lizard Lighthouse, "Sounding" for fog. 1997
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- This was my boss at the Lizard Lighthouse, Fred Rosewall, Principal Keeper. This is, the so called short cut version, for "Sounding" for fog. It relies on a certain amount of air already in the holding tanks. Otherwise, it takes a bit longer to get up to the required pressure.
(Gardner LW4 engines, Reavell Compressors)
Having just taken a tour of the Lizard Lighthouse I'm so glad to have found this video! Wish the horns could still be heard instead of the dull loudspeaker signal. Really interesting to see how the main plant room looked whilst operational!
Hi Matt, Thank you and glad you found the video. There will be a more fuller video of the Lizard coming up, but that is earmarked as the last video, as I was made redundant from there. Take care
I had an uncle that sounded like that in the morning.
Ha Ha, I feel your pain!
When you pop the clutch on a civic and floor the gas
Wow, all that machinery just to blow a horn. Amazing!
One day in the not too distant future, people will be saying similar about today's technology. Take care, stay safe.
@@PeterHalil I agree
@@PeterHalil Sadly, the fog signals here (Nova Scotia, Canada) are being dismantled, no longer necessary. The GPS has/will take the place of many lighthouses also.
@@dontmissthelittlethings Hi Kylie, It's getting like that here too. Many fog horns downgraded and getting rid of when they can. Technology marches on, I guess, sad. Take care and stay safe.
@@PeterHalil Take care and stay safe aswell.
Growing up in Falmouth I visited the Lizard numerous times, but I will never forget my first visit aged 3 or 4 in the late 70s. The foghorn was going and I was so scared by it I wouldn’t get out of the car! The sound of St Anthony’s in the distance from my bed in Falmouth was never going to live up to the Lizard. Great videos.
Thank you Tim for your memories, much appreciated. I remember how very apprehensive I was as a brand new Keeper having to start one of those beasties! Hand written notes and praying that I didn't mess up! Thanks again, stay safe.
It's a fog siren not a horn
This is an amazingly accurate animation of what my guts do after 8 pints of St Austell Brewery's Tribute on a Friday night/Shaterday morning! Start things rumbling - check. Open some valves - check. Build up pressure - check. Expel some compressed gas as loudly as possible in order to warn others to maintain a safe distance - oh yes!
Stayed at a house many times a short way across the bay to the left of the Lizard Light house back in the 90's, heard this foghorn sound many times, even stood on the path in front of the horns once :) You could hear the engines running back then. Sad to say a lot of this has been removed now and its just a visitor centre, no working exhibits and much of the horn mechanics have been damaged by 'little fingers" etc. The Gardner engines were lovely but there is only one left i believe and that is a static display. They could have done so much more with this station's wonderful engine room. Great video.
Thanks for that, the nature of the beast nowadays when some people don't have the preservation bug, take care.
@Simon Frampton This was "The Crag" - lovely house ;)
I've always loved that sound, the horn at the Lizard has a soul of its own. Thanks for sharing some of the starting up process and the resulting beauty; my heart needed this today!
Cheers Daniel, I hear you, me too! Glad you liked it, stay safe.
This is a siren
@@jezcolborne6329 It pushes sound through a horn, hence why I called it a horn.
@@danielthompson6207 but the siren is the apparatus that makes the sound that goes through the horn not the horn itself
@@jezcolborne6329 I'm well aware of that, but the siren would sound different without the horn and it's that enhancement which we who've heard it remember.
Remember back in the 80's parking the car up in the car park above the old lifeboat station when the fog horn would go off, the whole car would vibrate. Also on a quite/peaceful night you could hear it sounding off, from the top of Shute hill in Helston..
Thanks for your memories Conway, yes the old beast was something special, cheers and stay safe.
The amount of machinery behind that audible blast is amazing!!
Great video Pete, I served for 27 years but never got to the Lizard.
Thank you for your service
It was a fondly remembered part of my childhood hearing the various foghorns dotted up and down the north east coast of England. My local light/horn was Blyth. I remember seeing the light and hearing the horn while stood up in my cot as it was just under the bedroom window. (yes, I was very young!)
I grew up around big mechanical engines and the noise, vibration, comfort of this is beautiful, I am from Dorset
I made paint for 30 years plus
Starting my machinery in correct order
At the correct speed
And bringing other pumps Is very similar
I had no equipment less than 40 year old
Great stuff
Thanks
You would have been at home on a lighthouse then, as before they made us redundant and started to renew almost everything, it was all very old stuff/machinery indeed. stay safe,cheers Andy.
It's now a museum! I went with the kids this summer. Brill place!
Glad to hear that, that was my last Lighthouse.
@@PeterHalil Do do wish though we could have heard the original fog horns.
Memories of my childhood. I was devastated when they replaced it with that crappy hooter.
Me too, loved it, well most of the time when it didn't go on for days! Ha, take care Lucinda and thank you
Awesome to see all this working; thanks for saving and sharing this. It definitely didn't sound like I was expecting!
Thank you for your comments, yes it was a beautiful intricate piece of machinery that was a joy to learn how to operate. Cheers and stay safe
A really interesting video, I love the sound of a proper diaphone foghorn and the Gardners were running very nicely too. Your gaffer looks like he's about to head out for an afternoon on the golf course with his Farah slacks!
Thank you, Fred may appreciate that LOL
These are sirens not diaphone
That was amazing! I’ve never seen that before. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much, glad you liked it. Cheers and stay safe.
It is quite clearly the eldritch sound of Cthulu rising from the waves.
Awesome.. Huge respect to those gentlemen who takes all the risk and hardships to keep all those sailors safe. Thanks Peter
Thank you, much appreciated, take care.
I must have watched this over a hundred times 😆 and I still love it all that wonderful machinery 😍
Cheers David, yes a wonderful noisy bit of magic.
Wow imagine doing this to warn the city of a tornado...peoples done kicked the bucket by the time the siren went off.
It was murder on a day of patchy fog, do I start up or don't I, plus once you were sounding, the moment you turned it off, it was back again.stay safe.
@@PeterHalil So ,how much time it is needed from starting the engines till sounding the horn ?.20-minutes ?.
@@TheSRBgamer63 Sounds about right, that's why we kept a certain amount of air in the tanks ready so we could blast off as quick as possible. You can see why sometimes with that in and out fog you could get it wound up ready to blast and suddenly it's clear, frustrating LOl
That moment you jump and end up with half of tonights curry in your lap. Well worth the clean up operation. However note to self don't wear headphones next time!
Oops!, there are a few more with fog horns blaring, so be careful! LOl;
@@PeterHalil I personally look forward to it Peter i'll just leave the curry and beer in a safer location next time lol
I believe I just shat me self when I heard this.
Yes it has that effect at times.
That foghorn sounded perfect for ships if it too close to shore.
As I write this I'm sat in the Wireless Cottages just over from the Lizard light, which is sounding the modern clean tone. I'm not sure if I'd rather hear the older tones as foghorns always used to - and still do - terrify me. But thank you so much for this video, so interesting!
Thank you Jason, Yes, I bet a lot of people around there that run guest houses/hotels haven't missed the loud old fog siren! The Lizard was my last Lighthouse before they made me redundant, I really enjoyed my time down there. Cheers and stay safe
Very good. Thank you for posting.
No Health and Safety in 1977....no Ear Protecters on. Or else the Lighthouse Keeper was Deaf after those Horns going off.
Actually there was, this was probably my fault for filming Fred without his or my ear defenders on, for better visuals. Also this was filmed in the latter 1990's, cheers, stay safe.
I remember as a kid being on holiday on the Lizard and hearing the fog signal. It remains one of the most captivatingly spooky things I've ever heard. Having returned to the Lizard 27 years later, I was quite disappointed to hear the modern electric signal (although the echo from it was quite impressive). I'd love to see some more footage of the old signal on a foggy day.
Thanks for your memories, nice to hear. As regards more footage of the Lizard fog horn, as that was my last Lighthouse, it might be the end of this year or into next year when that one gets posted. Take care .
@@PeterHalil Thanks Peter, I will look forward to it.
@@PeterHalil that is a classic fog siren.. people should know a horn is the same as a diaphone or an air horn but this dousnt sound anywhere close to a horn as this ramps up just like a steam siren because it was a big old dual tone steam siren but runs on air now.
@@jezcolborne6329 are the differences really that important? Heck, I’d give almost anything to visit Scotland and hear this, horn vs. siren notwithstanding.
@@datsnuffydude5460 the thing is there is a difference. A fog horn is a horn like a diaphone is a horn. The fog SIREN has horns or a horn to let the sound get louder for it to travel over the sea. I get confused when people say fog horn for all lighthouses. It is not so. A fog siren works by compressed air like a horn but it has a rotor stator. Air is pushed by a turbine that turnes the rotor of the siren. Then air is forced into the rotor stator then the chopped air makes sound which is then focused into a big HORN or HORNS. the Scottish fog sirens only sound when the rotor is at the right speed but other sirens sound like whoop sirens like Nash point douse that help?
Glad you keep up this equipment. It's fascinating
I'm not sure if it is all still there and working as it was changed into a visitor station, so some of those engines may have been removed.
@@PeterHalil I believe the engines are still there. I heard from a friend of mine that this old foghorn still works but they only sound it for important events.
@@TheKilroyman Thanks for that info, good to know, take care.
@@PeterHalil Pleasure. There's another one at Pendeen. It's equipment is still in place but they are reluctant to operate it out of fear of the vibrations from the horn might shake the cliff loose. It's a pity because I've always wanted to hear what it sounded like. There's no recordings of it on UA-cam.
@@TheKilroyman Ha Ha, I videoed Pendeen, and was there when they were sounding for fog, but haven't edited that one yet, but it is coming, so there will be a recording of it on you tube. During the last couple of years as a Keeper, there was a civilian going round the lights doing proper sound recordings of the fog horns but have no idea what became of them. Cheers.
Omg, this horn has Covid!
Dont look too good
It's got enough pressure to spread it though.....sounds more like the light footed men around here when they fart
It ain't no horn it's a SIREN
Awesome machine for this foghorn.
It sure was Janne, but that engine room is changed forever now.
I heard this one once after the new refit. Possibly one of the more louder and intense horns.
Old fashioned Warthog's BRRRRRT
I love the sound & also the echo
Yes it was a rather lovely sound that has also been automated into a little electric peep.
The echo... Awesome.
I thought it only need on/off switch to play that giant trombone, but I was wrong 😳
LOL, I wish, it took forever, and just when you got to the end, the fog vanished!
I am staying in the lizard right now and going bloody mental because I can't sleep because of the foghorn :((((
It's 3am and it's so loud
Oh Dear, I guess that is not with the big beastie in the video? I remember that the Lizard gets plenty of fog that goes on and on, good luck, I feel your pain.
Interesting video. And I would upgrade it to be managed from iPhone!
It was old technology that did the job, but they were upgraded to push button electric on most stations, but I think now, they are even obsolete.stay safe
I love that oldfashioned equipment.
Frans that's no way to speak about my boss! LOl, No seriously, I love it too. Have a safe and Merry Christmas.
@@PeterHalil The same to you! And a very happy newyear. Let's hope 2021 is a better year than 2020, no more corona.
So much machinery and wheels and that much timid horn
Hoping their is a check list with each adjustment spot labeled.
Good old engines and compressors and whatever. Lasts forever!
Not sure if it's still there or not as an exhibit, perhaps someone out there can enlighten us? Cheers
majestic fart 😂
i was working there for some 10 years
Cheers Eddie, hope you are staying safe.
I don't think your average person realises, what the keepers job entailed. On these videos, you see how much machinery and mechanical installations plus upkeep went on in the job.
Hi Paul, Yes, lots of old machinery. Some of it was really ancient, but all of it was covered in TLC. Cheers, stay safe
@Peter Halil I understand the need for 3 keepers now. Was wondering why ! always had an interest in such a unique profession, but this catalogue has evoked a real deep fascination. So thanks once again Peter.
@@paulwilliams2663 You are welcome Paul. Cheers Mate.
How long have we been on this rock?... Five weeks? Two days? Help me to recollect!
?🤔
@@PeterHalil The Lighthouse 2019 👍
@@nicholasmathis5197 Oh, I haven't seen that film yet, must get it on dvd and give it a whirl, cheers.
The horns look like 1920's speaker horns. I have one set up in my living room, speaker that is.
Is that a cow 🐄?
This man just summoned cthulhu
The process my body goes through after having eaten a taco truck burrito with everything!
Glad it's not complicated,surely they could just do a on \off switch 😬
HaHa, yes, lot's of Lighthouse machinery was from the 40's, and it took a very long time before we just had an on/off switch, and now, I think they have got rid of most (if not all) fog horns.
the engineering is insane
Yes indeed, technology has leapt ahead now though, but I hope they preserve machinery like this somewhere, stay safe
@@PeterHalil Absolutely!! it just baffles me they were able to do this during their time.
Brilliant 😁👍👏👏👏
Cheers David, hope you are well, stay safe.👌
And for bullies special prize....
Sounds like a MotoGP bike
Holy Shit!!!!!! that was wild!!!!!!!
Yes it most certainly was, cheers.
I remember that thing when I worked on the Lizard NNR in the early 1990s. It sounded like a giant chainsaw. Is it still all there, I wonder?
Hi, I believe the engine room is changed somewhat as a visitor centre, but I've been told that the fog horn is still there as an exhibit, unless somebody else knows different?
@@PeterHalil it is and I do believe it is still sounded sometimes for official ceremonies
That is one smooth sounding engine, a beautiful diesel purr. Is it air start? If it is, does the air come from a separate starter tank or from the horn's holding tank?
No the engines weren't air started but there was a bit of a museum in this engine room with an older big flywheel engine that would have been.
It will be seen in a future video release, but only as a static display, cheers and take care.
@@PeterHalil Cool sounds really interesting, the big flywheel machine, what's the secret to getting the Gardner to fire up so fast - I thought it was air-started as she came to life practically instantly (new battery?). Do lighthouses (in general) still have diesel power or are they dying out? I still favour diesel for standalone power as they are self-contained with their own day tanks and don't rely on potentially vulnerable cables to turn electric motors (this is from a fire pump perspective rather than foghorns - I know it sounds counterproductive to have diesel power in a fire but the self-contained nature isn't something you can get even with MICC cables supplying electric pumps).
@@daveyr5462 The engines and batteries etc were just well maintained and given plenty of TLC. When they automated the lighthouses they updated the engines to new diesels, but I think a lot have gone over to solar and LED lights, not too sure now as I've been away from it for so long, and we don't get updated on what is happening out on the lighthouses nowadays, cheers.
Just found this you might be interested in, the Lizard is featured at about 8.16
ua-cam.com/video/pzFiRsJQvqc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MrAgm65
@@PeterHalil Thanks that's a super link, a real gem to find. It's amazing to see how reliable and the attention to detail that each engine got at Gardner and how they are indestructable. I wish modern engines diesel especially (looking at you Peugeot!!) were just as reliable - and irony of ironies my 25 year old BMW is actually the most reliable car I've ever had, except for a few dodgy electric window motors that took about 6 hours to replace it's been fine.
Somebody call the RSPCA I can hear an animal in pain.
Ha Ha!
Sounds like it has a cold like my cat
What a palaver is involved in generating an amplified fart, switching it on then off Again!
Nice one mate keep it up mate don 👌👌👌👌🤠🇬🇧
Cheers mate.
Wow. It takes a lot.
It certainly did, it was very old technology that did the job, so didn't get updated as quickly as anything else, very intimidating till you got used to it all, stay safe.
Awesome
I don't think that I can remember everything to do that now!
Still Amazing that you did.
Hi Peter,
2 questions if you don’t mind
Is the Lizard lantern the one featured at the start of all your videos?
And do you have a full in-depth video of the Lizard lighthouse as you do with many others?
TIA
Yes to both of those questions. The Lizard was my last Lighthouse, and I'm trying to save that as my last lighthouse video to be posted. I've been negotiating with Trinity House to enable me to do video visits to the few Lighthouses that I missed before I was made redundant. I will be visiting 2 in the next few days but not sure if they will let me visit Beachy Head, as so far they have refused that one, but I will keep trying, cheers.
I think you need to turn some more valves and Crap. Didn't look like there were enough.
LOL
Quite a complicated process.
It certainly was, but must admit that there was something quite satisfying to it all rather than pressing one button on the then new electric fog horns.
Such a shame all these great horns have gone, i was at Lands End over Christmas, it was thick fog, i could hear Longships bleeping away out to sea.
The horn has gone, its been replaced by a god awful electronic signal,
I was very disappointed by this
Thank you for your comments, I too miss the iconic Lighthouse fog horns, they have probably all gone now, stay safe
@@PeterHalil
Judging by the noise I heard at Longships they've been replaced by electronic signals, the one at Longships sounded like a loud bleep similar to an alarm clock ⏰
A great shame I reckon...nevertheless thanks for your content, Ive thoroughly enjoyed watching your videos over Christmas..good day sir 👍
Isn't this the same engine room Robbie Coltrane helped overhaul one of the gardner engines for his TV series about engines circa 1997
Yes it is, you can still find it on youtube, I was serving there at the time.ua-cam.com/video/pzFiRsJQvqc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MrAgm65
the Lizard is at 8:12
Oh wow I knew I'd seen the engine room before. Great series of videos peter I've really enjoyed them
Audibility is 10 to 50 miles i'm sure and it might reach 145+ db at 1 meter.
I t was kind of loud! yes, Happy New Year
@@PeterHalilHappy new year to you too 😉
How long did you serve at Lizard for?
From January 1996 till made redundant November 1997, cheers
Que maquinaria es una obra de arte antigua y que sonido
Thank you Matilde, it most certainly was. Stay safe
Where's The Motorcycle
Oh, excuse me, how rude of me
Reminds me of Pendeen
But where's the fog, Pete?
When I get around to do the full video of the Lizard Lighthouse, I promise, there will be lots of fog Lol
@@PeterHalil Hey, it's nice to read your reply! That horn would sound even more exhilarating if there's some foggy visual/s accompanying. Thanks anyways, brother.
Why so many handles? Even Titanics steam engine hasn't so many.
Hi Makc, It was very old machinery I guess and I bet it was state of the art when it first arrived, cheers, stay safe.
What a great sound
Yes it certainly was, Thanks and take care.
Probably all replaced by computers now.
Thank you and yes it is all computerised and run/looked after from Harwich, Essex. Stay safe.
I was 1 of the last people to hear this
Thanks for that, tell us more. Cheers
Put some acidity tablets in it
Just put a wasp in the bottom of the horn
You know spongebob wakeup alarm clock
LOL
@@PeterHalil This thing is beutiful. Please keep it alive forever for our next generation. I salute you sir.
@@mkai8978 Cheers Mate, I'm not sure if they have kept this beastie alive or replaced it, but as the Lizard is now a Heritage Centre, I really hope they kept it, stay safe, thanks.
What happened when the diesel engine didn't start? Was there a spare engine?🤔
There were spare engines Sven, so no problem.
Sounds like a ciws phalanx
Not sure what one of those are LOL
Its a lot of faffing about just to blow the horn
It certainly was old technology, but I bet if you make a video of the tech stuff you use now and are proud of, smart phone, tablet etc, then put it on you tube in 25/30 years? LOL
Bit long winded😂😂😂😂😂
Yep, and nowadays if they have a fog horn at all, it will be electric and have a detector that turns it on and off.
Fog Horn or CWIS?
La purga. Toque de queda octubre 2020 españa
How loud is it
PARDON!....sorry LOL, very loud.
Sounds like a cow in heat.
Viva Chihuahua México
Hello Mexico
👍👍👍
Cheers Phil, stay safe.
Crankinator
Lol
It's a siracow SIREN
👨💻mark rober's video this Huge horn they built ua-cam.com/video/pFEB0chiuJA/v-deo.html 🚀👩🚀👍
That was interesting, cheers mate.
What?
lol
i bet title IX ruined this profession as well