Southwold, Suffolk - Lighthouse - art postcard by Thomas 2006

• Postcard

   

• Picture / Image:  Southwold Lighthouse, 2006 (detail) by Glynn Thomas
• Publisher: Orwell Press
• Postally used: no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s): n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes / condition: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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Southwold lighthouse is a lighthouse operated by Trinity House in the centre of Southwold in Suffolk, England. It stands on the North Sea coast, acting as a warning light for shipping passing along the east coast and as a guide for vessels navigating to Southwold harbour.

The lighthouse, which is a prominent local landmark, was commissioned in 1890, and was automated and electrified in 1938. It survived a fire in its original oil-fired lamp just six days after commissioning and today operates a 180-watt lamp. The main navigation lamp has a range of 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi).^[2]

Construction of the lighthouse began in 1887, led by Sir James Douglass, Engineer in Chief of Trinity House.^[2] A light was lit on a temporary structure in February 1889 and the lighthouse itself began operating on 3 September 1890.^[2] It replaced three lighthouses that had been condemned as a result of serious coastal erosion. The lantern itself was previously used at the Happisburgh low lighthouse but became available when the latter light was demolished.^[3]

The original light was powered by a six-wick Argand oil burner.^[4] Just six days after the light was commissioned there was a fire in the lighthouse with the burner being destroyed.^[5][6] The inexperience of the new lighthouse keepers was blamed for the fire.^[6] The burner was replaced with an oil-fired light in 1906 and a petroleum burner in 1923. The light was electrified and automated in 1938.^[2] It was converted to battery operation, with the batteries charged using mains electricity, in 2001.^[3]

The lighthouse, along with Lowestoft Lighthouse to the north, was threatened with closure by Trinity House in 2005, with shipping companies increasingly using satellite navigation systems rather than relying on lighthouses.^[7][8] Both lighthouses were reprieved in 2009 following a review by Trinity House that found that satellite navigation systems were not yet sufficiently reliable.^[9]

A 180-watt revolving MFR lamp^[10] manufactured by Mediterraneo Sanales Maritimas is in use as the main lamp^[11]. Prior to January 2016 a BLV Topspot 90 Volt Metal Halide 150-watt revolving lamp with a range of 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) provided the main light.^[2][4] This replaced three 90-watt Osram Halostar lights with a range of 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) in December 2012 in preparation for the closure of Orfordness Lighthouse in June 2013.^{[2][3][4][12][13][14][15]}

The current light characteristic is one white flash every 10 seconds (Fl(1).W.10s) visible between 204°–032.5°.^[4][16] The white light is used for general navigation. Red sectors, previously used to mark shoals to the north and offshore sandbanks at Sizewell to the south, were removed as part of the 2012 refit.^[2][4] The old lens and BLV Topspot lamp has been retained for use as an emergency backup.^[2]