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Liverpool Bay's Light Vessels

 

  
Historical Timeline...
 ▬▬ 8050BC to 2003AD  ▬▬
Use the links below to go to the time period you are most interested in knowing more about:-


Introduction
 
This is a comprehensive list of all Light Vessels (Light Ships) that served the Liverpool Bay under the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB)

Photo

What are Light Ships or Liver Vessels?

LIGHTSHIPS (or Light Vessels) are effectively::- "floating lighthouses." They are used in locations where the seabed is too unstable, the water is too deep, or the sandbanks shift too frequently to allow for the construction of a permanent stone or brick lighthouse.

What is their purpose?

  • Navigation: They serve as:- "daymarks" by being painted bright colours (usually red in the UK) with their station name in large white letters.
     
  • Warning: At night, they use powerful lanterns, originally oil-burning, later electric, to warn ships of hazards like the shifting sandbanks in Liverpool Bay.
     
  • Audible Signals: In heavy fog, when the light cannot be seen, they used bells, gongs, or powerful:- "fog horns" (like the:- "Bootle Bull") to guide ships by sound.
     
  • Staying Put: Unlike normal ships, their most important job is not to move. They use massive:- "mushroom anchors" designed to bury themselves deep into the seabed to prevent the ship from drifting during Force 10 gales.

Historical Timeline

Era Milestone
Romans - 753 BC to 476 AD Early records suggest Roman Galleys sometimes hung iron fire baskets from masts to guide merchant ships, though these were not permanently moored.
1731 AD The 1st Modern Lightship: The Nore was placed at the mouth of the River Thames by Robert Hamblin and David Avery. It was a small wooden sloop with two lanterns.
1759 AD First Liverpool Proposal: The Liverpool Council passed a resolution to place a vessel with two lights at the Hoyle Bank, though it took decades for a permanent fleet to form.
1813 AD Liverpool Bay Begins: The 1st official station in Liverpool Bay, the North West Station, was established using the Good Intent.
1842 AD The Iron Revolution: Liverpool became a world leader when the Prince was built at Birkenhead. It was the 1st iron-hulled Light Vessel ever constructed.

Liverpool Bay - Light Ship Stations

Historically, navigation in Liverpool Bay was managed by 4 primary lightship stations: The Bar, Formby, Crosby, and North West. These vessels were operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB) rather than Trinity House, which explains their distinct red (and later black and white) liveries.

Below are the details for the light boats that served on the following stations:

1. The Bar Station

This was the most famous station, marking the entrance to the Queen's Channel. It was the last to be automated.

Vessel Built Operational Decommissioned Status
Alarm (I) 1830s 1890 1912 Old iron vessel transferred from NW. Scrapped 1914.
Alarm (II) 1912 1913 1960 Steel/Iron. Served through both Wars. Scrapped 1960.
Planet (II) (LV23) 1960 1960 1972 Current Status: Impounded at Sharpness Docks.

Note: In 1972, the manned lightship at the Bar was replaced by a Large Automatic Navigation Buoy (LANBY), and later by the:- "Bar Racon" light float in 1993.

2. North West Station

This station was located further out in the bay to guide ships toward the Horse and Helbre Channels.

Vessel Built Operational Decommissioned Status
Good Intent Pre-1813 1813 1836 Dutch Galliot. Sold 1836 for Ł21.
Milo 1817 1817 1834 Wooden ship. Moved to Formby station in 1834.
Comet (I) 1820 1820 1840 Wooden vessel. Moved to Crosby station in 1840.
Meteor 1835 1835 1890s Used as wreck-marker. Scrapped 1916.
Prince (I) 1842 1842 1870 World's 1st iron lightship. Scrapped 1890s.
Tobin 1850 1850 1894 Iron. Sold 1894; became Silloth lightship. Scrapped post-1900.
Prince (II) 1870 1870 1896 Iron. Became a barge 1926. Scrapped 1961 (aged 119!).
Orion 1873 1873 1915 Iron. Wreck-marker until scrapped 1920s.
Sirius 1873 1873 1927 Iron. Scrapped 1928 after station became a Bell Boat.

3. Formby Station

Located at the:- "elbow" of the Crosby and Queen's Channels.

The Formby station was vital for guiding vessels through the sharpest turn in the approach to Liverpool.

Vessel Built Operational Decommissioned Status
North Star 1833 1834 1860s First purpose-built for Formby. Cost Ł1,910. Fate unknown.
Milo 1817 1840s 1850s Transferred from NW. Wooden. Sold 1850s.
Albert 1840 1840 1870s Oak-built. Rotated with Crosby station. Scrapped late 1800s.
Star 1885 1885 1920s The last:- "manned" ship built for MDHB. Scrapped 1930s.
Formby Float 1920s 1920s 1941 Unmanned light float. Removed 1941; station discontinued.

4. Crosby Station

This station marked the Burbo Bank area.
Vessel Built Operational Decommissioned Status
Comet (I) 1820 1840 1866 Transferred from NW.
Queen 1839 1840 1860s Oak built, 71ft long. Retired/Sold 1860s.
Comet (II) 1866 1866 1910s Iron. Built by Potter & Co. Scrapped 1912.
Planet (I) 1879 1879 1915 Iron. Rotated between Bar/Crosby. Scrapped 1916.

The 'Missing' Relief Vessels

In addition to the Planet (II), the MDHB operated several other vessels that spent their entire lives as Relief Ships, moving between the Bar, Formby, Crosby, and North West stations:

  • Vigilant (1832): A wooden relief vessel.
     
  • Relief No. 1 & No. 2: Early 20th-century iron-hulled floats used to replace station ships during winter storms or repairs.

The End of the Manned Era

For over 200 years, these ships were manned by crews of 6 to 11 men who lived on board for weeks at a time. The era of the:- "manned" lightship in Liverpool ended on 4 September 1972, when the Planet (LV23) was withdrawn from the Bar Station and replaced by an automated buoy.

Specific Notes on the:- 'Planets Light Ships'

The reason the inter-war Planet is often missing from general station lists is that it spent much of its life as a Relief Vessel. While the:- "Station Ship" was permanently on the spot, the relief fleet acted as vital backups.

Vessel Built Operational
(Within Liverpool)		 Status
Planet (I) 1879 1879 to 1915 An iron hulled vessel built by R.&J. Evans. The:- "workhorse" of the Victorian era. Scrapped 1916.
Planet (II) 1920s 1920s to 1950s Often overlooked; a secondary vessel used to relieve the Bar and Crosby stations. Scrapped circa 1950s.
Planet (III) 1960 1960 to 1972 The famous steel ship built by Philip & Son. Later LV23. Currently impounded at Sharpness Docks, Gloucestershire.

Additional Information about The Planet (LV23)

Planet (III) (LV23) is the only major survivor of the fleet. After serving as a cafe and museum in Liverpool's Canning Dock, it was seized by the Canal & River Trust (C&RT) in 2016 due to a fees dispute. Its removal remains a major point of contention between the Trust and the people of Liverpool.

The Canal & River Trust officially cited 2 primary reasons for the seizure:-

  1. Safety Concerns: Reports of customers jumping into the dock water and a lack of proper trading licenses for a bar / cafe.
     
  2. Financial Dispute: A debt of roughly:- Ł10,000 in berthing fees. Ironically, the cost of bailiffs and towage added tens of thousands more to the final bill.
Current Status (2026): The vessel remains at Sharpness Docks in Gloucestershire. It is currently:- "in store" or impounded. Despite various restoration plans since its sale in 2017, it has not returned to public use.
  • The Move: It was towed over 200 miles from:- Liverpool, around the Welsh coast, to the Bristol Channel.
     
  • The Sale: Sold by the C&RT for a reported:- Ł12,500 to recover costs, a fraction of its perceived heritage value.

Interestingly, while at Sharpness Docks, the Planet found a brief 2nd life in the world of television.

It featured in the 1st series of the BBC drama:- "His Dark Materials" for the production, its iconic lantern was temporarily covered or removed (digitally and physically) to fit the show's aesthetic, though the lantern itself is still part of the vessel today.

The Missing Planet

The reason the inter war Planet is often missing from general station lists is that it spent much of its life as a Relief Vessel. In the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB) system, the:- "Station Ship" was the one permanently on the spot, but a secondary fleet of ships, often bearing the same names, acted as backups.

Vessel Built Operational in Liverpool Fate / Current Status
Planet (I) 1879 1879 to 1915 An iron hulled vessel built by R. & J. Evans. It was the:- "workhorse" of the Victorian era. Scrapped 1916.
Planet (II) 1920s 1920s to 1950s Often overlooked, this was a converted or secondary vessel used to relieve the Bar and Crosby stations during the inter war years. Scrapped circa 1950s.
Planet (III) 1960 1960 to 1972 The famous steel ship built by Philip & Son. This is the ship that became LV23 under Trinity House. Current Status: Impounded at Sharpness Docks, Gloucestershire.
Here is the updated HTML5 code for the complete Mersey lightship fleet overview. I have maintained the styling from the previous sections to ensure a cohesive look. HTML

Overview (Complete Fleet)

This comprehensive list includes both station specific vessels and the relief fleet that supported the Bar, Formby, Crosby, and North West stations.

Vessel Built Material Operational Period Status
Good Intent Pre-1813 Wood 1813 to 1836 Sold for Ł21 in 1836. Subsequent fate unknown.
Milo 1817 Wood (Oak) 1817 to 1850s Sold in the 1850s for commercial use.
Comet (I) 1820 Wood 1820 to 1866 Retired in 1866 and sold for scrap.
North Star 1833 Wood 1834 to 1860s Purpose built; fate unknown post retirement.
Meteor 1835 Wood 1835 to 1890s Used as a wreck-marker. Scrapped 1916.
Queen 1839 Wood (Oak) 1840 to 1860s Sold in the 1860s.
Albert 1840 Wood 1840 to 1870s Rotated as relief; scrapped late 1800s.
Prince (I) 1842 Iron 1842 to 1890s First iron lightship in the UK. Scrapped 1890s.
Tobin 1850 Iron 1850 to 1894 Sold 1894; served at Silloth. Scrapped post-1900.
Planet (I) 1879 Iron 1879 to 1915 Built by R. & J. Evans. Traditional Victorian vessel; the 1st to officially bear the name. Scrapped 1916.
Star 1885 Iron 1885 to 1920s The last:- "manned" ship purpose-built for the MDHB fleet. Scrapped 1930s.
Alarm 1912 Iron 1912 to 1950s Served primarily as the relief for the Bar and North West stations. Scrapped 1960s.
Planet (II) 1920s Iron 1920s to 1950s Relief vessel used to cover Bar and Crosby stations during the inter-war years. Scrapped circa 1950s.
Planet (III) / LV23 1960 Steel 1960 to 1972 Built by Philip & Son. Withdrawn in 1972 (end of manned era). Current Status: Impounded at Sharpness Docks.

Modern Successor of the Lightships and Lighthouses

By the 1970s, all Liverpool Bay stations were replaced by unmanned floats or buoys. The current:- "Bar" marker is an automated light float operated by Trinity House and now Peel Holdings.

The transition to automation removed the need for crews to stay at sea for weeks at a time, concluding over 200 years of manned maritime service in the Mersey channels.
 

Our Related History Pages

To read our other related historical information pages please use the below links...

  • Mersey Tides
     
  • Southport Lifeboat
     
  • Merseyside's Pilot Boats
     
  • Liverpool Bay Fog Horns and Fog Bells
     
  • HMRC Coastguard
     
  • Western Approaches
  • Mersey Insure Rescue Trust
     
  • Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
     
  • Mexico Disaster
     
  • Charles Livingston Disaster
     
  • Liverpool Bay Light Houses
     
  • Formby Lifeboat Station

Reference Material

1. Official Authorities & Archives

These sites provide the broadest historical context and information on active navigational aids.

  • Trinity House: trinityhouse.co.uk
    The official General Lighthouse Authority for England and Wales. Their history section includes a timeline of Light Vessel development since 1732.
     
  • National Historic Ships UK: nationalhistoricships.org.uk

    The definitive register for historic vessels. You can search for specific Light Vessels (For example:- "LV12" or:- "LV50") to find their technical dimensions, builder history, and current status.
     
  • Association of Lighthouse Keepers (ALK): alk.org.uk
    A charitable organisation dedicated to preserving the heritage of lighthouses and lightships. They maintain an extensive archive and a reading list of specialist books on the subject.

2. Museum Ships & Visitor Sites

Direct links to the most prominent surviving vessels that are open to the public or serve new roles.

  • Spurn Lightship (LV12) - Hull: hullmuseums.co.uk/spurn-lightship
    Recently restored and reopened on 7 March 2026. This site includes booking information for tours and details on the restoration project.
     
  • LV21 - Chatham/Gravesend: lv21.co.uk
    A 1960s steel Light Vessel now used as a floating arts and cultural hub. The site features a detailed:- "Timeline" and "Crew Stories" section.
     
  • LV15 Trinity - Tollesbury: fact.org.uk
    Operated by the Fellowship Afloat Charitable Trust, this ship serves as a residential activity centre.
     
  • North Carr Lightship - Tayport: northcarr.org.uk
    The last surviving Scottish Light Vessel, currently undergoing a long-term campaign for preservation and restoration.

3. Specialist Resources

  • World Lighthouse Directory: lighthousedigest.com
    Includes a searchable database of Light Vessels worldwide, including those that have been scrapped or lost.
     
  • Commissioners of Irish Lights: irishlights.ie
    Information on the Light Vessels that served the Irish Coast, many of which were built in UK shipyards.
 

Research conducted by Patrick Trollope in:- 2026.
If you think you know any historic topic we should investigate and add to this page, up to the year 2000, please do let us know by emailing our newsroom to:- News24@MerseyReporter.Com.

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