A TRIP to the seaside today has us all dreaming of brighter, lighter days the other side of winter.

Here, courtesy of local historian Neil Mattingly, is a collection of glorious photos of the steamship Victoria, which was built in 1884 and ran until 1953.

It was one of the first steamboats between Lyme Regis and West Bay.

Mr Mattingly writes: "Though discontinued during World War I the service from Weymouth to West Bay, Lyme Regis, Seaton, Sidmouth and Torquay was later revived.

"The posters of the time show that the fare from West Bay to Lyme Regis was 2 shillings return. It was equipped with special beach landing apparatus, which can be seen in the postcard of it at West Bay with passengers clambering from its deck on to the beach.

"It was more fortunate at Lyme Regis where it was able to land at the end of Victoria Pier, which still stands today unchanged in appearance."

She was operated by Cosens, who was one of the largest employers in Weymouth with a marine engine works where they were able to maintain their ships.

After nearly 70 years of service with greater competition from other modes of transport, Victoria was finally scrapped in 1953.

Film has survived of the vessel, which can be seen on the British Pathe website.

There is one of her in 1898 with passengers disembarking at Lulworth Cove called “All Seasons Please” and another in 1937 entitled “A Trip to the Seaside”.