Timeline
- 1806
- Isambard Kingdom Brunel is born, to parents Marc and Sophia. on April 9 in Portsmouth.
- 1818
- Marc Brunel invents and patents the tunnelling shield.
- 1825
- Work begins on digging the Thames tunnel.
- 1827
- I.K. Brunel is appointed Resident Engineer on the Thames Tunnel, taking over from his father. Roof collapses and tunnel flooded. Brunel narrowly escapes death. He later hosts a banquet in the tunnel to restore confidence.
- 1832
- I K Brunel Begins association with Bristol Docks
- 1833
- Brunel appointed Chief Engineer to Great Western Railway and starts surveying route. Begins modernisation of Bristol Docks.
- 1835
- Great Western Railway Bill passed in Parliament. GWR accept Brunel’s broad gauge proposal. Work restarted on Thames Tunnel. Brunel proposes building a steamship for the Bristol-New York service.
- 1836
- Work begins on Box Tunnel. Appointed engineer of Great Western Steam Ship Company and construction begin. Brunel marries Mary Horsley.
- 1837
- Launch of hull of the Great Western in Bristol. Daniel Gooch made GWR Locomotive Superintendent.
- 1838
- SS Great Western sails from Bristol to New York in 15 days. Work begins on Bristol Temple Meads station
- 1839
- Maidenhead Bridge completed.
- 1840
- Swindon chosen as motive power base for Great Western Railway
- 1841
- Box Tunnel completed, Bristol Temple Meads Station completed and Great Western Railway route from London to Bristol opened. Marc Brunel knighted.
- 1843
- Thames tunnel opened to public (25 March). Launch of SS Great Britain (19 July). Brunel's Hungerford suspension footbridge crosses the River Thames. Visits Italy to engineer two railways. Appointed engineer of South Devon Railway. Swindon Locomotive Works opened.
- 1845
- 'Railway Mania' - is at its peak. Maiden voyage of SS Great Britain.
- 1847
- Innovative atmospheric system used on Exeter – Teignmouth stretch of South Devon Railway.
- 1848
- Work begins on Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash
- 1849
- Death of Marc Brunel (12 Dec)
- 1852
- Construction of Paddington Station begins.
- 1854
- Keel of SS Great Eastern laid in Millwall, London. Paddington station opens.
- 1857
- Two attempts to launch SS Great Eastern
- 1858
- SS Great Eastern finally launched in January.
- 1859
- Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash opened in May by Prince Albert. Brunel dies on 15 September, ten days after suffering a stroke
- 1860
- SS Great Eastern makes maiden voyage, carrying just 35 paying passengers (and crew of over 400!).
- 1864
- Clifton Suspension Bridge finally completed as a tribute to Brunel by the Institute of Civil Engineers.
