2014-11-15

The Needles Lighthouse, England

Needles lighthouse was built in 1859 under the leadership of a private organization "Trinity House", obeying the Royal Charter of the United Kingdom.  The project is based on the ideas of the famous Scottish civil engineer James Walker. Set in the western approaches to the Isle of Wight, the Needles form a narrow chalky peninsula which rises from jagged rocks to 120m cliffs. These rocks have always been a hazard to ships making their way up the Solent to Portsmouth and Southampton Water. 

The Needles Lighthouse, Isle of Wight, UK
For the construction of a circular granite tower height over thirty-three feet, it took twenty thousand pounds. White-red signal structure is on the rocks Needles (hence its name), the Isle of Wight, located five kilometers from the English county of Hampshire. Previously, there was too tall lighthouse lights which periodically lost in a thick fog. A modern version of the lighthouse is clearly visible to ships emerging from the Solent towards Portsmouth and Southampton. [Frist Image credit Taylor Xu]

Needles lighthouse, England
Image credit 96tommy

In 1987 a helipad was added to the top of the lighthouse, and it became fully automated when the last keepers left on 8 December 1994. One of the last three remaining manned rock lighthouses in England and Wales, before automation it was staffed by a three man crew operating a 24 hour watch, serving one month on / one month off, living in rudimentary conditions in three levels below the light.

Needles lighthouse, England

Due to the condition of the chalk strata on which the lighthouse was built, in April 2010 a £500,000 underpinning project was announced, designed to stop the lighthouse falling into the sea. Over a 12 week period from early June, civil marine contractors Nuttall John Martin were due to dig a trench around the base of the lighthouse, install a ring of stabilising posts, and infill it with concrete.

Needles lighthouse, England
Image credit SouthEastern Star ★

Needles lighthouse, England
Image credit Robert Linsdell

Needles lighthouse, England
Image credit loose_grip_99

Needles lighthouse, England
Image credit Sanjib Mitra

Needles lighthouse, England
Image credit SouthEastern Star ★

The Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, England, close to Alum Bay. The Needles lighthouse stands at the end of the formation. Built in 1859, it has been automated since 1994.
The Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, England, close to Alum Bay. The Needles lighthouse stands at the end of the formation. Built in 1859, it has been automated since 1994. Image credit Paul Chambers
"The Needles" are chalk stacks jutting out of the sea at Alum Bay on the western end of Isle of Wight, England. There's a gap between these chalk stacks where a narrow pillar or chalk used to stand until it was destroyed in a storm in 1764. This narrow pillar gave this site its name, "The Needles".
"The Needles" are chalk stacks jutting out of the sea at Alum Bay on the western end of Isle of Wight, England. There's a gap between these chalk stacks where a narrow pillar or chalk used to stand until it was destroyed in a storm in 1764. This narrow pillar gave this site its name, "The Needles". Image credit Sameer Gharat

The Needles Lighthouse, Isle of Wight, UK
The Needles Lighthouse, Isle of Wight, UK. Image credit Philip Bird

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