16mm film archive - Royal Sovereign Light

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The new lighthouse and the safety it provides will soon be taken for granted just one of the many lights in the Trinity House chain round the coast

Produced by Stewart films and commissioned by the Corporation of Trinity House -1972

The Royal Sovereign lighthouse marks the Royal Sovereign shoal off the south coast of England at Eastbourne. It was completed in 1971 and replaced a light vessel which had protected the shoal since 1875.

It is of concrete construction and was built in two sections on the beach at Newhaven. The base and vertical pillar section were floated into position and sunk on to a levelled area of the sea bed and the upper cabin section and superstructure were then floated over the pillar section.

The main contractors were Christiani & Nielsen and the consulting engineers were Sir William Halcrow and Partners.

Interesting fact:
The voice over in the film was by Peter Dyneley who was also the voice of Jeff Tracey in the TV show Thunderbirds.