Three great liners laid up for sale at Southampton on 10th April 1972 photographed by Don Smith, phototransport.com. On the left is Shaw Savill’s 20,204grt Southern Cross. In the centre is Cunard’s 22,592grt Carmania, and on the right is Cunard’s 22,636grt Franconia.

The Southern Cross was built in 1955 by Harland & Wolf at Belfast, the first liner built with engines aft. In 1972 she was sold to Cia de Vapores Cerulea SA and was renamed Calypso. In 1980 she spent a brief period on charter to Western SS Lines as Azure Seas.

When she returned to Cia de Vapores Cerulea SA she was renamed Calypso I. In 1992 she was renamed Ocean Breeze, and on 4th October 2003 she arrived at Chittagong to be broken up.

The Carmania was built in 1954 by John Brown at Clydebank as the Saxonia, becoming Carmania in 1963. In 1973 she was sold to Black Sea Shipping as Leonid Sobinov. On 1st October 1999 she arrived at Alang to be broken up. The Franconia was built in 1955 by John Brown at Clydebank as the Ivernia, becoming Franconia in 1963. In 1973 she was sold to Far Eastern Shipping as Fyodor Shalyapin. In 2004 she was renamed Salona for her final voyage to Alang where she arrived on 2nd February