LIGHTSHIP : LV23 PLANET
Particulars:
Name: LV23 Planet
Length: 125.3 feet (38.19m) extended with helipad to 133ft (40.54m)
Beam: 26.65 feet (8.12m)
Draught: 16.4 feet (4.99m)
Year of construction: 1959
Material: steel (riveted)
Displacement: 400 tonnes
110v decommissioned
240v shore power distribution installed
Generator: 4 x Ruston & Hornby 4YC2 Diesel, 2 x Ruston & Hornby 6YC2 Diesel
Shipyard: Philip & Son, Dartmouth, Devon, England
Yard-No: 1312
Original contract price: £171, 541
Authority from 1958: Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, Liverpool
Authority from 1972: Trinity House, London
Accomodation:
7 fitted cabins
2 cleared cabins
gallery
crew mess
captains mess
engineer workspace
2 chain and rope stores
2 heads (1 converted to Envirolet eco toilet)
2 wet rooms
laundry room
drying room
boiler room gutted
generator room
radio room
bridge
History:
September 1958 - ordered by Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, Liverpool
May 24th, 1960 - launched
September 9th, 1960 - handed over
1960-1972 - used on Liverpool BAR station
September 4th, 1972 - removed from the BAR station, sold to Trinity House, LOndon and became No. 23 in their fleet
February 1974 - July 18th, 1975 - KENTISH KNOCK station the last lightvessel being withdrawn from this station
1975-1979 - VARNE station
August 1979 - 1989 - CHANNEL station
June 10th, 1989 - demanned, last manned lightvessel on CHANNEL station
July 25th, 1991 - arrive Portsmouth under tow after sale to Pound's Marine Services Ltd, Portsmouth
1992 - resold to Mick Critchley and Keith Gane, who brought the lightship to the Cammell Laird's Wet Basin and later to Birkenhead
1997 - the Liverpool Marine Radio and Electronic Society is using the lightship for an exhibition. People from this society later founded the Mersey Lightvessel Preservation Society who were planning to rebuild the lightship to its original look. They struggled to raise the £375,000 to buy and renovate the lightship.
2002 - open to the public at the Historic Warship Museum, East Float Dock, Dock Road, Birkenhead
2004 - purchased by Gary McClarnan
2005 - moved to Cross Quay Birkenhead for renovation works
2006 - new berth in historic Albert Docks Liverpool
