Surprised you didn't tell us that the light is floating on a bed of Mercury! was amazed when I was told this.One of my favourite places in the U.K. this. Now don't shout at me if I'm wrong,but as I understand it,North Stack was a Signalling Station,before radio,and used to signal instructions to passing ships,and not a foghorn specifically.
What is even more impressive is that some lens's weigh over 1 1/2 ton and as the mercury has no friction, you can push the lens round with your little finger! The motors used are tiny in comparison.
North Stack (now a posh hotel) was a fog signal station until the 1980s. It's quite possible they relayed info to ships arriving into Holyhead.
@hellooldchap I think the attendant at orfordness said the lens there weighed over 4 tons? or nearly that. Did you try pushing that round with your little finger? I've tried that several times, and it never fails to impress me.
Thanks for posting Des, nice footage -looks very calm and serene at evening time, I noticed it has two fog detectors, I am assuming the new fog horn is near the tannoy building.
Two detectors? Seems strange- I have not noticed them. The electric horn is just in front of the tannoy on the ground. It has a box around it like at Dungeness. You can just make it out at 9 seconds.
I see what looks like a white box at 2 mins and 9 ( guess thats the horn) yes I remember Dungeness having a decorative slat over the two emitters, I have seen the use of Concrete and metal guards on US lights I wonder if its for the same purpose ( direct it across the water).
What you see at 1.11 is the emergency light. If the main bulb goes, a replacement standby bulb switches into position. If that blows, or the back up lens rotation mechanism packs in, the emergency light switches on. It is run on totally independant batteries and will last about 3 days. Although it is very reduced in visability, it'll prevent (hopefully) a shipwreck! All lighthouses have these, some are inside the lantern (see my Cromer Lightouse video), others on the balcony.
@WorldWideLighthouses You are correct! This lighthouse has had a keeper right from the start. The light will never be automated due to the extremely dangerous coastline.
@Umpqua1012 I dare say that some of Britain's Lighthouses have claimed more.
I believe the Eddystone for example claimed over 50 ships yearly, and in one storm alone the Goodwin sands claimed over 40 merchant vessels! Yet all the lights that cover both of those areas have been automated. It doesn't matter how dangerous the coastline is - the keepers would struggle to save victims of a wreck and are not supposed to leave their station to do so.
@WorldWideLighthouses A steam driven passenger liner; the RSS Stuart Star; ran aground in front of Hood Point (Date unknown); and the keepers went and helped the survivors onto shore. Because of their actions; everybody survived; if they did not help them; they would of died! The patch of rock where the ship ran aground is now known as Stuart Star Point. The thing that's claiming all these shipwrecks is.........Rocks!
@WorldWideLighthouses I am going to visit Hood Point lighthouse at the end of this month when its due to reopen; but my video camera is broke so I don't think I will be able to take any video.
@WorldWideLighthouses I do have a photo camera; and I am pretty sure that it can take videos. If you see a video called Hood Point lighthouse 2; then you will know I made a video. If not; then the name will be Hood Point lighthouse photo slideshow.
Nice video, i like how you show alot of the inside too, its rare to find working lighthouses you can go in, most tend to be un-used, its a real shame...Also, do you mind me asking what that thing is at 1:11 ? Thanks!
At least South Stack is open to the public; There are only twelve lighthouses open to the public in South Africa; and Hood Point is one of them.
Umpqua1012 3 months ago
Does the tannoys still work here?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 No. None work anywhere.
hellooldchap 4 months ago
@hellooldchap Geez; that's a disappointment! Thanks for letting me know!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@hellooldchap Were these tannoys' wires clipped?
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
Hellooldchap, I have a video of the North Stack fog signal station. Just search south stack lighthouse.
Umpqua1012 5 months ago
Is there a tannoy foghorn on North Stack Fog signal station?
Umpqua1012 5 months ago
@Umpqua1012 Yes, but not used since the 1980s.
hellooldchap 5 months ago
@hellooldchap Thanks
Umpqua1012 5 months ago
Surprised you didn't tell us that the light is floating on a bed of Mercury! was amazed when I was told this.One of my favourite places in the U.K. this. Now don't shout at me if I'm wrong,but as I understand it,North Stack was a Signalling Station,before radio,and used to signal instructions to passing ships,and not a foghorn specifically.
GBPaddling 2 years ago
What is even more impressive is that some lens's weigh over 1 1/2 ton and as the mercury has no friction, you can push the lens round with your little finger! The motors used are tiny in comparison.
North Stack (now a posh hotel) was a fog signal station until the 1980s. It's quite possible they relayed info to ships arriving into Holyhead.
hellooldchap 2 years ago
@hellooldchap I think the attendant at orfordness said the lens there weighed over 4 tons? or nearly that. Did you try pushing that round with your little finger? I've tried that several times, and it never fails to impress me.
WorldWideLighthouses 10 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses There aren't many where you can do this as they are all working 24/7!
The magic of mercury.
hellooldchap 10 months ago
why do north and south stack, both have fog signals? and does the one at northstack still work?
it seems silly, to have so many fog signals in such a short distance of each other!
it would be cheaper to string, very long christmas lights in between north and south stack =D
LighthousesUK 2 years ago
lol. I don't know why North Stack had one too, but no lighthouse. It's now a holiday home. Hasn't worked for a long time.
hellooldchap 2 years ago
Thanks for posting Des, nice footage -looks very calm and serene at evening time, I noticed it has two fog detectors, I am assuming the new fog horn is near the tannoy building.
jane1975 2 years ago
Two detectors? Seems strange- I have not noticed them. The electric horn is just in front of the tannoy on the ground. It has a box around it like at Dungeness. You can just make it out at 9 seconds.
hellooldchap 2 years ago
I see what looks like a white box at 2 mins and 9 ( guess thats the horn) yes I remember Dungeness having a decorative slat over the two emitters, I have seen the use of Concrete and metal guards on US lights I wonder if its for the same purpose ( direct it across the water).
jane1975 2 years ago
What you see at 1.11 is the emergency light. If the main bulb goes, a replacement standby bulb switches into position. If that blows, or the back up lens rotation mechanism packs in, the emergency light switches on. It is run on totally independant batteries and will last about 3 days. Although it is very reduced in visability, it'll prevent (hopefully) a shipwreck! All lighthouses have these, some are inside the lantern (see my Cromer Lightouse video), others on the balcony.
hellooldchap 2 years ago
Thanks, You learn somthing every day! i first noticed these on penninis head lighthouse.
LighthousesUK 2 years ago
@hellooldchap The Hood Point lighthouse here where I live doesn't a backup light!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 Probably because it still has a keeper.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses You are correct! This lighthouse has had a keeper right from the start. The light will never be automated due to the extremely dangerous coastline.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 It doesn't matter how dangerous the coastline is - the light can still be automated without a problem.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Yes but you don't know how dangerous this coastline is; it has claimed 150 ships!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 I dare say that some of Britain's Lighthouses have claimed more.
I believe the Eddystone for example claimed over 50 ships yearly, and in one storm alone the Goodwin sands claimed over 40 merchant vessels! Yet all the lights that cover both of those areas have been automated. It doesn't matter how dangerous the coastline is - the keepers would struggle to save victims of a wreck and are not supposed to leave their station to do so.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses Yes but the people here believe in manned lights and will go on a riot if they try to automate it!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses A steam driven passenger liner; the RSS Stuart Star; ran aground in front of Hood Point (Date unknown); and the keepers went and helped the survivors onto shore. Because of their actions; everybody survived; if they did not help them; they would of died! The patch of rock where the ship ran aground is now known as Stuart Star Point. The thing that's claiming all these shipwrecks is.........Rocks!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses I am going to visit Hood Point lighthouse at the end of this month when its due to reopen; but my video camera is broke so I don't think I will be able to take any video.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 Do you not have a photograph camera? Or could you borrow someone elses?
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses I do have a photo camera; and I am pretty sure that it can take videos. If you see a video called Hood Point lighthouse 2; then you will know I made a video. If not; then the name will be Hood Point lighthouse photo slideshow.
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
@Umpqua1012 Good. Atleast you'll be using your own media.
WorldWideLighthouses 4 months ago
@WorldWideLighthouses That just about all I can be able to use; there are very and I mean VERY, few photos of Hood Point on the web!
Umpqua1012 4 months ago
Nice video, i like how you show alot of the inside too, its rare to find working lighthouses you can go in, most tend to be un-used, its a real shame...Also, do you mind me asking what that thing is at 1:11 ? Thanks!
LighthousesUK 2 years ago