The History of Killantringan Lighthouse
The century opened with two new lights on the West Coast - Tiumpan Head near Stornoway and Killantringan in Wigtownshire. The Board of Trade sanction to build a lighthouse at Blackhead was granted in 1897. The engineer's report station a powerful fog signal was also necessary and the estimated cost for the lighthouse and buildings was £13,500.
The light was flashing, giving two flashes in quick succession every ½ minute. The fog signal gave 3 blasts, low, low, high is quick succession every 1½ minutes. The building contractor was John Adams & Co of Glasgow. The optical apparatus was made by Chance Brothers and the lantern, parapet and revolving machine were made by Messrs Dove & Co. The fog signal machinery which cost £2,790 was made by Campbell Gas Engine Co. The lighthouse named Killantringan came into operation on 1 October 1900 and the light at Portpartick was discontinued. The name Killantringan is derived from Ringan, or Ninian's Cill of Cell.
It was not to be long before this light proved its worth. On 26 November 1900, the Principal Lightkeeper noticed a fishing boat in distress and fired a rocket to summon the lifeboat from Portpatrick, which took the crew off and towed the boat into the harbour.
There have been many incidents since then; the most recent being 26 February 1982 when the 800 ton container ship "Craigantlet" bound from Belfast to Liverpool ran aground on the rocks in Port-a-Maggie Bay, just below the lighthouse. The Principal Lightkeeper was the first person to raise the alarm. The crew was airlifted to safety by a Sea King from 819 Squadron at HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Because of the nature of her cargo, several containers were marked with hazard code numbers as they contained dangerous chemicals. Due to the danger of breaking up and spillage, the area was considered unsafe. An emergency unmanned light was in use during the 6½ weeks.
Some trouble was recently experienced with the roller bearing system and a new system of light was installed at Killantringan - a gearless pedestal with sealed beam lamp arrays.
The gearless pedestal used a low-voltage rotary mechanism which suited a wide range of power supplies, and the lamp units were light, which produced a good beam for a very low power input, and being sealed in a vacuum it did not deteriorate or tarnish. But the main advantage of the system was that it is almost fully automatic: the lightkeeper visited the lightroom hourly until 10pm, and then did not have to go near it until extinguishing time next morning, unless summoned by the alarm bell. The lamps are mass produced and so economical, and the apparatus convenient to install and maintain; and the cleaning of the lighthouse is much easier, with no lenses to polish and no machinery to oil.
The sealed beam lamp arrays look rather like rows of car headlights.
The Fog signal was discontinued in 1987 and the station automated in 1988. The Light was automated in 1988.
Light Established
1900
Engineers
David A Stevenson
Position
Latitude 54° 51.7’N
Longitude 05° 08.7’W
Character
Flashing (2) White every 15 secs
Elevation
49 metres
Candlepower
480,000
Nominal Range
25 miles
Structure
White tower, 22 metres high. There are 63 steps to top of tower.
The above information was provided by, and is copyright of, the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Web Site: www.nlb.org.uk
Other Local Lighthouses
The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
(approximately 25 miles from Killantringan)
The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
© Northern Lighthouse Board.
Gulls, gales and grandeur of cliff and sea that is unsurpassed - this is the Mull of Galloway. It's as far South as you can go in Scotland, without falling off the 260ft cliffs.
The lighthouse at first showed "intermittent" or "occulting" lights, where two opaque cylindrical shades were moved up or down so as to meet and obscure the light at fixed intervals, with periods of darkness longer than those of light. The cost of this lighthouse was between £8,000 and £9,000. The building part of the work was done by contract, and the engineer fitted up the lightroom, getting some of the articles by contract and others made under his own supervision. The contractor responsible for the building was Brebner and Scott of Edinburgh.
Several changes have taken place at Mull of Galloway since 1828. At one time the lamp was a combination of shining brass and sparking crystal, turning through its two and three quarter minute revolution on beautifully made rollers - so perfect that the 5 ton of lens could be moved by hand. The lamp was as simple as the familiar tilly, lit by hand with paraffin and then pumped up, for all the world like a camp-cooking stove. But there the resemblance ended for the surrounding prisms, which gave off myriad rainbows on a sunny day, caught the light and magnified it to the power of 29,000 candles.
In 1971 Mull of Galloway was converted to electric. It is a sealed-beam light, mounted on gearless revolving pedestal, which uses a low-voltage rotary mechanism which suits a wide range of power supplies. The lamp units are light, produce a good beam for a very low power input and being sealed in a vacuum these do not deteriorate or tarnish, but the main advantage of this system is that it is almost fully automatic. The lightkeeper visited the lightroom hourly until 10pm and then did not have to go near it until extinguishing time the next morning, unless summoned by the alarm bell. The lamps are mass produced and so economical and the apparatus is convenient to install and maintain. The cleaning of the lighthouse is much easier, with no lenses to polish and no machinery to oil.
During the Second World War on 8 June 1944 at 7.30pm a Beaufighter aircraft crashed into the lighthouse stores building. It was foggy at the time, and two men were killed as part of the roof of the store was blown off.
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse was demanned in 1988 and is now remotely monitored from 84 George Street, Edinburgh.
The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse is open to the public in the summer.
The above information and photograph was provided by, and is copyright of, the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Read more about the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse on the Northern Lighthouse Board web site:
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
Corsewall Lighthouse
(approx. 15 miles from Killantringan)
© Photograph - Northern Lighthouse Board.
Corsewall Lighthouse is situated on the northern tip of the Rhins of Galloway.
One definition of the name Corsewall is the place of the Cross. Another is the Well of the Cross, probably from the original name Corsewall. There are many cross names, Kross in Iceland, Corse and Cross is Orkney and similar names in Shetland.
As far back as 1814 a Mr Kirkman Finley made an application to the Trade of Clyde for a light on Corsill Point. The Northern Lighthouse Board Engineer investigated the possibility, and in 1815 decided that a light at the entrance of Lochryan in Galloway and also one on Point of Ayre is the Isle of Man, would be the most beneficial improvement that could be made on the West coast. On Mr Stevenson's Inspection Voyage in December of that year he found that the building operations were going on with all expedition and the first stage of the tower (30ft in height) and a part of the dwelling house were being built.
Shortly after the light was first exhibited in 1817 the engineer reported that the Principal Keeper at Corsewall, having fallen asleep while on duty, whereby the revolving apparatus of the light had stopped for a certain period, had been suspended by him from the keeping of the said light and had been sent to the Bell Rock to act as Assistant.
In November 1970, Concorde flew over the lighthouse on a trial flight and quite a number of panes of glass were broken. Since then the Concorde has passed overhead frequently but no further damage had been observed.
Corsewall Lighthouse was automated in 1994 and is now remotely monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board’s offices in Edinburgh.
The above information was provided by, and is copyright of, the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Read more about Corsewall Lighthouse on the Northern Lighthouse Board web site:
Corsewall Lighthouse