Until the advent of the growth of civil aviation in the years following the end of the Second World War, the only practical means of travelling long distances across the globe had been by ship. The growth in air travel was one of the most dramatic changes to occur in the second half of the 20th century and it immediately cast a shadow over the future of the great ocean going liners which had previously been the only realistic way of getting from Europe to America , Australia and other distant lands.
In 1968 the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 entered service. In many respects the QE2 was an anachronism from the start. It was designed for the transatlantic route, but by 1968 air travel was rapidly taking over this business. Whilst the QE2 does still cross between Southampton and New York, the bulk of its time is now spent on cruise work. The swansong of the golden age of the ocean-going passenger liner was from the mid-1950s through to the late 1960s, when famous liners such as the Queen Mary, the Queen Elizabeth, the United States and the France, traversed the Atlantic. They offered an unrivalled quality of service as they sought to become holders of the ‘Blue Riband’ for the fastest crossing. The great liners sailed not only to North America, equally important were the routes they plied to Asia and Australia, where the Canberra flew the flag for the P&O company.
During these years, the late Kenneth Wightman was faithfully recording many of these classic liners in and around the harbours of Great Britain. In the latest book to be drawn from his collection of previously unpublished transparencies, David Williams and Richard de Kerbrach have selected some 85 superb images portraying some of the ocean-going passenger liners active during these years. Some of the liners featured will be well-known, others less so. Collectively they represent the final great flourish of this type of vessel. Alongside the remarkable archive photographs, the authors have contributed highly detailed captions that provide the reader with a history of each of the vessels illustrated.
With nostalgia for the great days of luxury travel increasing, publication of this tribute to the last generation of ocean-going passenger liners is opportune. The book will appeal to all those who remember travelling on the great liners during these years as well as all maritime enthusiasts.
Title: Passenger Liners in Colour
Author: David L Williams and Richard de Kerbrech
Format: HB 80 pages
Publisher: Ian Allan Ltd
Pub date: May 2007
ISBN 10: 0711032041
ISBN 13: 9780711032040
List Price: £14.99
.jpg)
