Oxcars

Oxcars lighthouse was built by David and Thomas Stevenson and first exhibited on 15 February 1886. In 1894 it became the first of the Northern Lights to be automated.

The beacon first came into operation on 15th February 1886 and initially it was lit using an oil burner. In 1894 it became the first of the Northern Lights to be automated. A concrete platform was built on the rock to house the three gas-holders, which were replaced every fortnight from the nearby Granton Depot.

The automatic gas light was operated by clockwork and had to be wound up every fortnight when the engineers changed the gas supply. The flame was always alight, but its intensity increased during hours of darkness. This mechanism was later replaced with an automatic AGA Sun Valve.
The original mechanism is on display at the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

Whilst the lighthouse is visible from the shoreline, one of the best ways to see it is by boat. The Maid of the Forth sightseeing cruises depart from Hawes Pier at South Queensferry.