Sad ends of lightships

Sad ends
for lightships

If you know more lightships or other information, that should be added to this list,
we would be grateful for each e-mail.

Great Britain - LV 38 "Gull"

After decommission the Thurrock Yacht Club used the lightship as club ship. 1962 sale of the lightship, which meanwhile was not in good condition any more, because the outside copper skin became detached and vandals had been destroying the ship. However, it was reclaimed later from the Yacht Club as payment for berthing charge debts. 1982 sold again. 2002 fire on this unique wooden lightship. Today it is moored beside the river Thames near Grays, West Thurrock and left to rott...

Great Britain - LV 44

This is the wooden LV no. 44, which is languishing in Tyler Country Park in the Vange Bay near Pitsea in Essex today. 1869 built by C. Hill & Sons in Bristol it was mainly stationed off the Caernarvon Bay, later many years on the Newarp station. It is 32 m long, 6,60 m wide, fire height 11,90 m over the waterline. In 1945, Trinity House desommissioned the lighthsip and sold it to the Erith Yacht Club. Later it had been sold to the Pitsea Yacht Club. Well, and this is the present-day resting place...

Great Britain - LV 72

After decommission the lightship had been sold to the Steel Supply Co., who actually wanted to scrap the ship. Later there was the idea to use it as a night club - but plans failed. Originally powered by oil, the light later was electrified. However only the light, not the rotatory mechanics. Therefore, this lightship is a unique example to be powered with oil and electricity. Today it is moored in the Neath Abbey Wharf and left to itself. Unfortunately the hull is in very bad condition and absorbs water with every flood. Is there nobody who would like to look after this ship?

Danmark - Fyrskib nr. XII

This discarded lightship in Copenhagen was finally used as residential ship. After a neighbourhood dispute, during which the power supply of the ship had been cut, the ship sunk. The wreck was been towed to a wharf then. Today the water stands up to the head deck of the ship and they are looking for the rightful owner, who has to pay for the debts (recovery, berth and scrapping). This is so sad...

USA - LV 79 / WAL 506 Barnegat Lightship

Built in 1904 and served at Barnegat Station from 1927 - 1942 and from 1945 – 1967. This lightship is endangered and even if it is a National Historic Landmark it is sitting in the mud at a private location in Camden, NJ. Pumps run during high tides to keep water out and its hull is fragile. The lightship is intact and has all its equipment. Its future is uncertain.

USA - Lightship NEW BEDFORD LV 114 / WAL 536

This photo shows the end of the NEW BEDFORD Lightship. The ship was built in 1930 and mainly used as POLLOCK RIP Lightship. After decommission it was given to the city of New Bedford in 1975, who did not care for the ship and sold it in June 2007 for 10,000 US Dollars for scrap, after 20 artifacts had been removed. The photo shows the lightship at a scrapyard in Bew Bedford on June 30th, 2007.

Great Britain - LV 38 "Gull" After decommission the Thurrock Yacht Club used the lightship as club ship. 1962 sale of the lightship, which meanwhile was not in good condition any more, because the outside copper skin became detached and vandals had been destroying the ship. However, it was reclaimed later from the Yacht Club as payment for berthing charge debts. 1982 sold again. 2002 fire on this unique wooden lightship. Today it is moored beside the river Thames near Grays, West Thurrock and left to rott...
Great Britain - LV 44 This is the wooden LV no. 44, which is languishing in Tyler Country Park in the Vange Bay near Pitsea in Essex today. 1869 built by C. Hill & Sons in Bristol it was mainly stationed off the Caernarvon Bay, later many years on the Newarp station. It is 32 m long, 6,60 m wide, fire height 11,90 m over the waterline. In 1945, Trinity House desommissioned the lighthsip and sold it to the Erith Yacht Club. Later it had been sold to the Pitsea Yacht Club. Well, and this is the present-day resting place...
Great Britain - LV 72 After decommission the lightship had been sold to the Steel Supply Co., who actually wanted to scrap the ship. Later there was the idea to use it as a night club - but plans failed. Originally powered by oil, the light later was electrified. However only the light, not the rotatory mechanics. Therefore, this lightship is a unique example to be powered with oil and electricity. Today it is moored in the Neath Abbey Wharf and left to itself. Unfortunately the hull is in very bad condition and absorbs water with every flood. Is there nobody who would like to look after this ship?
Danmark - Fyrskib nr. XII This discarded lightship in Copenhagen was finally used as residential ship. After a neighbourhood dispute, during which the power supply of the ship had been cut, the ship sunk. The wreck was been towed to a wharf then. Today the water stands up to the head deck of the ship and they are looking for the rightful owner, who has to pay for the debts (recovery, berth and scrapping). This is so sad...
USA - LV 79 / WAL 506 Barnegat Lightship Built in 1904 and served at Barnegat Station from 1927 - 1942 and from 1945 – 1967. This lightship is endangered and even if it is a National Historic Landmark it is sitting in the mud at a private location in Camden, NJ. Pumps run during high tides to keep water out and its hull is fragile. The lightship is intact and has all its equipment. Its future is uncertain.
USA - Lightship NEW BEDFORD LV 114 / WAL 536 This photo shows the end of the NEW BEDFORD Lightship. The ship was built in 1930 and mainly used as POLLOCK RIP Lightship. After decommission it was given to the city of New Bedford in 1975, who did not care for the ship and sold it in June 2007 for 10,000 US Dollars for scrap, after 20 artifacts had been removed. The photo shows the lightship at a scrapyard in Bew Bedford on June 30th, 2007.