Light Vessel 18

Lightvessel No. 18 "LV18" at Harwich in 2022
History
NameLight Vessel No. 18 (1958–present)
OwnerTrinity House (1958–1997)

Sea Containers (1997–2002)

The Pharos Trust (2002–present)
BuilderPhilip and Son, Darmouth
Completed1958
Out of service1994
FatePreserved at Harwich, 2002
StatusPreserved as a floating museum in Harwich
General characteristics

Light Vessel 18 Saint Gowan, otherwise known as LV18 is an ex-Trinity House lightship and the only Trinity House lightvessel equipped with a majority of its original equipment. Built in 1958 as one of a class of 8 lightships by Philip and Son, the ship was initially posted to the Saint Gowan station and subsequently served at several other stations before retirement in 1994. In 1997 the vessel was sold to Sea Containers Ltd and two years later was chartered to Tony O'Neil for preservation purposes. In this new position she began to serve as a location for various revival broadcasts of offshore radio. In 2002, The Pharos Trust was established for the purposes of the preservation and upkeep of LV18 and the vessel was subsequently purchased by the trust. In February 2024 an arson attack occurred aboard the vessel and serious damage was incurred to the ship.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ "Man jailed over fire at historic pirate radio ship - BBC". bbc.co.uk. 7 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Welcome to the LV18 lightvessel in Historic Harwich". LV18.org. 3 November 2025.