TWO letters written by a steward on the Titanic are expected to fetch £4,000 at auction early next month.

The letters were written by Len Taylor while the tragic liner waited in Southampton to set sail on her ill-fated maiden voyage.

In one of the letters to his parents in Blackpool, he writes: "You can't realise the enormity of this mammoth vessel until you get on her.

"It's marvellous, one long alleyway, as far as the eye can see, then the 1st Class compartment, where we are, by the way, is all beautifully decorated, the staircase heading to the baths is of oak, we also have a room to ourselves, with a table, dressing table, washbowl & stove in it."

The handwritten letters, describing Mr Taylor's first look at the ship, will be auctioned by Christie's in London on Thursday, November 9.

In one letter, Mr Taylor, who was hired to look after the swimming bath, added: "I have got to pay my own digs when in dock, my own laundry, and buy my own uniform before Wednesday, so if you will send me some money I will pay you back at the earliest opportunity.

"My wages are 3/6 every day I work & I'm sacked at every voyage end. Your loving son, Len."

Mr Taylor was one of more than 1,500 people who died when the ship went down on April 15, 1912. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

He was born in Glossop, Derbyshire. He signed on to the Titanic - his first ship - on April 6, 1912 and gave his address as 6 Sherbourne Road, Blackpool.

It is thought he was the junior Turkish bath attendant, earning £4 a month.

The Titanic's captain was Edward Smith, who had lived with his family in an imposing house called 'Woodhead', at Winn Road, Portswood, Southampton.

A cast-bronze plaque of 62-year-old Captain Smith depicting him with folded arms and wearing the White Star Line uniform is another Titanic souvenir to go under the hammer.

It is set to fetch up to £500.

Captain Smith's responsibility at the wheel of the Titanic came with a salary of £1,250 per year and a no-collision bonus of $200.

Surprisingly little is known about his movements in the last two hours of the ship. His legendary skills of leadership seem to have left him; he was, it is claimed, curiously indecisive and unusually cautious.

He was last seen in the bridge area, having given the final order to abandon ship. He appears to have made no attempt to save himself.

Like that of Mr Taylor, the body of Captain Smith, if recovered, was never identified.