TOD HEAD Lighthouse between Montrose and Stonehaven, a mariner’s marker for almost a century, is now considered redundant.

The Northern Lighthouse Board has said that while many other lighthouses still serve a vital function, Tod Head has no purpose other than waypoint navigation along a coastline already well marked by Scurdie Ness at Montrose and Girdleness near Aberdeen.

The future of Tod Head on its spectacular rocky headland on the Mearns coast is considered in a review of aids to navigation around the UK and Republic of Ireland to ensure that an efficient and cost effective service is provided for all mariners over the next 15 years.

The survey has been undertaken by the three general lighthouse authorities (GLAs) —Trinity House Lighthouse Service, the Northern Lighthouse Board and Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Tod Head was built by David A. Stevenson of the famous Stevenson engineering family and the light was switched on in 1897.

For almost a century its light has flashed white every 30 seconds and until 1987 its fog-horn sounded when the haar swept in.

In 1973 the light was changed from a paraffin vapour burner to electricity and in 1988 the lighthouse was automated.

The name Tod Head could be from Gaelic toedhadh, meaning warm or simmering, but is more likely to be from tod, old lowland Scots for fox.

A spokesperson for the North Lighthouse Board said yesterday that until a final decision on the findings of the review has been taken, the future of Tod Head remained undecided.

The maritime world is developing rapidly as craft get larger and faster and traffic in busy areas increases year on year.

Against this background, the GLA’s vision for 2020 has been developed and, despite the provision of terrestrial radio- navigation, backup is considered essential.

While in time some lighthouses may be discontinued, over-reliance on satellite navigation systems is a concern and lighthouses that remain will have an enhanced role with value added services including the provision of meteorological data.