Second in the trio of superliners planned to eclipse their competition on the lucrative north Atlantic route, Titanic was launched from Harland & Wolff's Belfast shipyard on 31st My 1911. Timed to coincide with her sister ship Olympic's departure, White Star achieved the desired publicity with around 100,000 witnessing the grand occasion. Designed for luxury rather than speed, Titanic cost around £1.5 million, and was undoubtedly one of the most elegant liners built during the 'golden era' of sea travel.

Postponed for 24 hours due to high winds, her builders trials took place on 2 April 1912. Tugs arrived around 6am to ease the massive hulk through the Victorian Channel and out to Belfast Lough where Titanic could proceed for the first time under her own power. Signal burgee 'A' hoisted, the liner then underwent rigorous and carefully measured tests within the Lough until, in the early afternoon, she turned her bow towards the open Irish Sea for running trials. Steaming south for two hours brought Titanic within view of County Down's Mourne Mountains and lighthouse of St John's Point. Here the vessel carried out a broad 180 degree turn before heading back to Belfast to receive her Board of Trade passenger certificate, "good for one year from today, 2-4-1912". Shortly after 8pm, Titanic finally left for Southampton and, in darkness, bade farewell to the coastline she would never sea again. 

Built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast the 45,000 ton Titanic was considered the most advanced vessel of her time and believed to be unsinkable.  Two hours after being ripped open by an iceberg Titanic slowly but surely began to slip below the surface of the Atlantic with a loss of nearly 1,500 passengers and crew, the biggest maritime disaster in peacetime. Recently completed, this magnificent painting depicts the moment when Titanic left the dockside at Southampton, England at the start of her fateful maiden voyage.  Historically accurate, the painting was painstakingly researched using existing photographs and records.