This is Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
He was an engineer.
He designed some of the most famous bridges, tunnels, railways and boats in the world.
His designs changed the lives of many people.
He lived around 200 years ago, during the Victorian age.
Watch: The life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Boats, bridges, railways - all things we use every day.
But have you ever wondered how these structures are built?
The people who design and build them are called engineers, and one of the most famous is called Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
He lived a long time ago, but we still use many of his designs today.
Brunel's first job was helping his dad design a tunnel to go under the River Thames in London.
Although he didn't finish the tunnel, he was asked to solve other important problems.
People wanted to travel faster between places such as from the capital, London, to the city of Bristol.
His Great Western Railway made this possible.
People wanted to go to America to trade, to buy and sell things. They needed to get there quickly before other traders so that they could earn more money.
Often hills, rivers and even oceans made travel hard, but Brunel used his engineering genius to overcome these.
He came up with clever ways to make his designs bigger and faster than anything before!
His ship, SS Great Eastern, was the largest ship in the world at the time. It was so enormous it had to be launched sideways!
People didn't think it would work, but Brunel’s designs meant the ship didn't sink, even when it struck a rock and was badly damaged!
Brunel's ideas and designs helped people to travel further and quicker than ever before!
Businesses became richer because they could buy and sell things more easily.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel's work truly changed the way people lived during his lifetime and continue to make our lives better today!
The Industrial Revolution
In the late 1700s and early 1800s Britain was changed by the Industrial Revolution.
Many more people now lived in towns and worked in factories.
Machines were powered by steam and run on coal.
In the 1820s the railway age began. Steam-powered locomotives (trains) travelled at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. They soon replaced horse-drawn coaches and canal boats.
What did Brunel do?
- His father was French and Isambard went to school in Paris, the capital of France.
- Brunel designed the Great Western Railway, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Box Tunnel (the longest tunnel in the world at the time) and London Paddington Station. All of these are still working today.
- His ship SS Great Britain was the first with a steam-powered propeller. It's now a museum.
- Not all of Brunel’s ideas were successful. He designed an ‘atmospheric railway’ powered by air pumps, but it was too expensive.
- Brunel died in 1859, the same year as another famous engineer, Robert Stephenson.
Did you know?
Isambard Kingdom Brunel is named after his mum and dad. His mum was Sophia Kingdom and his dad was Marc Isambard Brunel.
Brunel was known for wearing a tall top hat.
Activity 1: Isambard Kingdom Brunel's life
Activity 2: Quiz – Isambard Kingdom Brunel
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