Abertay Light Vessel: Abertay Sands, Outer Tay Estuary, North Sea

NO52NE 8018 5778 2958

N56 27.4 W2 41.1

NLO: Abertay Sands [name: NO 53 28]

St Andrews [name: NO 515 166]

St Andrews Bay [name centred NO 52 18].

This steel engineless lightship was built at the Caledon Shipyard, Dundee, and put on station in July 1939. She was requisitioned in May 1945 and repositioned to mark the end of an offshore swept channel ('Gap A') , but was repositioned in the Tay in early 1946. In 1971 she became the first lightship in Europe to be automated, being retermed a 'light float' and painted black (instead of red) in consequence. She was replaced by a high focal plane buoy in 1984, and towed to Harwich to serve as a test rig for Trinity House automation. She was scrapped in spring 1992.

(Contains extended account of wooden predecessor, in service 1877-1939).

B MacAlinden 1998.

The location assigned to this record is derived from the current chart and the List of Lights. The light vessel was positioned to mark the outer limit of the lengthy and dangerous channel into Dundee, between the extensive Abertay and Gaa Sands. The vessel was taken out of service in the mid-1970's and replaced by a light-float; she is believed to be in preservation at Dundee Harbour.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 31 January 2005.

Admiralty List of Lights 1980; HO chart no. 1481 (1994).

This record has been entered exceptionally to provide a reference for archive material.

Information from RCAHMS (KD/RJCM), 31 January 2005.

Some of the information entered above (by RJCM) is incorrect. The light vessel preserved at Dundee is the North Carr, not the Abertay.

Information from Mr S Liscoe (Archaeological Unit, Fife Council), 1 February 2005.