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IMPORTANT
You may notice MANY of our
Photographs are OFFLINE.
This is because we need to AUDIT the copyright credentials of every lighthouse picture on this entire site and ensure that all have the appropriate author’s attribution.
Similarly if/when we need to deploy photographs other than our own, for example from a professional press agency such as Alamy, then we have the appropriate permissions are in place.
In addition…
Every Page On This
Lighthouse Bulletin
Is Being Rewritten & Updated
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Our apologies to you for any inconvenience.
During 2024 the owners of this “Lighthouses For Sale or Rent” publication have changed the name to the: “Lighthouse Bulletin.“
Crucially for the purposes of assisting you, our readers and friends, we are donating this internet site to a new registered charity.
So instead of this…
…domain being owned by:
Argyll Group Ltd (formerly Argyll Group plc),
The new owner will be the proposed:
“National Lighthouse Preservation Trust”
This is the working title of the new charity. The directors of Argyll Group Ltd, are soon to be the inaugural trustees of the new charity. As such, they have already been in discussions (during 2024) with the Charity Commissioners (OSCR in Scotland).
There will also need to be discussions with the Charity Commissioners in the other nations that make up the United Kingdom.
Also because we will be covering EVERY lighthouse building in all four nations of the UK (and many in Eire), we will need to discuss additional registration procedures: here and here and for Eire: here etc.
The previous charity that our managing director registered at the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in Dundee during 2012 took several weeks to process. This was because of a legally “sensitive” word in the earlier charity’s name. Being the word “Queen”.
Fortunately, the charity was allowed to include the name “Queen” within it’s title…
“Friends of TS Queen Mary”
We are hopeful that the new “National Lighthouse Preservation Trust” charity will pass the naming process too. Though the words “National” and “Trust” are sensitive so we may need to change the name slightly.
For readers who would like some “comfort” that we have done this sort of thing before and with some success, there are two previous charities (the first: here).
The second charity is a closer style to that for the third charity: “National Lighthouse Preservation Trust.”
Here is a brief summary of the process and bona fides, so that our readers and volunteers can have confidence in the new “National Lighthouse Preservation Trust” as we have registered and established two previous charities that have both done what they were created to do.
Here is the most recent charity that we registered on 4th December 2012. With some irony, the Constitution in this photograph was written on the same keyboard that these words are being typed on! For those who may be a wee bit superstitious, we trust this is a good sign….
^^ The Earlier Charity: Friends of TS Queen Mary ^^
Registered By Russ McLean & Iain Sim on 4th December 2012.
Friends of TS Queen Mary
Charity Commission (OSCR) Credentials
Charity Commission Main Page: Click Here
Russ McLean had already been dealing with spinal surgery from 1st July 1994 (that had ended his police career (click here)).
Unfortunately, in 2017 Russ had two further spinal problems with more surgery required.
Fortunately, Iain Sim had already been leading the charity and doing the majority of the heavy lifting. At that time, Ian pretty much took helm of the “Friends of TS Queen Mary” charity and it is Iain who has achieved some truly remarkable results…
^^ Founding Trustees: Iain Sim & Russ McLean ^^
^^ “Friends of TS Queen Mary” Charity ^^
The progress at TS Queen Mary required many hours, days and months preparatory work in 2011 and 2012.
But all of the efforts and obstacles overcome proved well worthwhile when, when the “Friends of TS Queen Mary” charity purchased this iconic ship. After more work, the vessel was towed half way around Britain from London to Glasgow…
^^ TS Queen Mary ^^
Photo Courtesy of Dave Souza
The transformation of this vessel over the next few years with intensive restoration work produced considerable results that have ensured the TS Queen Mary will survive for many years to come (social media updates: here)…
^^ TS Queen Mary ^^
Photo Courtesy of FOTSQM
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Patrons Welcome
If you are new to this Lighthouse Bulletin, we need to emphasise that it is (and always has been) a not-for-profit entity run by volunteers.
However, now that we will be changing the ownership of this “Lighthouse Bulletin” into a registered charity, we are looking to invite a person of suitable gravitas and to become patron of the new…
“National Lighthouse Preservation Trust“
So if our readers have good ideas about who might be a decent patron for the new charity, please can you let Russ McLean know (0757 2768 795). Thank you.
To give our readers an indication of how important a patron is to a charity, our earlier “Friends of TS Queen Mary” project was very, very lucky to have Mr Robbie Coltrane as patron. Immediately on Robbie joining, the charity finances took a significant boost to £313,897 income that year. Robbie worked tirelessly to help. A large number of those donations were reciprocated with personal letters of thanks from Robbie to the donors. This is all the more remarkable as Robbie was in a lot of pain during this time.
As part of the funding initiatives, there is only so much a fairly modest crew of volunteers can do. Even though Robbie had gotten the twinkle back in his eyes at being around an iconic ship (since distressingly having to sell some of his beloved cars due to painful joint inflammation rendering work on the classic car engines nigh impossible), the work volume of all the trustees and patron were increasing.
^^ Robbie Coltrane ^^
Patron of the TS Queen Mary Charity
Once the ship had been purchased and towed back from London to Glasgow, it became apparent that very large amounts of funds would have to be raised.
It was incredibly tragic that the friends of TS Queen Mary lost Robbie when he passed away on 14th October 2022. Sad in many ways as Robbie was really looking forward to seeing the ship re-engined and sailing again.
As was typical of a such a decent and generous person, Robbie persuaded his friend, Sir Sam Neill to join the charity as co-patron.
^^ Sir Sam Neill ^^
Patron of the TS Queen Mary Charity
Sir Sam was not an obvious fit for the nautical side. Though the Commonwealth and overseas work the charity has to look towards has been perfect. But in fact Sir Sam was born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, just 70 miles from the birthplace of another famous ship, the RMS Titanic…
^^Friends of TS Queen Mary ^^
New Trustee Sir Sam Neill ^^
Has shipbuilding in his DNA
So if you do have any ideas of who we might invite to be patron of the new charity…
“National Lighthouse Preservation Trust”
The crew here at the Lighthouse Bulletin would be delighted to hear from you.
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What Does All This Mean?
For your purposes (and you appear to have landed on this page), the best solution is for you to check out our RELAUNCHED…
Lighthouse Bulletin
Front Page
>>>>>>> Click Here <<<<<<<
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Also, feel free to join our lighthouse social media pages are: here and here
Eventually this specific lighthouse building’s page will be re-written and new, fully audited and attributed photographs will appear.
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But for the time being, all that remains on this specific and dedicated lighthouse page is a VERY OLD narrative.
Please check back in the coming months. e have hundreds of pages to rewrite ad update with news relating to EVERY lighthouse station in the U.K., & Eire.
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OLD NARRATIVE – AWAITING PHOTO-AUDIT
AND UPDATED NARRATIVE
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Ailsa Craig Island
Half of This Lighthouse Station Is Derelict
Sale Status? Possible!
Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Cottages
Sadly Derelict
It breaks our heart to see this happen. Sadly the former keepers’ cottages on Ailsa Craig Island are now derelict. Utterly so.
Just take a closer look…
Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Cottages
Empty, Windowless & Doorless
Half of this lighthouse station still belongs to the Northern Lighthouse Board and they have kept their buildings in good condition.
=> Part of the problem is the dangerous pier. We have tried to help the owner by getting details of the excellent solution from Spitbank Fort. The crew at Spitbank have been brilliant and were very helpful when we spoke to them.
=> But the owner of the Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Buildings is not easy to contact and has not responded to any efforts to help.
Our mailbag has letters + texts + emails of concern. But we are not in a position other than to offer free help.
Actually we did find a buyer and again offered to help the owner of these ruins. But the price that came back from him was eye-wateringly high considering very little has been spent on these buildings in the last 20 years. From experience at our own lighthouse station renovations, we have assessed on top of the £250,000 that was being sought for these ruins (we sold habitable houses for £99,000 in 2001)…
=> The renovation costs to exceed £350,000 for the 4 cottages and about £110,000 to rebuild the pier.
=> Sale cost: £250,000.
=>Total Cost: £710,000.
Please do your FULL due-diligence when buying a lighthouse station. Shockingly, we have observed many people IGNORE the pier problem. This will become the NEW owner of the four lighthouse cottages problem.
Yet how clear do buyers need WARNINGS to be?
The pier at Ailsa Craig is demonstrably and literally unsafe and these words are being written by a Harbourmaster, so they would hopefully carry some weight…
Ailsa Craig Pier. Do You Notice A Sign?
The Danger Signs Are Ignored
The underwater part of this structure is unsound.
We know from painful experience that there are “accidents” at these types of structure do happen and very serious injuries do result…
Excerpt From NLB Publication
We prefer to quote facts, especially with the likelihood some of the best and brightest legal minds will be available at the NLB’s senior management to come down on us like a ton of bricks, or even collapse like shoogly pier. In this case the Northern Lighthouse Board were exonerated, but they were still on the front page of the Court of Session Writ!
The second defendants had to pay the injured person £21,500 (in 2013)…
Official Source: Click Here
The most important point? Injuries do happen, and legal culpability, even to some of the most professional organisations in the world can accrue.
We must say (and this is our experience) that the Northern Lighthouse Board has very high standards and over 37 years the lighthouse keepers and engineers plus project managers have helped us with our renovation work on lighthouse buildings to above and beyond what might be hoped for.
But even such august bodies as the NLB can have close shaves (we quote one, fully aware that a significant number of NLB Commissioners are highly respected solicitors and judges). Firstly to clarify and correct what some newspapers reported incorrectly.
=> We report that the NLB were exonerated and provide the proof below.
But mainly we need to make it absolutely clear that the sea and lighthouse in, on and by the sea are inherently dangerous places. So PLEASE can YOU take care when going around these iconic buildings.
=> PLEASE observe the warning signs. They are placed on dangerous piers for your safety.
The houses on Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Station used to look a lot better when the keepers were in residence. The old keepers maintained and painted all of the buildings, literally keeping them in tip-top condition. We stayed in these houses 20 years ago with some reasonable creature comforts still in place and can attest to the fact that the NLB lighthouse dwellings used to be far better maintained before the NLB sold them off.
Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottages.
Photo Copyright 2000 Argyll Group plc
We were lucky enough to own the Ailsa Craig Lighthouse buildings + pier + compound (but not the tower) around 1999/2000. Unfortunately, the founder of this website was injured during service in uniform and had to have spinal surgery which left him disabled. So we sold the Ailsa Craig lighthouse buildings in 2001. Since then, nothing appears to have been done to protect or maintain them. Left to deteriorate in an exposed seastorm area, the weather and vandalism have taken their toll.
Ailsa Craig Island
Private Lighthouse Section – Now Derelict
Almost 20 years later, a family member is now old enough to take on the task and is up for the challenge of buying the Ailsa Craig lighthouse buildings and restoring them.
=> But our senior crew are now nearing retirement age. So it would be far better if someone younger, with the skillset and ability was to take on these forlorn derelict ruins. How about you?
We Hope That The Vandalism
Does Not Spread To The Tower Light.
Current Vandalism on Ailsa Craig Exists.
Fact. It is Also Contagious
This next video is supplied by our friend who helped with our TS Queen Mary rescue effort (click here). This time Jim has his drone camera at Ailsa Craig island Lighthouse buildings. 22 years after we sold the habitable buildings, this breaks our heart…
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Ailsa Craig Island: Video
For any future owner with the very deep pockets required to bring Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Keepers’ Houses back to life, there is an alternate form of access facility…
Ailsa Craig Island Helicopter Pad.
Privately Owned.
Ailsa Craig Island Helicopter Pad.
There is still a small window of time, but as of 2023, the most recent inspection shows the situation to be dire…
Ailsa Craig – Derelict Former NLB Properties
Photo of Ailsa Craig.
Please Note, The Island Is NOT For Sale
Photo of Ailsa Craig
Lighthouse Tower & Engine Room
Please Note, These are NOT For Sale
The parts that have recently been touted for sale when the whole island was recently recently are still owned by the gentleman we sold them to (in far better condition) 21 years ago.
We hardly recognise the place now…
A Very Sad & Derelict Lighthouse Building
Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Building For Auction (Right Hand Side): Open + Insecure
Spot The Difference? Left Side Sad & Derelict. Right Side Pristine.
The Northern Lighthouse Board own approximately half of this compound and their part is extremely well maintained. We know, the contractor team that work on our lighthouse buildings; they are the very same team who recently overhauled and repainted the NLB Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Tower and Engine House. These guys eye-witnessed the appalling state of the island’s former keepers’ houses.
The Front Part Is Still Owned By The Northern Lighthouse Board
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Former Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottages, Ailsa Craig Island, South Ayrshire, KA26 9DF.
Ailsa Craig Island: Location (c) Google Maps
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Access To Ailsa Craig Island
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Ailsa Craig Island – In Better Times.
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