2013
NZ4064 : Foghorns at Souter Lighthouse
taken 11 years ago, near to Whitburn, South Tyneside, England
Foghorns at Souter Lighthouse
When the lighthouse was first built, a single horn of a clay and iron pipe design, facing straight out to sea, was provided. This was replaced in 1873 by a pair of twin horns to the same design, angled to spread the noise up and down the coast. In turn these were superseded by twin Rayleigh trumpets in the 1920s, with the foghorn house remodelled at the seaward corners to accommodate them, then in 1953 these gave way to the present diaphone fog horns.
The horns produced a five-second blast every 30 seconds in poor weather up until 1988, when Souter Lighthouse was decommissioned by Trinity House.
The foghorns remain in working order and are sounded on special occasions throughout the year.
Image classification
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