Seeing the light
The final lick of paint was added today, as
part of an extensive makeover of one of Cornwall’s most prominent
landmarks.
Painters from Ian Williams have spent a number
of weeks working on Trevose Head Lighthouse, Padstow.
The navigation aid was first erected in
December 1847 and stands at 27 metres tall. It highlights the
hazard to sailors navigating the Devon and Cornish coastline.
Employees at Ian Williams, which has a
regional office in Plymouth, have undergone specialist training to
complete the work. The contract follows the completion of similar
large-scale jobs elsewhere in the country, including the Clifton
Suspension Bridge.
The work at Trevose Head is part of an ongoing
contract with Trinity House, which owns 69 lighthouses across the
UK. Jobs already completed in the area to improve the safety of
mariners include the decoration of Pendeen Lighthouse, near St
Just.
Specialist paint and equipment has been used
to protect the building and workers from the elements. In total
five painters worked on the project and used 695 litres of paint to
finish the job.
Ian Flatt, general manager at Ian Williams,
said: “We are delighted to have finished this latest challenge. We
have a strong approach to training which means that our staff have
the required skills to handle a job of this size, although the
helicopter required to reach some of the sites will be a new
experience to many.
“As an organisation we enjoy new challenges
and we are confident of exceeding our clients’ expectations. Our
core experience of painting has certainly been tested but being one
of the UK’s largest painters means nothing fazes the team now, not
even wind, water and waves!"