The Bell Rock lighthouse, described as one of the seven wonders of the industrial world, is working once again after being plunged into darkness due to a technical fault.
Engineers at the Northern Lighthouse Board were alerted to the failure of the light and radar enhancing equipment after a generator failed to charge the batteries of the light, which has a nominal range of 18 nautical miles and normally flashes a white light every five seconds.
Locals also expressed concern that the light had not been seen for several days.
Director of operations at the Northern Lighthouse Board, Phil Day, confirmed the failure, but added that mariners had been advised of the situation, and the light is now operational once again.
He said: “There is a diesel generator in the lighthouse which charges the batteries, however it developed a fault which meant that the batteries ran down, and it was unlit for several days.
“There is a contingency plan in place to deal with these situations and this was put into action.
“However, we can only fly in during daylight hours and the tides made this very problematic and delayed the team getting out there.
The Racon transmitter-receiver on the Bell Rock, which is triggered by radar and automatically returns a distinctive signal providing range, bearing and identification information, also failed to operate.
Mr Day added: “This does happen from time to time, but a notice to mariners is issued in these circumstances, and a subsequent notice to mariners to advise that the lighthouse is operational again has been circulated.”
The Bell Rock lighthouse is scheduled to be re-engineered within the next two years, when solar panels and the diesel generator will be replaced with a more efficient system.
Also known as Inchcape, the rocks run for some 2,000 feet across shipping routes of the Firths of Tay and Forth, and have proved to be a significant hazard to shipping over the centuries.
By the turn of the 18th century, each winter would see a number of ships founder on the rocks, but it was not until 1807 that work began on the lighthouse, which was constructed in such challenging conditions that it has been dubbed one of the seven wonders of the industrial world.
Disaster has previously struck when the light was not operating.
During both world wars, the lighthouse was switched on when ships were expected to pass the reef.
However, in 1915 the captain of an armoured cruiser sent a routine signal requesting the light be on during the night of October 27.
The message was never passed on, and the Argyll foundered on the reef and sank, although there were no casualties among the 655 crew.
