Titanic ship plan could sell for £200k at auction

The plan has been on public display and has been viewed by several million people

A plan of the Titanic used in the inquiry into the sinking of the ship could sell for more than £200,000 at auction.

The 33ft (10m) cross-section plan was commissioned by the British Board of Trade to assist in the 36-day hearing.

It was bought by a private collector in 2011 for £220,000, which was then a world record for Titanic memorabilia.

It has been on public display in Belfast since 2012 and is set to be sold on 22 April in Devizes, Wiltshire.

The hand-drawn plan of the Titanic was prepared by White Star Line architects for the British inquiry into the sinking of the ship, just weeks after the disaster.

It allowed the 96 witnesses called to testify to indicate various parts of the ship using a point and has original chalk marks showing what happened.

The 33ft (10m) cross-section plan assisted in the 36-day inquiry

Investigators concluded the 1912 tragedy, in which more than 1,500 passengers lost their lives, was brought about by "excessive speed".

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge from Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd said: "It is a magnificent and commanding piece, both historically and visually.

"It eclipses anything we have seen on the market for Titanic in terms of size, and most importantly it has undergone an extensive process of archival stabilisation."