Isambard Kingdom Brunel Collection (page 5)

Laying the Atlantic telegraph cable
A montage of illustrations depicting scenes concerning the laying of the Atlantic telegraph cable by Isambard Kingdom Brunelas ship aSS Great Easterna from Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island

The Great Eastern steamship laying the Atlantic Cable
The SS Great Eastern steamship laying the Atlantic Cable. The Great Easterna was an iron sailing steam ship which was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and launched in 1858

The Thames Tunnel, London, 1827. Views of the Thames Tunnel: top, a cross section of the tunnel with the river above; centre

View of the entrance to the Thames Tunnel, London, 1854. Artist: Jules Louis Arnout
View of the entrance to the Thames Tunnel, London, 1854. The Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

View of the shield used in the construction of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1835. Artist
View of the shield used in the construction of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1835. The Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

Interior view of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1830. The Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

Thames Tunnel, London, 1827. Artist: T Blood
Thames Tunnel, London, 1827. Four views of the Thames Tunnel, showing a general view and section, along with sections showing construction workers and a carriage travelling through the tunnel

Plan, sections and elevations of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1835. Artist: E Turrell
Plan, sections and elevations of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1835. The Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

Construction of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1827. Artist: George Cooke
Construction of the Thames Tunnel, London, 1827. View showing the tunnel under construction and the diving bell which was used. The spire of St Mary, Rotherhithe can be seen in the distance

Thames Tunnel, London, 1835. Artist: John Harris
Thames Tunnel, London, 1835. The Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

Entrance to the Thames Tunnel at Wapping, London, 1836. The Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

The Thames Tunnel under construction, London, c1835. Cross section showing the Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, being built; with a view of its position beneath the River Thames

View of Hungerford Bridge from the east, London, 1854

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, 1857. Artist: Robert Howlett
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, 1857. Brunel (1806-1859) standing in front of the launching chains of his steamship the Great Eastern

The laying of the transatlantic telegraph cable, August 8th, 1866. Artist: Robert Dudley
The laying of the transatlantic telegraph cable, August 8th, 1866. The launching of the buoy marking the spot where the cable had been grappled

Isambard Kingdom Brunel beside the Great Eastern, c1857. Artist: Robert Howlett
Isambard Kingdom Brunel beside the Great Eastern, c1857. Brunel (1806-1859) proposed to the Eastern Steam Navigation Company the construction of a steamship five or six times the size of any then in

The Great Eastern, 1937. From The Story of Navigation. [The Imperial Tobacco Co. (Of Great Britain & Ireland), Ltd, , 1937]

S. S. Great Britain, 1937
S.S. Great Britain, 1937. From The Story of Navigation. [The Imperial Tobacco Co. (Of Great Britain & Ireland), Ltd, , 1937]

Thames Tunnel, London, 19th century. The Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping was the most remarkable undertaking by the engineer and inventor Sir Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849)

Clifton Suspension Bridge from Leigh Woods, Bristol, c1940s. [Harvey Barton, Aberdeen and Bristol]

Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash, Cornwall, late 19th or early 20th century. Artist: Church Army Lantern Department
Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash, Cornwall, late 19th or early 20th century. Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the Royal Albert Bridge to carry the Great Western Railway (GWR)

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, 1857 (1956)
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, 1857, (1956). Brunel (1806-1859) standing in front of the launching chains of his steamship the Great Eastern

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, 1857 (1956). Artist: Robert Howlett
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, 1857 (1956). Brunel (1806-1859) standing in front of the launching chains of his steamship the Great Eastern

Picking up the Atlantic cable, 1866 (c1880). An attempt in 1865 by Brunels giant steamship, the Great Eastern to lay a transatlantic telegraph cable ended in failure when the cable snapped

The Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash, Cornwall, 1926. Artist: Cavenders Ltd
The Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash, Cornwall, 1926. From the River Valleys set of hand-coloured cigarette cards issued with Army Club Cigarettes, Cavanders Ltd, 1926

The Great Eastern recovering the lost Atlantic cable, 1866, (c1920). An attempt in 1865 by Brunels giant steamship, the Great Eastern to lay the cable ended in failure when the cable snapped

Thames Tunnel, London, mid 19th century. Designed by Marc Isambard Brunel, the Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world

The Great Eastern playing out the Atlantic telegraph cable, c1865, (c1880). A print from Great Industries of Great Britain, Volume I, published by Cassell Petter and Galpin, (London, Paris, New York)

Isambard Kingdom Brunels steam engine, 1827. Artist: J Pass
Isambard Kingdom Brunels steam engine, 1827

The Clifton suspension bridge across the River Avon, 1864. Spanning the River Avon 245 feet above the water, the Clifton Suspension Bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1829-1831

John Scott Russell, civil engineer and naval architect, 1878. Artist: Lock & Whitfield
John Scott Russell, civil engineer and naval architect, 1878. After leaving Scotland for London in 1844 he constructed four large steamships, the Teviot, Tay

Autographs of Eminent Persons, 19th century. Signatures of famous Britons from an encyclopaedia: Sir Ralph Abercromby, soldier; J C Adams, astronomer; Roger Ascham, scholar; W Edmonstone Aytoun

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, c1880. Artist: DJ Pound
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer, c1880. Portrait of Brunel (1806-1859) published in a supplement to the Illustrated News of the World, London

Opening of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, 1864. Work began on the bridge in 1836 under the supervision of Isambard Kingdom Brunel but stopped due to lack of funds

Dawlish, Devon, c1860. This viewshows the track of Isambard Kingdom Brunels (1806-1859) South Devon Railway. The South Devon was an example of an atmospheric railway, which did not use locomotives

St Austell, 1860. A scene on the Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR) at St Austell, showing one of Isambard Kingdom Brunels (1806-1859) timber viaducts

Truro, from Trennick Lane, 1860. The Cornwall Railway, later part of the Great Western Railway (GWR), at Truro, showing one of Isambard Kingdom Brunels (1806-1859) timber viaducts

Paddington Station, the London terminus of the Great Western Railway, 1854. Iron was used in the construction of the roof, and the spans supported on cast iron pillars

Laying the transatlantic telegraph cable, 1865. On the deck of the SS Great Eastern searching the cable for a fault after its recovery from the bottom of the Atlantic on 31 July 1865

Laying of the telegraph cable across the Indian Ocean between Bombay and Aden, 1870. Landing the shore end of the cable at Aden

Laying the transatlantic telegraph cable, 1865 (1866). Preparing to grapple for the broken cable from the bows of the SS Great Eastern, 2 August 1865

Thames Tunnel, c1830. The Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping was the most remarkable undertaking by the engineer and inventor Sir Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849)

PSS Great Eastern on the ocean, 1858. Colour print after a painting by Edwin Weedon. This steamship, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel with John Scott Russell

Telegraph wire at the Greenwich works, c1865. The plate is one of 26 illustrations by Robert Dudley in The Atlantic Telegraph, a book by WH Russell, 1866

Break of Gauge at Gloucester, Gloucestershire, 6th June 1846. Artist: WJ Linton
Break of Gauge at Gloucester, Gloucestershire, 6th June 1846. Plate taken from the Illustrated London News (6 June 1846) showing passengers

The Grand Saloon on board the Great Eastern, 1859. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel with John Scott Russell, the Great Eastern was lauched in 1858

Isambard Kingdom Brunels Great Western, 1882. The Great Western was launched in 1837 for the Great Western Steamship Co as the first of three steamships designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, English civil and mechanical engineer. Obverse of a medal commemorating his ship the Great Eastern

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Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the visionary civil engineer of the 19th century, left an indelible mark on the world with his remarkable creations. Standing before the launching chains of the Great Eastern, he exuded confidence and determination that would propel him to greatness. One of his most iconic achievements was the Clifton Suspension Bridge, a marvel spanning the Avon Gorge in Bristol. Designed by Brunel himself, this engineering masterpiece showcased his ingenuity and ability to blend functionality with beauty. But it wasn't just bridges that captivated Brunel's imagination; he also had a passion for ships. The SS Great Eastern stands as a testament to his ambition and innovation. As it sat on stocks at Millwall on the Thames, awaiting its launch in 1857, one could only imagine what wonders awaited onboard this great steamship. Brunel's brilliance extended beyond physical structures; he also revolutionized underground transportation. The proposed western archway of the Thames Tunnel in London gave us a glimpse into his forward-thinking mind and laid foundations for future subterranean networks. With each new project came excitement and anticipation. The launch of SS Great Eastern in 1857 was met with awe-inspiring spectacle as crowds gathered to witness history being made. This monumental event solidified Brunel's legacy as one of Britain's greatest engineers. His impact reached far beyond British shores too; Valentia Island became synonymous with technological advancement when cables were laid there under Brunel's guidance in 1865. His vision connected continents like never before, paving the way for global communication systems we rely upon today. Isambard Kingdom Brunel embodied innovation and fearlessness throughout his career as a civil engineer. His contributions continue to inspire generations who dare to dream big and push boundaries further than ever imagined.