Isambard Brunel – a brilliant engineer whose name is on British technical University

Brunel Universityis recognised for its impeccable quality technical education, named in honor of the eminent British engineer in the Victorian era Isambard Kingdom Brunel. An integrated approach to University education – a combination of rigorous academic training with the cultivation of the spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity, reflects the philosophy of life the British Museum.

Monument Isambarde the British Museum on the campus of Brunel University

Brunel had a great influence on British technical thought and together with a small group of talented engineers contributed to the rapid economic and social leap of the country which was later called the Industrial Revolution.

He was born in 1806 in the family of a famous engineer, of French origin Brand Brunel. Isambard received an excellent technical education and from a young age – as soon as he turned 16, he began working in the company of his father. Experience and knowledge proved to be popular in 20 years Brunel have been entrusted to lead a complex project – epic construction of the tunnel under the Thames. The task was so unusual that it took 16 years to complete construction!

Then Brunel takes on a new ambitious undertaking – the construction of the railway between London and Bristol. At the time, it was truly a Grand idea and the British Parliament considered the plan of Bruyneel, gives the nod. The road, called the Great Western Railway, was launched in 1843, connecting London Paddington station to Bristol Temple Meads.

But the ambitious engineer the question arises: why stop a good transport project in Bristol? Why not establish Maritime traffic from Bristol to new York? Brunel designs and builds the ship "The Great Western" - the first boat that can cross the Atlantic without calling at the port to refuel.

Not stopping there, a talented engineer creates the following ship: "The Great Britain". Equipped with a fundamentally new system of propellers, the ship becomes the largest and a fast ship of the time.

A renovated ship "The Great Britain" in Bristol

Then follows the triumph of the ship – a huge ship "The Great Eastern", designed by Brunel for expeditions to India and Australia. He has such dimensions that it puts the annual exports from these countries! Only after 50 years was built a more powerful ship.

Although has passed more than a century from the time when were doing a brilliant engineer, his inventions still serve the people: a high-speed train speeding along the railway between London and Bristol, in the gorge of the river Avon, spanned by the beautiful Clifton suspension bridge and the restored ship "The Great Britain" amazes tourists visiting Bristol.