Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[SimonCornes]

When a tug is actually towing at night it has to display two white lights, one above the other.
Does anyone know when this light arrangement was first required? The reason I ask is because I have a model of the tug Mayflower, the prototype being built in 1861 and the model has the two lights but I would be surprised if it had those lights when originally built hence my question. The real tug has the lights but the suspension wires are tensioned by turnbuckles to deck eyes. I’m sure that’s the original arrangement but I suspect not the original turnbuckles, which are probably no more than 10” long and quite slim. I’d imagine something maybe from the late 19th, early 20th century might have had bigger and chunkier cast iron turnbuckles but I’m only guessing but it would be useful to know when they were originally required to get some idea of how they might have looked.
Many thanks
Simon

[Akira]

Simon, You might want to look up the Steam Navigation Act, 1846, passed by Parliament. Whether it specified towing lights as originally passed or they were added a bit later, I can not say. I suspect the latter. Wiki does not have anything but passing references to the Act.Jonathan

[SimonCornes]

Thank you. Maybe someone else knows the answer off the cuff. I will have a look at that act though. I imagine the rules regarding lights in general might be helpful too.
Thanks again.

[Fred Ellis]

Hi Simon
Bit of a long short but as they look after all the lighthouses and navigation buoys, you could try Trinity House.
Fred

[dodes]

Have a look at photo's of the period.

[SimonCornes]

Thank you guys. I’ve emailed a guy at Bristol museum where the real tug is located to see if he has any knowledge- no reply so far. My tug was built in 1861 and is reckoned to be the oldest steam tug still in existence so before then I imagine tugs as such didn’t exist? I’m not sure how common contemporary photographs might be Maybe Trinity House is the best bet?

[dodes]

The collision regulations, which also govern navigation lights for vessels is an act of Parliament, I will see if I can find my copy issued as a M notice to mariners. As it should mention the date of the first act followed by any
updates given with their dates. I seem to remember it was 18XX something.

[dodes]

There was one other thing I forgot to mention, your tug when built would not have masthead lights fixed on her masthead. As at that time lights were oil lamps and would be filled, light and trimmed in a suitable place then secured in the slides before being hoisted aloft. The slides running on vertical wires tensioned and lashed at their lower end with cod line. A common practice still on small coasters when I first went to sea when the emergency lights were oil lamp slides kept in the forecastle for when the basic electric light system failed. So unless you want to rig your model for night running there would be no lights on the mast during daylight and the slides would probably be at the bottom of the mast.