Brunel's Britain

Book excerpt: Few people can have had such a dramatic impact on Britain than Isambard Kingdom Brunel. More than many kings, warriors and politicians, this icon of the Victorian age transformed not just the landscape of a nation but left a lasting legacy of physical monuments and dynamic innovation that together played a major part in turning Britain into a superpower. Rather than a conventional biography of Brunel’s life, this unique book shows how this most famous of engineers revolutionised transport, industry and much more through the story of his achievements – his grand designs, innovations and technological breakthroughs. It explores in fascinating detail Brunel’s great bridges, tunnels, railways and stations; it charts how he came to revolutionise shipping with evermore ambitious projects; it examines the remarkable contribution Brunel made in other fields including construction, town planning and military applications; and it looks at the brave but flawed schemes that didn’t quite succeed but which were still testimony to his genius, as well as considering his lasting legacy. Superbly illustrated and packed with facts, detail and key information, this is a fresh and fascinating look at the extraordinary achievements of a truly great man.