Smoking Beacon

Took a wander around Southampton Docks and came across this Millennium Beacon at the end the quayside. Apparently there were around 2,500 of these beacons forming a chain around the UK and they were lit at midnight at the turn of the century (gosh - doesn't that sound a long time ago!!)
I liked the way the clouds overhead looked like smoke coming out of the beacon.

I wonder if they have been used since the year 2000?
Will they ever be used again?
or left to rust away!
Do you have one near you?