To brightly shine again?
Morecambe Bay lightvessel; believed to be LV72 c1903
LV72 photo by Alan David Keall
Morecambe Bay lightvessel; believed to be LV72 c1903
LV72 also known as JUNO is a 35 metre iron hulled 121 year old light-vessel currently laying derelict on the River Neath in South Wales.
Ex Trinity House Lightvessel no. 72
A guiding light to mariners for nearly 70 years.
Saw active service during WW2 off the coast of Normandy.
Listed on the National Historic Ships UK register, Certificate no.143
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due to the increase in the numbers of the public and urban explorers trying to visit the lightvessel, the owner has asked everyone not to try and visit, the light vessel is private property, and access is through a working wharf with heavy plant equipment operating. your cooperation is appeciated. Security fencing is now in place to prevent access at the jetty edge.
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Please note, much of the media and some of the urban explorers have misquoted some facts on LV72
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although she was used in Operation Neptune, the seabourne invasion of Normandy, she was not present on D-day itself ,something the vast majority of journalist and social media posts and youtube videos keep misquoting,, on that day she was still in London and and she would be placed on station on the 18th of June.
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she is also quoted as being used in Dunkirk,,, as she is not listed as one of the Dunkirk little ships, and there is no record of her being there on Trinity House records
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In the news 2025
February Allan Stevens adds LV68 Kansas to his list of ships in bottles, Kansas was the second lightship stationed off the Normandy coast in 1944. photos
January, a model of LV72 is scratch built
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LV72 appeared in the usual social media posts but again a lot of them misrepresent her involvement in Operation Neptune
In the news 2024
July - an individual expressed an interest in returning LV72 back to Sunderland, he made inquiries with the owner but nothing came of it.
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June/July - Ship in a bottle builder Allan Stevens adds LV72 Juno to his list of builds. photos
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LV72 appeared in the usual social media posts but again a lot of them misrepresent her involvement in Operation Neptune
In the news 2023
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15 February; War History online
27 January youtube video by Military Historian and author Mark Felton watch the video
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3 January a collector in the UK finds a WW2 helmet that was used on LV72 served on Shipwash station: photos
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In the news 2022
March - barriers are erected by the owners to prevent access on board
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February - an instagram challenge sees artists from around the world create individual artwork on LV72 in the form of water colours and sketches an it also inspired a poem written by Andrew Addis-Fuller view the artwork and poem
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In the news 2021
October: a collector finds a WW2 helmet that was used on LV72 served on Shipwash station all the way over in Canada. photo
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January ; Admiral Lord Alan West voices his concerns about LV72 in connection with David Austins
article last November article
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In the news 2020
November ; Britain at War
- an article was published on Britain at War where David Austin spoke to them about his plans to find backers for a project to try and restore LV72 ; article
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September - Military collector Kevin Wheatcroft offers a free berth at his drydock if an organistion takes up the gauntlet of preserving LV72
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September; the pupils of Coedfranc primary school write and perform a song about trying to save LV72, more on their story
29 August Westen mail
25 August Warhistoryonline
10 August walesonline
9 August Jayexplores drone video
6 august Forcesnet
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In the news 2019
urban explorer video
urban explore video
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In the news 2018
urban explorer video
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In the news 2017
in 2017 we introduced KDC London to the owners, unfortunately, it did not progress any further
Urban explore video
Urban explorer video
Urban explorer video
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In the news 2016
there has been no updates on the SOSOL project since Nov 2016 :-(
June 2019 SOSOL video
April 2016 SOSOL video
March 2016 SOSOL video
Jan 2016 Wales news service video
Jan2016 SOSOL launch thier fund raising campaign to take LV72 back home to Sunderland
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In the news 2015
31 Dec 2015
Western Mail article about Lv72
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30 Dec 2015
Mail online article about LV72.
19 Nov 2015
Wales online article about LV72.
14 Nov 2015
Military enthusiast Daniel Broom features in a South Wales Evening post article trying to find information on LV72
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In the news Early years
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2006/7 a Maritme heritage group visited LV72 with the idea of returning LV72 her back to Sunderland, no agreement on a purchase price was agreed at the time, and support for the possible project did not receive the hoped backing by Sunderland council to secure a berth
1997 ITV Wales did a short article on the lightship in Neath Abbey
1994SKY TV article about her which I have yet to track down,
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A maritime group from Newport visited LV72 at Neath Abbey in the late 80s,early 90s as they were looking for a vessel restore to use as their HQ
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