Three Brightons
 

Looking at a recent post about the tug Foyledale, a comment from BillH mentions that new owners couldn't rename her Ullapool because that name was still registered to another company.

I was always under the impression that a name could only be registered to one UK flagged merchant ship at a time. However, there was TS Brighton, the cross channel steamer, of 1950, that held that name until 1966, and at the same time there was the general cargo ship MV Brighton, of 1960.

There was of course HMS Brighton, around at the same time. That would have made an interesting scene at Newhaven's East Quay, with three Brightons alongside.

Is my understanding the regulations wrong?

I think that the cross channel ferry TS Brighton was actually registered as TS Brighton VI.
The Roman six being sufficient difference in name.
Whether it had the VI before 1960 I known not, maybe the respective owners had some form of agreement.

Good point. She was indeed the sixth Brighton on the Newhaven-Dieppe route but, like all other ships where a name was re-used, the Roman numerals never appeared on the ship and she was never referred to as 'six' during her time here

As de facto port historian (a 'position' sort of awarded to me by the late Peter Bailey MBE, who was the font of all knowledge regarding Newhaven and the port) I do now refer to all the ships with a number as well as a name where necessary when telling their histories.