Douglas Head Lighthouse

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Douglas Head Lighthouse


Location	Douglas Head, Douglas, Isle of Man
Coordinates	54°8′35″N 4°27′54″W / 54.14306°N 4.46500°W / 54.14306; -4.46500Coordinates: 54°8′35″N 4°27′54″W / 54.14306°N 4.46500°W / 54.14306; -4.46500
Year first lit	1857
Automated	1986
Tower shape	Circular slightly conical cylinder.
Markings / pattern	White
Height	20 metres (66 ft)
Focal height	32 metres (105 ft)
Range	39 kilometres (24 mi)
Characteristic	White flash every 10 Secs

Douglas Head Lighthouse is a lighthouse at Douglas Head on the Isle of Man located between England and Ireland.

The lighthouse was established in 1857, although the vicinity was under the control of the Isle of Man Harbour Board from 1832.

It was made by the engineering brothers David and Thomas Stevenson with a total elevation of 32 metres (105 ft). The white tower is 20 metres (66 ft) in height and its base is at an elevation of 12 metres (39 ft).

The lighthouse staircase has 71 steps and the light has an average range of 39 kilometres (24 mi). The lantern is composed of eight brilliant reflectors made of pure silver built in 1831. The light flashes white every ten seconds.

History

In 1855 the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty requested the installation of a lighthouse in addition to the harbor light at Douglas Harbour. A parliamentary report at the time revealed that the light already existing in Douglas had been out of operation since 1850. There were originally two lighthouses, one on the pier, which had to remain a harbour light, and the Douglas Head Lighthouse. The Douglas Head Lighthouse is the only sea light between the Calf of Man and the Point of Ayre - some 64 kilometres (40 mi) away.

The lighthouse before 1892

Structural problems required the lighthouse to be rebuilt in 1892.

The foghorn, known locally as 'Moaning Minnie', was added in 1908. It caused many complaints in Douglas, and it was later moved around the head to reduce the upset it caused to local people.

The lighthouse became automated in 1986.

Recently, a new public footpath was constructed by the Commissioners from the top of Port Skillion down to the Lighthouse for the benefit and enjoyment of tourists and sightseers.

Ownership

After the establishment of the new lighthouse in 1857, jurisdiction transferred from the Commissioners of Douglas Harbour to the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouse. The lighthouse is still run to this day by the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouse, who also operate the Northern lighthouse on the Isle of Man.

Etymology

The modern completed lighthouse with foghorn c.1907 with courthouses

The name Douglas means 'Blackstream' (Dubh -black and Glais -stream. Some Manx people believe the name was derived from two rivers, the Dhoo and the Glass, the black and green streams of the Greu river.

Specifics of the light

The 12-metre (39 ft) high light has two double banked units of twelve lamps mounted facing in opposite directions, rotated by an AGA PRB21 Gearless Drive Unit operating at three revolutions-per-minute, thus giving a flash in any given direction every ten seconds.

Only eight out of the twelve lamps on each face are used in normal operation. They are rated at 30 volts 200 watts, but run at 25 volts 150 watts to provide increased service life. The other four lamps are 6 volts 28.5 watts and are used only as emergency lamps. Such emergencies may be loss of mains electric power or, far less likely, the complete failure of the main lamp banks. The four lamps in each of the two main banks are connected in series, which gives each unit the same intensity; however, if one lamp fails, all four in that bank go out. The four emergency lamps on each face are also connected in series in sets of two. Power is provided by emergency batteries. The emergency light is a 200 millimetres (8 in) lantern mounted on the balcony rail.

Monitoring and general conditioning

Fully automated since 1986, the light is monitored by the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners at their Northern Lighthouse Board Monitoring Centre. Initially after automatation an attendant from the Northern Board would visit the lighthouse on a fortnightly basis to test system procedures and the general physical condition of the building.

However, since September 2004, the Retained Lighthouse Keeper of the Isle of Man has replaced the attendant and visits now on a monthly basis.

In addition, lighthouse technicians visit the Douglas Head Light once or twice annually to modify and update the system equipment if necessary.

References and external links

v t e Lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board

Scotland (except principal island groups)	Ailsa Craig Ardnamurchan Bass rock Bell Rock Buchan Ness Cape Wrath Chanonry Corsewall Covesea Skerries Crammag Head Davaar Duncansby Head Dunnet Head Fidra Fife Ness Girdle Ness Holy Island (Outer) Inchkeith Isle of May Kinnaird Head Mull of Galloway Mull of Kintyre North Rona Noss Head Pladda Rattray Head Rubh Re St Abbs Head Sanda Scurdie Ness Stoer Head Strathy Point Stroma Sule Skerry Tarbat Ness Turnberry Minor lights

The Hebrides	Barra Head Butt of Lewis Dubh Artach Eilean Glas Flannan Islands Haskeir Hyskeir Lismore Monach Neist Point Ornsay Rinns of Islay Rona Ruvaal Scarinish Skerryvore Tiumpan Head Ushenish Minor lights

Orkney	Auskerry Brough of Birsay Cantick Head Copinsay Hoy Sound (High) Hoy Sound (Low) North Ronaldsay Noup Head Pentland Skerries Start Point Tor Ness Minor lights

Shetland	Bressay Eshaness Fair Isle North Fair Isle South Firths Voe Foula Hoo Stack Lighthouse Muckle Flugga Out Skerries Point of Fethaland Sumburgh Head Ve Skerries Minor lights

Isle of Man	Chicken Rock Douglas Head Langness (minor light) Maughold Head Point of Ayre Thousla Rock (minor light)

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