NOTHING in Southampton's long sea-going history has captured imaginations more than the story of the ill-fated Titanic.

This continued fascination stretches back 90 years to April 1912 when the most famous of all White Star liners set out from Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York.

On board were the top international socialites of their day as well as hundreds of emigrants looking forward to a new life in America.

The ship of dreams was never to reach its destination. Instead Titanic slipped below the Atlantic waves with huge loss of life after she struck an iceberg.

A shroud of mourning was to descend over the rows of terraced homes in Southampton's dockland streets where few families escaped losing a husband, father or son from the ship's crew.

Now Titanic's story is being told once again in a new book.

Titanic In Picture Postcards has been compiled and written by Robert McDougall and Robin Gardiner and contains more than 200 illustrations.

"Portrayed as unsinkable, Titanic was to demonstrate that man's ingenuity could still be found wanting when faced by the extremes of nature,'' said Mr McDougall.

"Although Titanic was one of countless vessels that have sunk over the past century, her loss is one that has affected human consciousness perhaps more than any other.

"The drama of the actual collision with the iceberg and the liner's gradual sinking, the speculation over the final music played by Wallace Hartley and the liner's orchestra, the stories of survival and the poignant tales of loss have all conspired to keep the story of Titanic in the forefront of the public imagination from the date of her loss right through to the present day.''

The book paints a particularly vivid scene of the dockside activity in Southampton in the hours leading up to Titanic's departure on April 10.

"Just before 11.30am the boat train arrived from London with its load of first-class and second class passengers,'' says the book.

"These went aboard the ship through the midships entrance on B deck, where they were met by stewards and shown to their cabins.

"First-class passengers were given guide books to help them find their way round the ship. This turned out to be quite useful to many of the crew as they could always ask for directions from a guide book-flourishing passenger.

"Individuals of all classes also made their own way to the ship, many first-class from Southampton's elegant South Western Hotel.''

Later the authors describe the last moments of Titanic as, fatally-holed, the 45,000-ton liner reared up out of the water and then disappeared below the surface.

"At about 2.15am Titanic's stern began to lift out of the water as her bows sank,'' says the book.

"Passengers and crew alike scrambled towards the rear of the ship in an attempt to prolong their lives by a minute or two.

"There were already people who had fallen, jumped or even been washed overboard from the ship.

"The band, which had been steadily playing light music throughout, now struck up a hymn Nearer My God to Thee, the bandmaster's favourite. From the lifeboats people could see a green glow coming from the submerged part of the ship as the lights continued to burn inside.

"When Titanic foundered hundreds of people were thrown into the water. Most would have died instantly from the shock of being suddenly immersed in water at minus two degrees centigrade. Those who survived would have only a couple of minutes before the cold immobilised and then killed them.''

Next week: Was it Titanic that really sank?

Titanic In Picture Postcards by Robert McDougall and Robin Gardiner is published by Ian Allan Publishing at £19.99.