Airfield beacons

[gpe_mk]

I have been asked to find out if there any airfields or airports in the UK which have a rotating light beacon on the top of the control tower or other similar high structure.
I have seen some abroad, which swept around rather like a lighthouse, but do not recall seeing them in the UK.
Are there any left, or have they all been replaced by more recent technology?
Many thanks,
Martin

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Not sure of the use of rotating beacons in the UK; those I've experienced have been fixed, sending ID in CW.

[ZOOKER]

Birmingham had a rotating beacon which was working in the early 70s. I think it was on a hangar roof near to the tower. I'm sure it flashed alternate green and white.
Manchester had a similarly-mounted rotating beacon. I think it was on one of the hangars which stood near what is now T3. I believe the beacon is now in the airport archive.

[mr grumpy]

Aldergrove had one in the 70's as well. Green and white rotating. Very impressive on a misty night.

[Atcham Tower]

Yes, Manch's beacon has been restored and preserved.

Liverpool had a rotating beacon as well.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

As did Croydon.

[Lon More]

... and Brooklands.



Did I ever tell you about me and Amelia?

[Scoggy]

London Southend (Rochford) still has its one in full operation.

[vulcanised]

London Southend (Rochford) still has its one in full operation.


Must be very low power because I can't see it from a couple of miles away.

It used to be very visible here, but that was years ago.

[eastern wiseguy]

Not in the UK...but close...but Dublin has one...

[Danscowpie]

Difficult to see, very expensive to maintain.
In the UK, once they get ill they are generally summarily despatched to the big light in the sky, never to return to service.

[fireflybob]

Difficult to see, very expensive to maintain.

Not always - recall night flying in the 1960/1970s and Birmingham was one of the best which on a good night could be seen circa 30/40 miles away!

They come from times that predate modern navigation systems and the reliablity (!) of both airborne and ground communications, not to mention items such as SSR.

I only remarked a few weeks ago when northbound passing the Channel Isles on a clear night at FL 360 how one used to be able to see all the marine lights/lighthouses etc in the "olden days" - it was quite fun sitting there trying to identify them all.

[stevep64]

I don't know how true it is, but apparently if you were heading to Brisbane airport and saw the beacon on the tower during the day, slow down because there's a police radar trap ahead. The cops twigged to it and asked them to stop, so now you look for the blue light on top of the tower instead. :ok:

[chevvron]

The rotating green/white beacons are VERY visible in the New York area. I took off from Newark one evening in the back of a 737 and you could literally see dozens of them. By the way, they don't have to rotate, just flash alternate green/white.
But don't get confused between AD Beacons and ident beacons which are green (only) and flash the code letters of the airfield, usually the ones displayed in the signals square.
AD beacons can also be a flashing white light when approved by the CAA.
If you see red flashes when you expect green, you've found a military airfield.

[snips]

Southampton has a rotating beacon on top of the tower, St Marys ISC has the Green flashing beacon with the morse ident.