CROSS CHANNEL QUEEN - SS BRIGHTON

Perhaps the Ultimate Cross Channel Steamer

By Derek Longly

With the loss of Brighton V during World War II the service to Dieppe was in dire need of additional capacity to replace her, and others which had also not survived the conflict, in the post war period as traffic grew once more between England and France. 

In 1950 the shipbuilders Wm. Denny & Bros. Dumbarton yard produced what in the writer's opinion was the finest cross channel steamer up to that date, in the form of another SS Brighton.  Her profile was elegant and classical, she was speedy and her interiors were superior to anything that had ever been seen on the route previously.  She measured 2,875 gross tons and was 311.9 foot long by 43.5 foot in beam.  Her turbines were able to maintain an easy 24 knots but were almost certainly capable of exceeding that speed.

On the boat deck forward was a very fine Smoke Room and Bar decorated in Tudor style with comfortable armchairs and a mock fireplace.  Beneath this was situated the spacious 1st Class Lounge Bar which forward stretched the width of the ship and again was very well fitted out, with the benefit of having windows facing out over the bows as well as to port and starboard.  Aft from here to either side of the superstructure were a number of cabins, both standard and de luxe, for 1st Class passengers paying a supplement.

Aft again on this deck was found a central lobby giving access to both the 1st and 2nd Class accommodation, which provided an entrance to the very fine Dining Saloon unusually placed at this higher level as opposed to on the main deck forward, as had been the case for most previous ships and which again ran the width of the vessel.

Below the Dining Room was the main 2nd Class Lounge, bigger and provided with more seating than on the earlier steamers serving Dieppe, these were upholstered as I recall in a restful blue/grey leather. Elsewhere her other passenger spaces reflected the generally improved trends provided for the comfort of her 1.450 capacity, especially for those travelling on the route's night service.

The Brighton survived on the service longer than any of the other ships on the Dieppe run of her era being retained on a one ship basis after the others had been sold off.  She continued for a period even after the introduction of the car ferry Falaise and was one of the first ships in the fleet to adopt the Monastral Blue hull colours that heralded the introduction of the Sealink nomenclature.

While she lasted on the Newhaven - Dieppe service SS Brighton was always a glorious and memorable sight at sea with her high bow wave and creaming wake when at speed.  She had one unfortunate failing in that she was a notorious 'roller' resulting in her giving some rough rides when the seas were unkind.

Eventually however it was inevitable that her days at Newhaven would come to an end but she still managed to find new employment serving the Channel Islands and French ports from Weymouth and Torquay with Jersey Lines, being re-named La Duchesse de Bretagne by that company.  Sadly she was far too fuel hungry for these longer crossings and this was to result in the early demise of her owners and thus, with no-one else then wanting her, bringing the life of the Brighton to an end.