ordered by Trinity House, London

launched

handed over to Trinity House originally on St. Gowan station

sold to Sea Containers Ltd. for use in a proposed marina development at House Creek, Harwich which did not go ahead

Since 1999 the lightship has been used for licensed offshore broadcasting as Radio North Sea International, Radio Caroline, Radio Mi Amigo and twice as Pirate BBC Essex in 2004 and 2007. On the latter of those occasions the station ran for a week on the 40th anniversary of the Marine Offences Act, which made pirate radio illegal. On that occasion several of the original pirate broadcasters transmitted around the clock, with Johnny Walker, Dave Cash, Emperor Roscoe and others familiar to those whose musical memories came from outside territorial waters.

April 26th, 2001 Sea Containers Ltd. sold the lightship for 1 GBP to the Pharos Trust, which is restoring it at Harwich today

LV18 has returned to Harwich after starring in a new blockbuster film. The tug MURIA towed it from Harwich to Portland for Frigate Films, which provides marine services to Universal Pictures and Working Title Films. Filming for the new Richard Curtis movie 'The Boat That Rocked' has been taking place in and around the Dorset harbour of Portland over the past 5 weeks. The movie is set on a pirate radio station in 1966, it charts a love triangle between two DJs, played by Kenneth Branagh and Rhys Ifans and an American girl, played by January Jones. LV 18 plays the rival station Radio Sunshine and has been partially repainted yellow for the film. The film was retitled "Pirate Radio" for release in the United States and Canada.

If anyone has news, I would be grateful for an e-mail.