The LV18 re-opened to visitors a little over three weeks ago and we are delighted that the public can, once again, explore our unique example of the UK’s maritime history.
We are extremely grateful to all the visitors for their generous donations towards our restoration fund. You can donate online using this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund
Open 11-4 daily.
The LV18 will be open for visitors from Saturday 25th May, returning to our customary hours of 11am to 4pm.
Visitors are welcome to come aboard the LV18, walk around the deck and go down below to see how the lightvessel crews lived during their months at sea. There’s also a history of pirate radio and examples of radio over the last century.
Most of the vessel is open to the public apart from a small area which is still undergoing refurbishment.
Please note that the ship was not built for those who need additional accessibility.
Our enforced closure was due to the disastrous arson on 2nd Feb. The clean up that followed has also delayed our normal winter maintenance activities – a few of these remain so please bare with us!
We welcome donations to our restoration fund
https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund
Nine weeks after the fire that devastated the LV18 we can now show some photos of the most severely damaged area, after they have been mostly cleared of debris.
From the quayside the worst area is clearly visible, concentrated around the starboard aft cabin area.
Within the ship, anything combustible was destroyed. This included cabins and all the electrical equipment.
The damage to the electrical systems was throughout the ship and every cable, socket and distribution panel has needed to be replaced. That included the studio, located in the ship’s lookout.
The studio was unusable until just a few days before the broadcast. Every item of equipment was damaged beyond use due to the smoke.
Most of the studio vinyl collection was damaged beyond use
Essex Police have opened a criminal investigation into the fire.
Easter Weekend was a blast, with our visiting celebrity DJs and BBC Essex’s live broadcast from the ship on Easter Saturday, as well as the show at the Electric Palace on Easter Monday.
We were marking the 60th anniversary of UK offshore and independent radio and were delighted that we could have Keith Skues and Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day in our studio during the weekend.
Roger is reading Keith’s latest book
Our thanks to Keith & Roger for agreeing to spend the weekend with us.
Otherwise we had shows from Stephen ‘Foz’ Foster (formerly BBC Suffolk, Radio Orwell and more!), Garry Lee, Chris Cooper, Paul Windsor, Rick Marks, Olly KInvig, Dave Kent, Jim Fourniadis and Duke Anthony.
Duke was in Harwich on holiday when he heard about the fire and offered to help put the studio back together. A day or so later he was presenting a show!
The Easter celebration of radio had been planned for many months before the devastating fire and it was only due to hard work by many people that we were able to proceed with the weekend.
With the generosity of the New Bell Inn, Electric Palace Trust and Scruton Wyatt Media we have added a substantial amount to our regeneration fund.
The following was sent to the Harwich & Manningtree Standard for the 5th April 2024 edition.
Radio Mi Amigo was broadcast from historic light vessel LV18 in Harwich Harbour over Easter Weekend, with fans flocking to Harwich to help mark the 60th anniversary of offshore broadcasting. Radio Caroline started the radio revolution in 1964 just off the coast of Harwich, and were soon joined by other ships. The guest DJs, on board the LV18, for the weekend included Keith ‘Cardboard Shoes’ Skues and Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day who were both on Radio Caroline, and other ships, in the mid 1960s.
Radio Mi Amigo was also supported by visiting DJs Stephen ‘Foz’ Foster, Garry Lee, Olly Kinvig, Paul Windsor, Chris Cooper, Rick Marks, Dave Kent and Duke Anthony. Duke had arrived in Harwich to help put the studio together but ended up in the studio chair hosting several shows!
One highlight of the weekend was when Keith Skues and Roger Day shared the studio to talk about their lives afloat sixty years ago, before they headed to the Electric Palace as guests of BBC Essex presenters Steve Scruton and Ian Wyatt. The proceeds of that show will be donated to the LV18 Restoration Fund, along with a donation from the Electric Palace Trust from film revenue over the Easter Weekend’s 1960s film festival.
BBC Essex was broadcast live from the LV18 on Easter Saturday, with Steve Scruton interviewing the DJs, fans who had gathered on the quayside and members of the public.
The Pharos Trust, which owns and operates the LV18, also hosted a visit by three member of the Tendring District Council Economic Development team, which has been working with the Trust on a community radio project over the past six months.
It is hoped that the ship will re-open to the public by the end of May, once the immediate restoration work and clean-up have been completed. A further live radio weekend is being planned for August.
The Pharos Trust thanks everyone who helped put together the wonderful weekend in the LV18’s floating studio and would especially like to thank those who helped raise money for the continuing Restoration Fund.
Radio Ship Back On Air For 60th Anniversary of Pirates
The LV18 will be able to take part in the 60th anniversary of offshore broadcasting after a mammoth effort by contractors and volunteers to prepare and repair the ship following the horrendous fire on 2nd February, The work has been gratefully supported by the community and businesses, including the New Bell Inn and Electric Palace, who have raised money for the Pharos Trust to help the ship’s restoration.
The Radio Mi Amigo studio was ready on Thursday to ensure that shows will be able to be broadcast from the LV18 over the Easter weekend. This weekend marks the date 60 years ago when Radio Caroline started a radio revolution just off the coast from Harwich.
Two original 1960s pirate DJs, Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day and Keith Skues, will be broadcasting from the Mi Amigo studio over the weekend, and will also be appearing at the Electric Palace on Monday for a live show about pirate radio, hosted by Steve Scruton and Ian Wyatt of BBC Essex. Other DJs taking part include Stephen ‘Foz’ Foster, Garry Lee, Paul Windsor, Olly Kinvig and Chris Cooper.
BBC Essex will be also be broadcasting live from on board the LV18 on Easter Saturday with Steve Scruton and Ian Wyatt between 2 and 6. Steve is also hosting a fundraising show for the LV18 restoration at the Electric Palace on Bank Holiday Monday. The cinema is also showing a dedicated weekend of 1960’s films, including ‘Dateline Diamonds’, some of which, was filmed in Harwich and on board the Radio London pirate ship in 1965. The cinema is donating a proportion of the proceeds to the Pharos charitable trust, which owns and operates LV18
Tony O’Neil, chairman of the Pharos Trust, said he was delighted that the ship’s studio would be available for the weekend, and this was a testament to the efforts everyone had put in and to the enormous support the charitable trust has received from voluntary efforts and community involvement alike. There is still much work to be done to finish the restoration work and a crowd funder has been set up to assist in this. It is hoped that the unique heritage vessel will shortly be reopened to the public.
The following is a press release that was submitted to the Harwich & Manningtree Standard for the Friday 16th Feb 2024 edition:
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A fortnight after the horrific fire that threatened to destroy the LV18 Lightship, plans are now being finalised to restore the ship to its original condition. In the past few days a highly qualified marine surveyor has been appointed to drive the project whilst meetings have also taken place with a Marine Insurance Assessor and our legal team. These meetings were necessary but had to wait for the right people to be available. Subject to a written sign-off from these professionals, we should soon be in a position to move forward, albeit carefully, to clean and restore the vessel.
Tony O’Neil, of the Pharos Trust, said “We needed to get the right team of professionals together and haven’t been able to say very much until the site meetings had been held and the necessary legal & HSE steps accomplished. Our Marine Surveyor will overview the process and ensure all regulations are followed. We are, of course, extremely grateful to Essex Police and Harwich Haven Authority for their continued support.”
A team of volunteers will, when all safety measures have been implemented, take part in the restoration but a professional team will be removing the majority of the smoke damage. We currently believe this will be late February or early March.
The Pharos Trust has also been in contact with the Charity Commission to ensure our funding arrangements are compatible with our restoration plan and we are pleased to confirm that this is indeed the case. A Go Fund Me appeal has been started by Heather O’Neil, on behalf of the Pharos Trust, and this has so far exceeded £5000 of the £25000 target. The Charity Commission has approved this appeal.
Tony O’Neil said “Our solicitor is overseeing all the legal aspects of the restoration and this includes our charity status, which he himself was responsible for. We have always taken professional advice and followed legal routes to funding.”
Tony O’Neil added. “We are still planning to be involved in the 60th anniversary of offshore pirate radio, and we are working hard to ensure that the ship is ready for public events happening at Easter.”
Fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund
Update 10.45pm 12 Feb 2024:
Due to the quantity of water needed to fight the fire, this had left the LV18 listing heavily to starboard. After a meeting involving marine professionals, overseen by a newly appointed marine surveyor, the ship has been made level and is not currently at risk. The appointed marine surveyor is now due in the next few days to identify anything else that needs to be done regarding the ship’s integrity.
A marine insurance surveyor / assessor is also due to visit although we have been in regular contact with our specialist marine insurers.
We have also confirmed with the Charity Commission that we are operating within their legal guidelines, and that the crowdfunding on our behalf is permitted. Copies of all legal and insurance documents will also be lodged with the Trust’s solicitor this week.
We are grateful to those who have already donated, your money will be used to restore the ship and contents and is ring-fenced for that purpose and will be held securely in the charity bank account. We have also had many offers of voluntary assistance but until the surveyors have agreed that it is safe then we have to wait.
We are, of course, grateful to all the officers from the emergency services who assisted saving the ship on the night of the fire and have been involved in the subsequent investigation.
A further update will be given when there is new information.
Pharos Trust
Issued 4th February 2024:
As you may be aware, the LV18 suffered a major fire on 2nd Feb 2024. as such our ship has been severely damaged.
If you can, please visit our Go Fund Me page to contribute towards the restoration of this unique vessel. We will put back the radio station feeds as soon as possible.