Isambard Kindom Brunel
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Isambard Kingdom Brunel is an almost legendary figure in British
engineering. Embodying the energy and ambition of the period, he
had a huge capacity for innovation in design, and was at the forefront
of the group of engineers who enabled the industrial revolution.
Born in 1806, his father (prominent French engineer and
inventor Sir Marc Brunel) always intended that he become part of
the family business, sending him to France at the age of 14 to study
practical mathematics. Upon his return he began work on his father's
Thames Tunnel Project, helping establish the world's first pedestrian
tunnel under a river. Brunel became famous for his involvement at
all stages of the construction process, (cutting a characteristic
figure onsite in muddy trousers and a stovepipe hat in the latter
stages of his career) and was severely injured in 1828 when a flood
damaged much of the tunnel. He went to Bristol to convalesce; but
typically didn't remain idle whilst there, entering and winning
a competition to design a bridge across the Avon Gorge. His pioneering
design for the Clifton Suspension bridge was completed after his
death. |
In 1833 he proposed plans for the rail line from
Bristol to London and was appointed chief engineer to the Great
Western Railway. Always good at imagining the practical realities
of design, he wanted passengers to be unaware of the physical struggle
of the train, and to this end incorporated bridges, tunnels, viaducts
and embankments into lines, so that trains could move through the
landscape as smoothly as possible, and passengers enjoy a uniquely
luxurious travelling experience.
Paddington Station had to be a flexible space to accommodate the
extra influx of people expected in London for the Great Exhibition
in 1851. Brunel sat on a committee overseeing the construction of
Crystal Palace for the exhibition, and used the same contractors
to realize his design for Paddington's elegant arches and spacious
roof. Another successful construction was the Royal Albert rail
bridge over the Tamar; an attractive design crossing the river at
its narrowest point. England's railway system was an immeasurable
success. Transforming the possibilities of commerce and trade, it
brought prosperity and modernity to the areas it served; and Brunel
achieved great fame as its chief engineer.
Given how universally Brunel's designs are revered today, it's
surprising to learn that during his own lifetime they were often
subject to controversy. He fought for progress and forward-thinking
in engineering, and had a long and only temporarily successful battle
to try and get broad-gauge track used on all railways, to allow
greater speed in train travel. Always seeking new challenges, he
turned to shipbuilding, producing ideas for steamships far ahead
of their time. The Great Eastern in particular was an unprecedented
design: far and away the biggest ship ever created at that point,
it featured a screw propeller and a wrought-iron hull. The project
was heavily criticized and suffered major financial difficulties.
Under great strain, he endured a major heart attack in 1859 whilst
onsite. He died 10 days later; having been unable to witness the
ship leave on its maiden voyage. |
