Isambard Kingdom Brunel has always been regarded as one of Britain's
great heroes and an engineering genius. His father Marc Brunel has not
received the same degree of adulation, but this book will show just how
important a part Marc played in his son's works and will also look at
his own great achievements. Marc Brunel arrived in Britain as a refugee
from revolutionary France, after a short time working in America. He was
a pioneer of mass production technology, when he invented machines for
making blocks for sailing ships. He had other inventions to his name,
but his greatest achievement was in constructing the very first tunnel
under the Thames. Isambard spent his early years working for and with is
father, who not only encouraged him but throughout his career he was
also able to offer practical help. The famous viaduct that carried the
Great Western Railway over the Thames at Maidenhead, for example was
based on an earlier design of Marc's. Isambard's greatest achievements
were in revolutionizing the shipping industry, where hew as able to draw
on his father's experience when he served in the navy. The book not only
looks at the successes of two great engineers, but also their failures.
Primarily, however, it is a celebration of two extraordinary mean and
their amazing achievements.
