LV16 Lightvessel, Colchester

LV16 lightvessel dates from 1954 and is currently home to the Colchester Sea Cadets as TS Colne.

The LV16 lightvessel was built by Philip & Son Dartmouth and launched on 1st July 1954. On September 30 1954, she was officially handed over to Trinity House and her first station was Cromer in 1995.

Over the next few years, LV16 served various stations, including Varne in the English Channel and Royal Sovereign on April 22, 1958.

By November 1960, LV16 was stationed at South Goodwin, a notorious spot in the English Channel where the shifting sands had claimed many vessels. Unfortunately, disaster struck on 6th December 1960, when the LV16 sustained damage. She was sent to Tyne Dock Engineering (TDE) for repairs.

Further stations included Shambles off the Dorset coast. On February 23, 1974, LV16 was placed at North Goodwin, a position she held until she was replaced by LV20 in 1976.

In December 1977, LV16 experienced a collision that required significant repairs. She was taken to Richards in Lowestoft and, during her time out of service, replaced by LV5. LV16 resumed duty in January 1983 at Newarp off the Norfolk coast, serving until late 1983.

In early 1984, the lightvessel underwent Dry Dock and Repairs at Sunderland, after which she was transferred to Sevenstones. Throughout 1985 and early 1986, LV16 was stationed for temporary duty at Blackwall, Dowsing, Channel and Haisbro.

By June 1988, LV16 was sold to the Astrid Trust at Ocean Village, Southampton. 

LV16 was bough by the Colchester Sea Cadets in 1990 and towed up the River Colne in the same year. She was transformed into a Training Ship (TS) for the Colchester Sea Cadets. Commissioned by the Duke of York in 1991, she was renamed the TS Colne Light, and the former lightvessel found a new purpose, serving as a floating base for maritime education and training.

She was moved further down the Colne in 1992. She can be easily seen along the aptly named Lightship Way.