Isambard Kingdom Brunel

The Great Western Railway

From beautiful flowing geometrics that create Paddington station through railways to the SS Great
Britain, the boat that is merely 5% less efficient than modern cruisers; Isambard Brunel has earned
his right to be regarded as one of the ‘Greatest ever Britons’. Between his copious bridges, railways,
and leviathan ships, which is the best? Undoubtedly the greatest of his achievements is the
monumental Great Western Railway which still stands as more than a simple railway today.

Brunel, renowned for his engineering feats across Britain, was approached by businessmen Thomas
Guppy and Daniel Gooch to join the Great Western Railway Company, founded in 1833. Recognizing
the shortcomings of existing railways, Brunel embarked on what would later become his greatest
achievement. He introduced a broad-gauge track, 7¼ feet wide, after rigorous testing revealed its
advantages in reducing friction and enabling faster speeds. Accounting for challenges such as
problematically increased carriage height and poor aerodynamics, Brunel ingeniously positioned the
carriage between the wheels, improving both comfort and speed while maintaining efficiency. Thus,
Brunel’s vision was born.

Despite a year-long approval process, Brunel made swift progress on the

railway in 1835. However, there were obstacles. Though these obstacles
are what make the railway so impressive. Brunel recognised the issue
with locomotive efficiency and speed, drawing the conclusion that his
railway would need to be as flat as possible. He found a consistent path
from London to Bristol and famously constructed the Box Tunnel, the
longest to date. By the time it was finished, he unveiled the railway. Other
famous structures such as the Royal Albert bridge, which pushed
supporting pillars apart instead of anchoring them, managed to pioneer new methods of engineering
all whilst the immense tunnel was built.

All in all, the Great Western Railway was the clear greatest achievement of Isambard Brunel, which
contributed to him being deemed one of the ‘Greatest ever Britons’. Ultimately, his broad-gauge train
design would not last as locomotive engines surpassed safe speeds for such wide railways. Though all
46 tunnels and bridges, 25 railways and numerous stations including Paddington come together to
form his greatest achievement and encapsulate his talent, leaving us with his indelible legacy today.