Lighthouse fog horns are any still in use?

Question

Are any of the fog horns in the UK lighthouses still in use thats the old air operated ones and dose anyone have sound recordings from them

Answer 1

I LIVE ON THE COAST IN NORFOLK AND WE HAVE ONE HERE....ALSO WHEN WE LIVED IN BRIDLINGTON THERE WAS ONE THAT SOUNDED WHEN THICK FOG ROLLED IN

Answer 2

Because of modern navigational aids, the number of operational lighthouses has declined to less than 1,500 worldwide.
In the beginning of the 20th century Swedish inventor Gustav Dahlén invented the AGA Lighthouse which effectively made lighthouse keepers obsolete. However, for many years lighthouses still had keepers, partly because lighthouse keepers could serve as a rescue service if necessary. Improvements in maritime navigation and safety such as GPS have led to the phasing out of non-automated lighthouses, with the last keepers removed in the 1990s.
Today there are a few keeper-run lighthouses left in existence; the vast majority have been fully automated.
Often in inaccessible locations, modern lighthouses are much more functional and less picturesque buildings; usually they are solar-powered and have a single Flashing light which does not rotate sitting on a steel skeleton tower.

Ships and lighthouses warn of their presence in foggy conditions. Until the end of the Nineteenth century this was done variety of means, including gunfire, explosions, bells and steam whistles. However these were gradually replaced by foghorns invented in the 1850s. The replacement was slow in some cases, for example the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse had an explosive fog signal installed as late as 1883 which electrically detonated a small charge of guncotton every five minutes.

The first automated steam-powered fog horn was invented by Robert Foulis of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The first model was installed on Partridge Island in 1859, replacing the less effective bell and cannon which had been formerly used as warnings to ships in fog.

The noise produced by a foghorn is very deep, due to the fact that deep sounds are audible to human ears at a greater distance than higher pitched ones. It is also very loud so ships a considerable distance away can heed its warning. Legend suggests that Robert Foulis heard his daughter playing piano in the distance on a foggy night, he noticed the low notes were more audible than the higher notes.

Answer 3

I thought all the Lighthouse Authority fog horns were out of service now so I do not know what you have been hearing.

Answer 4

There is a progaramme on TV at the moment...think it's the Coast one, and foghorns were covered last week...and the answer was a resounding NO, foghorns on lighthouses are no longer in use in the UK...

There is a discussion about it here....
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?Number=1231723

Answer 5

Seems to me that you have been watching the BBC TV show coast. I saw that show and was also intrigued by the segment about fog horns..

Answer 6

Kinsale in county cork Ireland still uses fog horns. And you can go out on trips and see it

Answer 7

Just one left on the Mull of Kintyre

Answer 8

not in use these days. some do still exist. google sound archives and see what you get

Answer 9

No.
Try trinity house.

Answer 10

i remember going to flamborough head, sitting down, relaxing watching the mist in the distance getting loser and closer, it was so picturesque!

i looked around and laid back as the sun set, i was completely alone and i closed my eyes...

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was so loud!!! nearly had an heart attack!!!

hahahaha!!!!

yes, they still are in use


i only know of Flamborough though!!!