Trinity House commissioned LV 77 in 1910. John Crown & Sons Ltd.(Hull #140) launched 17th October 1911 she was an automated LV completed in 1911

LV 77 was actually an unmmaned automated light float. she capsized in severe NW gale 31.1.1953. and sank during salvage attempt by THVs "Vestal" and "Ready", 15.2.1953

Apparently the British were pioneers when it came to unmanned vessels,at the time termed ‘crewless’ light vessels, from the early 1900s.
Crewless vessels were used on the Scottish OTTER ROCK, SKEIRINOE and CASH SGEIR stations from 1901-06 which were built by the Clyde Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd.
similar vessels were built and sent to the Persian gulf/India, along with vessels being built in Australia in conjunction with the same designer

Wolflyn,

Many thanks for your various recent posts about Crown-built lightvessels, all of which add to our store of information about Sunderland-built ships.

Your mention of the loss of no. 77 in 1953 brings to mind the more tragic loss of the SOUTH GOODWIN LIGHTSHIP in November 1954, one of several formative events towards later developing my shipping interests. At that time I'd just had my 9th birthday!

See: http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history- ... tship.html

Ron