SS Brighton (1903)

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|Ship image=0106.JPG

|Ship image size = 300px

|Ship caption=HMHS Brighton (1903)

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{{Infobox ship career

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|Ship country=United Kingdom

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|government}}

| Ship name =*SS Brighton (1903-14)

HMS Brighton (1914- )
HMHS Brighton ( -1920)
SS Brighton (1920-30)
SY Roussalka (1930-31)
MY Roussalka (1931-33)

| Ship owner =*London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (1903-14)

Royal Navy (1914-20)
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (1920-22)
Southern Railway (1923-30)
W E Guinness (1930-33)

| Ship operator =

| Ship registry =*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Newhaven(1903-14)

{{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} Royal Navy (1914-20)
{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Newhaven(1920-30)
{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Cowes (1930-33)

| Ship route = Newhaven - Dieppe (1903-14, 1920-30)

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| Ship builder = W Denny & Bros, Dumbarton

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| Ship yard number = 683

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| Ship launched = 13 June 1903

| Ship completed = August 1903

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| Ship in service =

| Ship out of service = 25 August 1933

| Ship identification =*United Kingdom Official Number 105654

Code Letters VDWN
{{ICS|Victor}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Whiskey}}{{ICS|November}}

| Ship fate = Wrecked

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

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| Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|1,384}}

{{NRT|729}}

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| Ship length = {{convert|273|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

| Ship beam = {{convert|34|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

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| Ship depth = {{convert|14|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

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| Ship power =*3 × steam turbines (1903-31)

2 × diesel engines (1931-33)

| Ship propulsion =*Triple screws (1903-31)

Single screw (1931-33)

| Ship speed =*{{convert|21|kn|km/h}} (1903-31)

{{convert|15.5|kn|km/h}} (1931-33)

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Brighton was a {{GRT|1384|link=off}} steamship which was built in 1903 for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and London and South Western Railway. She passed to the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923. In 1930, she was sold to W E Guinness and converted to a private yacht, Roussalka (named after Slavonic mythologic creature). She was wrecked at Killary Bay on 25 August 1933.In June 2024, members of the Athlone Sub Aqua Club rediscovered the remains of the wreck.It had been found in the 1970s but its position was lost. The Sub Aqua team is logging and filming the wreck for historical interest.

Description

The ship was built by W Denny & Bros, Dumbarton. She was yard number 683 and was launched on 13 June 1903 with completion in August 1903.{{csr|register=MSI|id=1105654|accessdate=5 January 2010}} The ship was {{convert|273|ft|6|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|34|ft|2|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|14|ft|1|in|m|2}}. She was powered by three steam turbines, which were made by Parsons Steam Turbine Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0174.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |accessdate=4 January 2010}} The turbines were rated at {{convert|580|hp|kW}} and drove three screws. These could propel her at a speed of {{convert|21|kn|km/h}}. In 1931, Roussalka was fitted with two 8-cylinder Atlas diesel engines of {{convert|1750|hp|kW}} driving a single screw, giving her a speed of {{convert|15.5|kn|km/h}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?58486 |title=MV Roussalka (+1933) |publisher=Wrecksite |accessdate=5 January 2010}}

History

Brighton was built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. She was used on their Newhaven - Dieppe route.{{cite web|url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=10944 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050427123349/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=10944 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=27 April 2005 |title=Launched 1903: ss BRIGHTON |publisher=Clydesite |accessdate=5 January 2010}} She was to have been the first turbine powered steamship built for the LB&SCR but a fire at the shipbuilders delayed her completion, pushing her into second place. Her port of registry was Newhaven.

File:Preussen total wreck - SLV H99.220-2132.jpg

On 5 November 1910 Brighton was involved in a collision with the windjammer Preußen {{convert|8|nmi|km}} south of Newhaven. Brighton returned to Newhaven to summon aid, and the tug Alert was sent to assist Preußen, which was towed towards Dover. It was intended to anchor her off Dover but both anchor chains broke and Preußen was driven onto rocks where she sank as a result of the damage inflicted to her. The master of Brighton was found to be responsible for the accident and lost his licence as a result. He later{{when|date=April 2018}} committed suicide by shooting himself in a London pub.

In 1914, Brighton was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for use as a troopship. She was later used as a hospital ship. On 19 December 1914, she rescued the survivors of the naval trawler {{HMT|Orianda}}, which had been sunk by a mine in the North Sea off Scarborough, Yorkshire.{{cite web |url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?144931 |title=Orianda FV (1914~1914) Orianda HMT (FY99) [+1914] |publisher=Wrecksite |accessdate=17 February 2013}} Brighton brought the American President Woodrow Wilson back to Dover after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.{{cite web|url=http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/history/Ahoy-there-I-spy-a.2124976.jp |title=Ahoy there, I spy a crow's nest! |publisher=Sussex Express| accessdate=5 January 2010}} Brighton was returned to her owners in 1920. Brighton passed to the Southern Railway at Grouping. In 1930, Brighton was sold to W E Guinness, who converted her to a private yacht named Roussalka. Her steam turbines were replaced by a diesel engine and one of her two funnels was removed. She was renamed Roussalka. On 25 August 1933, in thick fog, Roussalka was wrecked on Blood Slate Rock, Freaklin Island, Killary Bay. All passengers and crew were rescued.