Scottish Lighthouses To Be Refurbished
By Sue Clark on May 7, 2009 in News 
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Bell Rock Lighthouse To Be First
Fifteen, count them, fifteen, lighthouses in Scotland are slated to be repaired by the Northern Lighthouse Board in the next few years. And the first one to be getting a makeover will be the Bell Rock Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. The NLB is advertising for contractors, for the work is set to begin in August. But the repairs will be almost as dangerous as the actual building of the lighthouse. Urgent repairs include metalwork repairs, replacing the anti-bird netting around the lantern and building an extension to the entrance platform.
The other lighthouses on the priority list are Elie Ness, Fidra Island and Inchkeith in the Firth of Forth, Crammag Head at Drunmore and Corran Narrows on Loch Linnhe. Depending on how many are approved, the repairs will cost between £1 million and £5 million. The selected contractors will have varied work, covering everything from painting to the installation of solar panels.
According to a story on this at the Deadline Press, the call for bids on the NLB site stated, “The successful contractor(s) will be required to carry out multi-disciplined works and will need to be able to cover all trades in accordance with accepted industry standards. The works will include the following, but not limited to: concrete works, installation of solar array frameworks, install new GRP battery room, install new aluminium floor and to repaint cast iron lightroom.”
Building on Bell Rock
Lying eleven miles out from Arbroath, the pile of rocks was the cause of at least 70 shipwrecks. At least twice a day, the rocks are buried beneath sixteen feet of sea and invisible. The task fell to Robert Stevenson, a young engineer, who began the monumental work in 1799. It took several years to do the actual building (1807 - 1811), as the rock was only exposed for two hours a day. The lighthouse claimed two lives during its construction; and one near-disaster when many lives could have been lost. One young seaman on board the work boat was also drowned.
The tower was lit in February, 1811 and stands 115 feet 10 inches tot he very top. There were a total of 2835 stones used in the construction. An absolutely great site for detailed construction history, facts about the famous Stevenson family, stories of the lightkeepers and more is found at Bellrock.Org.Uk. I highly recommend looking through that site for some wonderful information on this amazing feat of engineering and the famous Stevensons. Check the Miscellaneous link for some fascinating stuff. 
Photo Credit: Bell Rock Lighthouse by Diamonds190.
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4 Comment(s)
By Peter J Hill on Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
I am catching up with old news and reading through the stories. I have local knowledge and experience so forgive me if I make one or two corrections or relate some facts that may be interesting to the readers. Crammag Head is a minor light and is about 3 miles up a single track road from the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse and five miles from Drummore;Scotlands southernmost village. The Inchcape or Bell Rock was surveyed in 1799 by Robert Stevenson, at the time Lighthouses were in their infancy and to build a structure on Inchape would have been a daunting undertaking even for the likes of Thomas Telford, Smeaton who designed and built the first Eddystone stone structure; provided what could be descibed as the Blueprint but it was the ingenuity and persevereance of Stevenson who at the tender age of twenty seven first surveyed the reef and had the vision for its construction. Britain was at war with France and resources both in funds and men were finite so construction did not begin untill 1807,when the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses had collected and secured the revenue for such an undertakeing. It was not surprising therefor that the original budget was exeeded during the construction. The loss of so few men in the venture was testament not only to their courage but to the leadership of Robert Stevenson who had a constant battle not only with the elements but also with the pressgangs so eager to snatch up his workforce.
By Terri Curtis on Dec 8, 2009 | Reply
We are planning a trip to Arbroath. I am fascinated by Bell Rock Lighthouse. Do you know if there is any way to tour the lighthouse?
By Janet Russell on Sep 22, 2010 | Reply
Year of the Light 2011
Arbroath is celebrating the Bicentenary of the Bell Rock Lighthouse 1811-2011 with a series of events throughout 2011. Please visit our web site www.angus.ahead.com/bellrocklighthouse to find out more.
By Janet Russell on Sep 22, 2010 | Reply
www.angusahead.com/bellrocklighthouse