The “Torbanehill airship" – an Edwardian UFO ?
Newspaper reports of strange lights in the sky
T19034, first published 1st September 2019
In August 1909, the Linlithgowshire Gazette contained a curious report of strange moving lights observed in the night sky at several locations in West Lothian. The sightings, which took place over several nights, were attributed to some unknown airship. This now seems very unlikely, and strange moving lights still remain a mystery.
In 1909, people were obsessed with airships. In that year, German Zeppelins were being prepared for the first regular commercial flights, and the first military versions were being delivered to the German Imperial Army. Britain had made little progress in developing their own lighter-than-air flying machines, and its people felt vulnerable at the realisation that warships and coastal defences were no longer be sufficient to keep inland areas safe. One strategist claimed that “one airship can take the place of a whole division of cavalry”.
In May of 1909, a large iron pipe exploded under pressure at Easton colliery, resulting in big chunks of fractured cast iron raining down over parts of Armadale. As people ran for cover, and it was reported that “not a few speculated on the Germans having landed in the vicinity in one of their mysterious airships”. In the following month, Mr A Gillon, joint master of the hunt joked during a relaxed luncheon speech at the West Lothian show that he thought “some day a fleet of foreign airships might arrive at their show, but he thought the companies of the West Lothian Yeomanry and the Linlithgowshire and Stirlingshire Hunt would prove too much for them”. Meanwhile, Messrs P. Redpath and A. Roberts, sharing an airship costume, won the best dressed bicycle award in the Bathgate Academy parade.
At about 10.20 p.m on 15th August 1909, the night-brushers were arriving for their shift underground at Torbanehill colliery. These workers were employed directly by the coal company to prepare roadways and other underground services at a time when the pit was otherwise deserted. According to the report “their attention was attracted to a large, brilliant light hovering about in the air the east. At first it appeared to be travelling eastward, then took a turn to the south. The greatest interest was created and attention of all hands at the colliery was drawn to the strange appearance in the air.”.......”it took another turn southwards, much the disappointment of those watching for a better view of the body of the machine, which was indistinctly seen in the darkness of the night. The appearance, as far as was able to be made out, was that of large box.”
At the same time, the lights were being followed by the night firemen at Etna brickworks, about half a mile away. They were “curious about the strangeness of such a bright light moving so erratically away to the south” but “did not think it was an airship or aeroplane until later, when their attention was drawn to it by others, who had evidently had a better view”.
Telephone calls were made to other night workers in the Bathgate area who downed tools and climbed local bings for a view of the light which “came from the east and sailed south in the direction of West Calder.
The following night, all eyes looked to the skies in hope of a repeat performance. Some reported a “ball of fire floating through the air” to the south east of South St. in Bathgate, and all who observed it “were satisfied by its movements that it was a flying machine”.
In subsequent nights people continued to look expectantly to the heavens. Two days later, an observer reported seeing a “large light shine out of the darkness in the direction of the east end of the Pentland Hills and travelling in the direction of Seafield oil works. The single beam was revealed to be two points of light when seen through a telescope, and was said to be “quite different in appearance from that of a star”.
The newspaper report put forward the theory that “some inventor is testing his flying machine before he springs it upon the public, and more is likely be heard about it soon.” This never happened, and no further references were made to the mysterious lights in the sky.
At the time the lights were seen, Britain's first rigid airship (the unsuccessful R1) was still under construction in Barrow in Furness, and first British dirigibles were being trialled, without great success, in the south of England. It would be several years before an airship was to fly in Scottish skies. It seems equally unlikely that some unknown early aeroplane chose to navigate the dark skies less than six years after the very first powered flight, and only a month after the first known flight in Scotland. A simple balloon could perhaps have accounted for initial sightings, but probably expectation and imagination had much to do with later reports.
Or, of course, West Lothian was already receiving extraterrestrial visitors more than forty years before the term “UFO” came into popular use?
The “Torbanehill airship" – an Edwardian UFO ?The “Torbanehill airship" – an Edwardian UFO ? In August 1909, the Linlithgowshire Gazette contained a curious report of strange moving lights observed in the night sky at several locations in West Lothian. The sightings, which took place over several nights, were attributed to some unknown airship. This now seems very unlikely, and strange moving lights still remain a mystery. In 1909, people were obsessed with airships. In that year, German Zeppelins were being prepared for the first regular commercial flights, and the first military versions were being delivered to the German Imperial Army. Britain had made little progress in developing their own lighter-than-air flying machines, and its people felt vulnerable at the realisation that warships and coastal defences were no longer be sufficient to keep inland areas safe. One strategist claimed that “one airship can take the place of a whole division of cavalry”. In May of 1909, a large iron pipe exploded under pressure at Easton colliery, resulting in big chunks of fractured cast iron raining down over parts of Armadale. As people ran for cover, and it was reported that “not a few speculated on the Germans having landed in the vicinity in one of their mysterious airships”. In the following month, Mr A Gillon, joint master of the hunt joked during a relaxed luncheon speech at the West Lothian show that he thought “some day a fleet of foreign airships might arrive at their show, but he thought the companies of the West Lothian Yeomanry and the Linlithgowshire and Stirlingshire Hunt would prove too much for them”. Meanwhile, Messrs P. Redpath and A. Roberts, sharing an airship costume, won the best dressed bicycle award in the Bathgate Academy parade. At about 10.20 p.m on 15th August 1909, the night-brushers were arriving for their shift underground at Torbanehill colliery. These workers were employed directly by the coal company to prepare roadways and other underground services at a time when the pit was otherwise deserted. According to the report “their attention was attracted to a large, brilliant light hovering about in the air the east. At first it appeared to be travelling eastward, then took a turn to the south. The greatest interest was created and attention of all hands at the colliery was drawn to the strange appearance in the air.”.......”it took another turn southwards, much the disappointment of those watching for a better view of the body of the machine, which was indistinctly seen in the darkness of the night. The appearance, as far as was able to be made out, was that of large box.” At the same time, the lights were being followed by the night firemen at Etna brickworks, about half a mile away. They were “curious about the strangeness of such a bright light moving so erratically away to the south” but “did not think it was an airship or aeroplane until later, when their attention was drawn to it by others, who had evidently had a better view”. Telephone calls were made to other night workers in the Bathgate area who downed tools and climbed local bings for a view of the light which “came from the east and sailed south in the direction of West Calder. The following night, all eyes looked to the skies in hope of a repeat performance. Some reported a “ball of fire floating through the air” to the south east of South St. in Bathgate, and all who observed it “were satisfied by its movements that it was a flying machine”. In subsequent nights people continued to look expectantly to the heavens. Two days later, an observer reported seeing a “large light shine out of the darkness in the direction of the east end of the Pentland Hills and travelling in the direction of Seafield oil works. The single beam was revealed to be two points of light when seen through a telescope, and was said to be “quite different in appearance from that of a star”. The newspaper report put forward the theory that “some inventor is testing his flying machine before he springs it upon the public, and more is likely be heard about it soon.” This never happened, and no further references were made to the mysterious lights in the sky. At the time the lights were seen, Britain's first rigid airship (the unsuccessful R1) was still under construction in Barrow in Furness, and first British dirigibles were being trialled, without great success, in the south of England. It would be several years before an airship was to fly in Scottish skies. It seems equally unlikely that some unknown early aeroplane chose to navigate the dark skies less than six years after the very first powered flight, and only a month after the first known flight in Scotland. A simple balloon could perhaps have accounted for initial sightings, but probably expectation and imagination had much to do with later reports. Or, of course, West Lothian was already receiving extraterrestrial visitors more than forty years before the term “UFO” came into popular use?
Posted by West Lothian Heritage on Sunday, 1 September 2019