Radio Foreland
A copy free feature of the National Trust open day 21st March 2010
Issue: 1 Updated: 27th August 2011
1. Trinity House Lighthouse emblem
Guarding the busy Dover Straits the South Foreland Lighthouse made a historic & significant contribution to radio broadcasting, read on to find out how ...
2. Brilliant walking country: St Margaret's-at-Cliffe pictured in May 2009 with its memorial obelisk to the Dover Patrol for its role in the protection of shipping during WW1
3. Below lies St Margaret's Bay where Noel Coward owned this house, leased to Ian Fleming creator of 'James Bond' pdf here who took his secret agent number 007 from the nearby Deal - London coach service
4. Frequent ferries cross the busy sea lanes of the English Channel, above P&O ferry 'The Pride of Dover' makes her approach to the port
5. The South Foreland Lighthouse approached from St Margaret's Bay
6. Looks nicer approached from the Dover side on a spring day in 2009
7. For more than 600 years a signal light on this site has warned shipping of the dangers of the nearby Goodwin Sands
The first recorded light dates from 1367 a hermit living in a cave at St Margaret's Bay light beacon fires
Wooden towers were constructed in 1635 with a coal burning metal brazier affixed to the top with a second light made at North Foreland
8. Opening times & prices
The treacherous Goodwin's 3 miles (4km) off the coast stretch are constantly shifting at times 'coughing up' long forgotten wrecks
The banks are around 2 miles (3km) wide & virtually 10 miles (15k) in length, with more than 2000 recorded & before records began numerous unaccounted for along with a great number of near loses
9. Inside the lobby to the Lighthouse, below the stairs leading above to the 'Weights Room' the 'Generator & Battery Room'
10. Once known as the 'Oil Cellar' this room is below ground which maintains a constant temperature
The present tower dates from 1843 previously coal fires provided beacons, in 1719 glazing was fitted around the brazier
But smoke from burning coal obscured the glass so oil was introduced in 1793
Sperm Whales oil was used initially tried but found too expensive, rape seed oil being used instead until 1858 when the South Foreland became the first Lighthouse to use an electric light powered by even if somewhat unreliable
11. Flawless spare glass window panes curved to fit the round shape of the Lantern House outside windows, note some are diamond shaped, others triangular to help form a very strong framework
N.B. The original Lighthouse windows have survived the rigors of it's harsh exposed location & two world wars
These glass panes are stored in the 'Weights Room' a main feature of which is a the cast iron column housing the weights
Converted to a flashing signal in 1904 Lighthouse Keepers hand cranked 110 turns to pull the quarter ton weights to the top of the Lighthouse to power lens rotation
12. The 'Watch Room' where one of three duty keepers would spend the majority of their shift, the glass fronted cupboard contains memorabilia associated with e Goodwin's & the Lighthouse
13. The electrical switch panel
14. Clockwork mechanism for lens rotation
15. Combined lens & 'Blimp' (blackout) characteristic sequence of 3 white flashes every 20 seconds
With a 3,500 watt parabolic mounted bulb the 5' light beam is visible for 26 miles on a clear night
16. The heavy cast iron & glass optic assembly sits on a mercury bed for an almost friction free movement
Jacks are used to raise the assembly for periodically cleaning, the mercury is drained & filtered before being returned to the system
17. Jon Lamb outside on the top deck showing people around on 'open day'
18. Constructed in 1872 the engine house now a private dwelling was built between the main & lower light
With 2 coke fired boilers powering 2 steam generators remained in service for 50 years
Another first for South Foreland came in 1922 when it became the first Lighthouse to use mains power
19. The Lower Light: Ships would align the top & lower light vertically to avoid the Goodwin Sands, but with the sands constantly shifting by 1904 the lights showed safe passage across the sands
The lower light decommissioned the upper light became a flashing rather than fixed signal
20. Dover Straits Coastguard Station policing the worlds busiest shipping lanes 2 miles distant
Centre the top of Dover Castle Keep around 4 miles distant & beyond the 798' Dover TV antenna at West Hougham
21. Dover Harbour from the top of the Lighthouse
22. Unusual, these are for quick escape in the event of an explosion or fire, Keepers would feed ropes through the guides to abseil down the outside of the Lighthouse
This 'Davy Harness' ropes were secured to a ring bolt on the Lighthouse, even though never used in anger Keepers were encouraged to practice
23. Part of the Home Radar Station Chain the Towers at Swingate were built in the 1930's & remained in MoD service until 1955 & were very much in the front line during WWII
24. Jon Lamb descends the stairs
25. Lighthouse outside, the 'Davy Harness' rope guides can be seen to the left
26. Sited 374' above the white cliffs of Dover the 69' at 443' it's the highest Lighthouse in the UK
27. Both the East & West former Lighthouse Keeper Cottages are available for Holidays
28. The Western Cottage
29. Norfolk Lines 'Maersk'
30. The 'Maersk' inward passes 'The Pride of Dover' outward bound
31. Path sign to the cliff top walk
32. The Lighthouse from Langdon Cliffs
33. Seafrance 'Rodin' making for Dover
34. Dover Harbour from the cliff edge
35. 'Rodin' makes entry to the port
36 & 37. The Lower Light also constructed in 1843 now in private grounds, said to house a lawnmower a great shame not open to the public
38. Another view of South Foreland Lighthouse from Langdon Cliffs walk
'Radio Foreland' in the earliest days of experimental broadcasting it was from here that Guglielmo Marconi conducted the first 2 way ship to shore radio message
On Christmas eve 1898 a Morse Code exchange was made between South Foreland Lighthouse & the East Goodwin Lightship
East Goodwin Lightship with Marconi's aerial attached to the mast
The short Marconi broadcast over a distance of 10 miles (16km) was followed on 27th March 1899 by an International wireless transmission from Wimereux in France to the South Foreland Lighthouse 'Greetings from France across the ether'
The highly successful trial was exploited to the full with Marconi demonstrating his wireless directly to Trinity House who soon adopted the system
History of the Marconi Company
The first emergency use of radio was on 11th March 1899 as the 'Elbe' went aground on the Goodwin Sands. The first 'distress' SOS then known as a CQD message came from the East Goodwin Lightship after she'd been hit by the steamer 'RF Matthews' in dense fog
39. View east to Deal with its short pier & beyond Ramsgate
40. With no harbour fishing boats are hauled up the beach on runners
41. Steel rings with rollers are set in concrete blocks sunk in the seabed at low tide, so that motor winches can haul the vessels in & out of the water
42. Pegwell Bay & distant Ramsgate from Deal Pier
43. Ramsgate
44. Port Ramsgate with a TransEuropa Ferry on its mooring
45. Deal's seafront from below its pier
46. Deal sea frontage
47. St Margaret's Bay from Deal Pier
48. The famous Time Ball Tower mariners aid