APRIL 10 marks the date the Titanic left Southampton on its maiden voyage.

Below are a few facts and figures and Titanic Titbits from what turned out to be one of history's most iconic distasters on our oceans.

* ONE of the biggest jobs facing the White Star Line after Titanic arrived in Southampton for her maiden voyage was to equip the ship with every conceivable article of crockery, cutler, linen and glassware (see Factfile, left).

It was to prove a mammoth operation, just like the ship herself, and the amounts and numbers involved were enormous, including 12,000 dinner plates, 14,200 glasses, 19,000 spoons, 5,100 dishes and bowls, 6,000 tablecloths, 18,000 sheets and 50,500 towels.

* A SUITE on Titanic cost £870 while the steward who helped look after the stateroom was paid £3 15s (£3.75) a month.

* SAMUEL Herman, who owned the Britannia Hotel in Castle Cary, was among those who died on the vessel. He paid £65 for a second class ticket for himself, his family and a farmhand, who survived the sinking.

* SECOND Officer Charles Lightoller complained that he found the Titanic’s size overwhelming and reportedly said it took him 14 days before he was able to find his way around the ship.

* TITANIC had 333 first class staterooms for 735 passengers while in second class there were 207 cabins for 674 people and in third class there were berths for 1,026 passengers.

* TITANIC was one of the first ships equippped to use the new SOS morse code distress signals in the event of an emergency.

* CAPTAIN Edward Smith, master of Titanic, was paid a salary of £1,250 a year by the White Star Line.

* THE Titanic’s third officer, Herbert Pitman, is buried in Pitcombe, Somerset. He was in charge of one of the lifeboats and after the sinking wanted to row back and rescue people, but passengers persuaded him not to for fear they would be mobbed and capsized. It is believed the decision not to turn back to pick up survivors haunted him for the rest of his life.

Company: White Star Line; Keel laid: March, 1909; Builder: Harland and Wolff, Belfast; Cost: £1.5million; Tonnage: 46,000; Top speed: 22 knots; Length: 883 feet; Number of boilers: 29; Portholes: 200 Rivets: three million Funnels: four; Watertight compartments: 16; Dinner Plates: 12,000; Glasses: 14,000; Spoons: 19,000; Dishes and Bowls: 5,100; Tablecloths: 6,000; Towels: 50,500; Passengers: 2,500; Crew: 860; Lifeboats: 20; Depth of wreck: 12,460 feet; Grease needed to slide down slipway: 20 tonnes.