Northern Lighthouse Board Ships
1799 - 2007

PHAROS (I) 1799 - c1810   
Wooden Sloop, 49 x 18 x 8 feet
59 Registered Tons
1799: Built at Elie, Fife for the Board
1810c: Sold to unknown Leith owners, name unchanged
1814: Owners now Archibald Young, Alexander Crombie & Robert Cox, Leith, name unchanged
1823: Broken Up

THE LIGHTHOUSE YACHT 1807 - 1820
Wooden Sloop, 58 x 18 x 10 feet
81 Registered Tons
1807: Built at Leith for the Board
1820: Sold to Alexander Houston of Clarkington, Haddingtonshire, name unchanged
1823: Lost

SMEATON 1807 - 1817   PIC
Wooden Sloop, 55 x 10 x ? feet
42 Registered Tons
1807: Built at Leith and employed in the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse as a stone carrier and tender
1817: Sold - no further details

SIR JOSEPH BANKS 1808 - Not known
Wooden Sloop
42 Registered Tons
1807: Built at Arbroath, purchased on stocks and employed assisting SMEATON in the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse
1808: In service - no further details

PATRIOT 1809 - Not known
Sailing Vessel, 56 x 10 x ? feet
46 Registered Tons
1808: Built at Kirkcaldy
1809: Purchased to assist SMEATON in construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, name unchanged. No further details.

PHAROS (III) 1816 - 1842*
Wooden Sloop, 45 x 14 x 8 feet
38 Registered Tons
1816: Built by Morton at Leith for the Commissioners and based at Leith as tender to Bell Rock Lighthouse.
1842: Sold to Archy MacQueen of Broadford, Skye, registered at Inverness, name unchanged
1858: Sold to James Finlay & John McGregor, Lochalsh, name unchanged
1859: Wrecked in Sound of Mull

(*(II) was a lightship)

REGENT 1820 - 1846
Wooden Schooner; 66 x 21 x 11 feet
107 Registered Tons
1820: Built by Robert Davey, Topsham for the Board and based at Leith
1846: Sold to John Crabbie, Leith, name unchanged
1850: Sold to Thomas Mackie, Leith, name unchanged
1852: Sold to D R MacGregor, Leith, name unchanged
1859: Sold to Thomas Reddie, Charlestown, Fife, name unchanged
1863: Lost at sea

SKERRYVORE (I) 1839 - 1847
Wooden Paddle Steamer, 87.3 x 17.5 x 9.5 feet
129 Gross Tons; 48 Net Tons
1839: Built by Robert Menzies & Sons, Leith and based at Hynish, Tiree in connection with the construction of the lighthouse on Skerryvore.
1847: Sold to Liverpool Steam Tug Co, Liverpool, name unchanged.
1850: Sold to John Houghton, Liverpool, name unchanged
1851: Sold to William M Jackson, Liverpool, name unchanged
1853: Sold to John Barnet, Liverpool and reduced to a brigantine, 215 reg, name unchanged
1860: Lost

PRINCE OF WALES 1841-1852
Wooden Sloop, 58 x 16 x 9 feet
51 Registered Tons
1841: Built by Robert Steele & Co, Greenock and based at Leith as tender to the Bell Rock Lighthouse
1852: Sold to William Hay, Lerwick as fishing vessel, name unchanged
1866: Owners now George H B Hay, Arthur J Hay & William Irvine
1883: Owners now George H B Hay & Arthur J Hay
1896: Sold to Danish owners - no further details available

FRANCES 1843 - 1852
Wooden Sloop; 39 x 13 x 7 feet
24 Registered Tons
1842: Built by Thomas White, Cowes, Isle of Wight for Thomas & John White, Cowes
1843: Purchased, name unchanged
1852: Sold to John H Baikie, Kirkwall, re-rigged as dandy, name unchanged
1871: John H Baikie declared bankrupt and sold to John Hewison, Kirkwall, name unchanged
1871: Sold to James Seatter of Westray, re-rigged as a schooner, name unchanged
1883: Broken up at Westray, Orkney Islands

PHAROS (IV) 1846-1861  PIC
Iron paddle steamer, 143.2 x 21.7 x 14.8 feet
270 Gross Tons 186 Net Tons
1846: Built by Wm Fairbairn & Son, Millwall Works, London, and based at Leith
1861: Sold to Aberdeen, Grimsby & Hull Steam Packet Co, name unchanged
1863: Title of owners became Aberdeen & Hull Steam Navigation Co
1863: Sold to Aberdeen, Tyne & Hamburg Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Aberdeen, name unchanged
1864: Lengthened to 171.6 feet, tonnage now 328g 243n
1866: Transferred to Aberdeen, Newcastle & Hull Steam Co Ltd, Aberdeen
1877: Sold to Thomas Williamson, Barrow and broken up

JANET 1848 - 1851
Wooden Sloop, 38 x 10 x 5 feet
16 Registered Tons
1841: Launched but not apparently registered.
1845: Rebuilt by Denny & Rankin, Dumbarton for Robert Mitchell, Leith, name unchanged
1848: Purchased, name unchanged
1851: Sold to John McLean of Kylerhea, registered at Inverness, name unchanged
1874: Sold to John McLachlan of Kilfinnan, name unchanged
1881: Sold to Peter McIntyre of Rothesay, name unchanged
1881: Broken up

ARGYLE 1852 - 1867
Wooden Sloop/Schooner, 48 x 12 x 7 feet
32 Registered tons
1852: Built by Robert Menzies & Sons Leith
1867: Sold to David Watson of Ardour, Mull, name unchanged
1870: Transferred to John C Watson of Ardour, name unchanged
1876: Now registered at Montego Bay, Jamaica
1879: Wrecked

PHAROS (V) 1854 - 1874
Iron Paddle, 182.0 x 25.3 x 14.8 feet
524 Gross Tons, 296 Net Tons
Compound, 2-cyl by builders, 120hp
1854: Built by Tod & McGregor, Glasgow and based at Leith
1874: Sold to George A Key, Kinghorn but retained registered Leith
1875: Renamed VALETTA prior to conversion to sailing barque, registered tonnage 464
1876: Sold to James W Robertson, Dundee, name unchanged
1880: Sold to Thomas Law & Co, Glasgow, name unchanged
1887: Sank after collision with the Glasgow steam tug FLYING SERPANT (260/86) off the Tuskar Rock, Ireland, while on passage from Point de Galle, Ceylon to Liverpool with a general cargo.

SKERRYVORE (II) 1867-1875
Wooden Sloop, 46 x 16 x 8 feet
29 Registered Tons
1867: Built by Archibald McMillan, Dumbarton, and employed as tender to Skerryvore Lighthouse, registered at Glasgow
1875: Sold to Edward Whiteway, Glasgow, name unchanged
1876: Sold to Thomas Stove, Lerwick, converted to a dandy, name unchanged
1880: Sold to Duncan MacKenzie of Skye, name unchanged
1893: Broken up.

WHALSAY 1867 - 1898
Wooden smack, 39 x 12 x 6 feet
15 Registered Tons
1867: Built by Alexander Hall & Co, Aberdeen (255) and employed as a tender at Lerwick
1898: Sold to Angus Mathieson of Glasgow, name unchanged
1899: Sold to Thomas McShamrock of Portrush, Co. Antrim, name unchanged
1899: Sold to John A Henitton of Londonderry, name unchanged
1901: Sold to John Johnstone of Kindrum Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, name unchanged
1917: Broken Up

DHUHEARTACH 1868 - 1876
Iron Paddle, 125.5 x 18.0 x 9.8 feet
149 Gross Tons, 34 Net Tons
Lever, 2-cyl by R & W Hawthorn, 75 hp, rebuilt as twin-screw steamer 1893, compound, 4 -cyl by R Dunlop & Bell, Liverpool, 130hp, tonnage now 167gross 76 net.
1868: Built by Wigham, Richardson & Co, Newcastle (50) and employed in the construction of the Dhuheartach lighthouse
1876: Sold to W H Crocker of Fleetwood, name unchanged
1884: Sold to H Hall, Fleetwood, name unchanged
1886: Sold to S Auberstin, Cardiff, name unchanged
1887: Sold to S Lord, Fleetwood, name unchanged
1887: Sold to Christopher Furness, West Hartlepool, name unchanged
1890: Sold to Direct Acting Jet Propulsion Co Ltd, West Hartlepool, name unchanged
1894: Sold to John Wigham & Thomas Colling, Sunderland, name unchanged
1895: Sold to Thomas Maughan, Sunderland and renamed STARTFORTH
1896: Sold to Skinningrove Iron Co, Middlesbourgh, name unchanged
1900: Sold to Archibald Stewart, Glasgow, name unchanged
1905: Title of owners became Forth Steam Ship Co (Buchan & Hogg Managers)
1908: Purchased by Buchan & Hogg whilst lying at Port Glasgow
1914: Laid Up at Alloa
1915: Sold to Weymouth Diving & Towing Co Ltd, Weymouth, name unchanged
1917: Sold to Samuel W Oakley of London, name unchanged
1921: Sold to Edward T Murphy of London, name unchanged
1921: Sold to E Parker of London, name unchanged
1921: Sold to Woodruff & Co Ltd of London, name unchanged
1922: Sold to Thomas E Hill of Birkenhead, name unchanged
1923: Sold to Southampton Shipping Metal & Shingle Co Ltd, name unchanged
1924: Broken up in Holland.

TERRIBLE 1869 - 1881
Iron Paddle Steamer, 129.8 x 19.4 x 10.7 feet
181 Gross Tons, 86 net Tons
Lever, 2-cyl by builders, 70hp
1865: Built by Hepple & Co, North Shields for Joseph Ostens, North Shields
1869: Purchased, name unchanged , registered at Greenock, and based at Oban
1881: Broke from moorings in Erraid Sound, Mull, driven ashore and became a total loss.

PHAROS (VI) 1874 - 1911   PIC
Iron Twin-Funnelled Paddle, 204.5 x 26.7 x 15.3 feet
574 Gross Tons, 241 Net Tons
Compound, 2-cyl by builders, 353 hp, new compound, 2-cyl diagonal fitted by Gourlay Bros & Co, Dundee, 1898, 252hp
1874: Built by R Napier & Sons, Glasgow (329)
1911: Sold to Samuel Galbraith of Glasgow, name unchanged
1911: Sailed from Granton for Glasgow for overhaul prior to sale to Brazil. Sale not completed and used as an accommodation vessel on the River Clyde
1915: Royal Navy accommodation vessel at Loch Ewe, West Scotland
1919: Sold to the Admiralty, name unchanged
1920: Sold to Burntisland Shipbuilding Co for use as accommodation vessel at Burntisland during construction of the new yard and renamed FAIROSE
1923: Broken up at Grangemouth by G & W Brunton

SIGNAL 1883-1895   PIC
Steel Paddle steamer, 160.1 x 25.1 x 11.6 feet
345 Gross Tons, 174 Net Tons
Compound, 2 cyl by builders, 181nhp
1883: Built by Caird & Co, Greenock (233) and based at Oban, registered at Greenock
1895: Wrecked on Mull of Kintyre while on passage from Greenock to Oban on 28 September.

POLE STAR (I) 1892 - 1931  PIC1   PIC2
Steel Twin-Screw Steamer,175.4 x 26.4 x 13.8 feet
459 Gross Tons; 207 Net Tons
Triple expansion, 6-cyl by builders, 177nhp
1892: Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Glasgow (367) and based at Stromness
1931: To release name for new vessel, renamed ORPHIR
1931: Sold to William Marshall of Glasgow for conversion to salvage, name unchanged
1933: Sold to James M Stewart of Glasgow, name unchanged
1939: Sold to P Svolakis & Co, Colon, Panama, and renamed SOPHIA S
1940: Ran ashore at Constantsa, Romania resulting in damage to the engine
1941: Arrived at Haifa for repairs
1941: Sailed for Port Said
1940: Moved to Alexandria
1940: Hired at Alexandria by Ministry of War Transport
1941: Owners convicted of offences against immigration laws at Haifa and vessel forfeited to Palestinian Government
1941: Requisitioned by British Government
1941: Renamed DARIEN II and employed sailing between ports in Eastern Mediterranean out of Piraeus
1945: Requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport, London and placed under management of Ellerman's Wilson Line Ltd of Hull, name unchanged
1948: Purchased by Ministry of Transport (Ellerman Wilson Lines Ltd, manager) from now Palestinian owners, name unchanged, and employed on sailings between Port Said, Famagusta, Malta, Tripoli and Tobruk
1948: Laid up at Port Said
1949: Sailed from Port Said for Piraeus
1949: Whilst at Trobruk, detained due to corrosion to bottom plate
1950: Arrived at Port Said and laid-up
1951: Sold to Italian Shipbreakers
1951: Arrived at Spezia for breaking up.

HESPERUS (I) 1896 - 1940    PIC
Steel Twin-Screw Steamer, 175 x 28.1 x 13.8 feet
Triple, 6cyl by builders, 166nhp
1896: Built by Gourlay Bros & Co. Dundee (171) and based at Oban
1939: To release name for new vessel renamed ASCOG
1940: Broken up by Clayton & Davie Ltd, Dunston-on-Tyne

MAY (I) 1899 - 1938   PIC
Steel Twin-Screw Steamer; 116 x 22.2 x11.7 feet
242 Gross Tons, 96 Net Tons
Compound, 4-cyl by builders, 76nhp
1899: Built by Hawthorns & Co Ltd, Leith (77) and based at Granton
1937: To release name for new vessel renamed DUNDRENAN
1937: Sold to P & W McLellan for £1,000 and broken up at Bo'ness

PHAROS (VII) 1909 - 1955   PIC
Steel Twin-Screw Steamer, 206.4 x 31.2 x 15 feet
921 Gross Tons, 393 Net Tons
Triple, 6-cyl by builders, 142 nhp
1909: Built by Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow (496)
1955: To release name for new vessel, renamed AVONTOUN.
1955: Arrived at Charlestown, Fife for breaking up by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd

POLE STAR (II) 1930 - 1965   PIC
Steel Twin Screw Steamer, 195.7 x 31.1 x 14.5 feet
750 Gross Tons, 328 Net Tons
Triple-expansion, 6 cyl by builders, 215nhp
1930: Built by Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Glasgow (663)
1950: Converted to burn oil fuel
1961: To release name for new vessel, renamed MAY (IV), base transferred to Granton
1965: Sold to P & W MacLellan Ltd, Glasgow for breaking up

MAY (II) 1937 - 1962   PIC
Steel Twin-Screw Motorship,147.5 x 29.2 x 12.1 feet
491 Gross Tons; 149 Net Tons
Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 5-cyl by British Auxiliaries Ltd Glasgow
1937: Built by A & J Inglis Ltd, Glasgow (991P) and based at Granton
1961: To release name for POLE STAR (II) renamed MAY III
1962: Laid up at Leith pending disposal
1963: Sold to William J Sutton, London for gas/oil search operations and renamed SURVEYOR
1966: Sold to Overseas & General Brokerage & Finance Co Ltd, London, name unchanged
1969: Sold to Shackleton Aviation Ltd, London, name unchanged
1969: Sold to Gardline Shipping Ltd, London, name unchanged
1977: Sold to P & W McLellan Ltd and broken up at Bo'ness

HESPERUS (II) 1939 - 1972   PIC
Steel Twin-Screw Motorship, 202.5 x 35.2 x 13.4 feet
844 Gross Tons, 306 Net Tons
Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 8-cyl by British Auxiliaries Ltd, Glasgow
1939: Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee, and based at Oban
1964: Transferred to Granton
1974: Sold to Cosag Marine Services Ltd of Great Yarmouth and renamed SPERUS
1982: Sold to Hydrosphere Ltd of London, name unchanged
1984: Sold to Sunderland to Liguria Maritime Ltd of Sittingbourne, Kent on authority of Admiralty Marshal, name unchanged
1985: Broken up on River Medway

PHAROS (VIII) 1955 - 1988   PIC
Steel Twin Screw Motorship, 256.9 x 39.4 x 12.6 feet
1712 Gross Tons, 592 Net Tons
Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 7-Cyl by British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow
1955: Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee (507) and based at Granton
1963: Damaged by fire whilst in drydock at Troon
1988: Sold to Windjammer Cruises, Freeport, Bahamas for service as a cruise ship for 80 passengers and mother ship to a flotilla of yachts and renamed ORIENT EXPRESS
1988: Sold to Amazing Grace SA (R.G Garza Inc, managers), Panama and renamed AMAZING GRACE (94 passengers)
1994: Sold to Shower Holding Inc (International Maritime Resources Inc, managers), Malebo
2000: Owners now International Maritime Resources Ltd, registered at Port of Spain, still in service

POLE STAR (III) 1961 - 1993   PIC
Steel Twin-Screw Motorship, 236.3 x 40.3 x 12.7 feet
1328 Gross Tons; 396 Net Tons
Oil engines (2), 2SCSA, each 6-Cyl, by British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow
1961: Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee, and based at Stromness
1993: Sold to Barefoot Rogue S.A. (International Marine Resources Inc, managers), San Lorenzo, Hohduras and renamed ROGUE
1995: Whilst lying at Port of Spain under going conversion suffered severe damage during hurricane
1997: Sold to Jean Baptiste, Belize, name unchanged
1998: Whilst being pulled up on a slipway at Port of Spain, the rails of the cradle buckled and collapsed
2002: Believe still stranded on the slipway

FINGAL 1964 - 2000    PIC
Steel Twin Screw Motorship, 238.9 x 40.3 x 18.5 feet
1342 Gross Tons
Oil Engines (2) 2SCSA each 6-Cyl British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow
1964: Built by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Glasgow, (the last ship to be built by Yard on 8 August 1963) and based at Oban
1994: Transferred to Stromness
2000: Sold to Tamahine Investments Ltd of Hong Kong, registered London and renamed WINDSOR CASTLE, still in service

PHAROS (IX) 1993 - 8th September 2006 Pic
Steel Twin-Screw Diesel Electric, Length O A 79.58m Beam 14.0m, Draught 4.0m
1986 Gross Registered Tonnage
Diesel-electric, through two conventional main propelled aft and gill-jet bow thrusters, Service Speed 12 kts, 20 tonne crane,200 square metre Buoy Working Deck, Helicopter Deck.
1993: Built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, based in Oban.
Sold 8 September 2006 to Byron Marine Ltd to work in the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic as a fishery patrol and logistic support vessel.

POLE STAR (IV) 2000 - still in service Pic
Diesel-electric power, through two azimuthing thrusters and two tunnel bow-thrusters. Length O.A. 51.5m, Beam 12.0m, Draught 3.2m
1174 Gross Registered Tonnage, Service Speed 12 kts, 12-tonne crane, 200 square metre buoy working deck, dynamic positioning.
2000: Built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, based in Oban.

PHAROS (X) 2007 - still in service Pic
Length O.A 84.25m, Design Draught Moulded 4.25m
Gross Tonnage: 3672 tonnes, Service Speed 12.5 knots, Buoy Crane Capacity 30 tonnes. Dynamic positioning, large aft working deck, integrated bridge management system, forward helicopter flight deck, hydrographic surveying, wreck finding.
2007: Built by Gdanska Stocznia "Remontowa" im. J. Pilsudskiego S.A.
Based in Oban.

Back to top     This comprehensive list of NLB Ships has been reproduced with the kind permission of Graeme Somner.