that the buildings were in a poor condition - this is why these and so many NLB buildings and fog signals were removed over the years.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Just because of neglegence!?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
I know the grounds are open, but is the open or closed?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 The tower is closed, but you may stay in the Keepers Houses - Someone i know did - it's very remote.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Thanks, but where was old fog siren site? I know the horn is on display at the Gairloch heritage museum, but where was the horn house before it was flattened?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 The round part of the building that you see in front of the lighthouse at 1:22 was originally twice the height - the horn was mounted on top of that tower. It was removed and the tower shortened to only one floor.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses I thought that round building had something to do with the fog siren! Thank you very much!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Was the top that tower flat with the horn coming out the middle, or did it have a dome shape at the top with the coming out the middle like Mull of Kintyre?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
Nice opening photo.
hellooldchap 7 months ago
@hellooldchap Thanks. I got it put on canvas and its currently hanging on my wall :D
WorldWideLighthouses 6 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Where did you get that recording of St Abb's fog siren; that horn hasn't sounded since 1987. And where did you get that recording of the Tiumpan Head fog siren? That horn was knocked flat in 1984. The only place you could of got them fromis Kinniard Head; it has the only fog siren still healthy and in full working order; but hasn't sounded in a long time.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 It is a recording from Tiumpan Head.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses But how!? Like I said, that horn was flattened in 1984!!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 From an old radio interview recording. An interview was conducted near the foghorn in around 1970-1980, and it could be heard in the background.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Thanks! Mystery solved!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Did all those red fog sirens used to sound like that?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 No. Not many of them did. I asked a keeper from St. Abbs if it did sound like that and he confirmed it.
Others like Mull of Galloway sounded very different.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Thanks for that bit of info. Now I know that not all those red sirens souded the same! What a pity!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Give me an idea of how it would of sounded
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 ...I'm not sure how it would have sounded? I've never heard it. I doubt it would have sounded like any other fog signals in Britain - it was certainly of a unique design, unlike many of the other horns around the Scottish coast!
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Well then check out my video of Mull of Galloway. I have a recording of what the siren there should sound like. Like you said; it doesn't make that BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARP like St Abbs and Tiumpan Head; but instead it should sound like; BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWUUUUUUUUP. I mixed that recording to use for those two abandoned sirens on Ailsa Craig.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@hellooldchap I can agree on that!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago