LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Isambard Kingdom Brunel: Ships
built 643 days ago
Brunel’s solution was a two-span bowstring suspension bridge with a single rail track. Each of two main spans was a wrought iron tubular arch with a profile in the form of a parabola. Sets of suspension chains hung on each side of the tube in a catenary curve with the tube’s rise equalling the dip of the chains. To create enough room for sailing ships to pass beneath the bridge, Brunel proposed a central pier and two spans each of 465 feet.
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Brunel worked on the improvement of large guns and designed a floating armoured barge used for the attack on Kronshtadt during the Crimean War in 1854. He ... designed a complete prefabricated hospital building that was shipped, in parts, to the Crimea in 1855.
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In 1858 Brunel built the Great Eastern and it took 5 years to build. It had a displacement* of 22, 500 tons, a length of 693 FT, a width of 120 FT, and a depth of hull 58 FT. It was desighned to make a round trip to Australia, going past the Cape of Good Hope without being recoaled. It was designed like this because 5 years before in 1853 directors concluded that, because of the cost of maintaning coaling stations on the way, such a route would not pay unless the ships could carry enough coal for the voyage out and home.
The struggle to complete the Great Eastern against considerable financial and engineering difficulties seems to have ruined Brunel's health and probably caused the stroke he suffered soon after his great ship had been finally launched. He died soon after.
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The contract for building Brunel's Great Eastern went to John Scott Russell who had a yard at Millwall. It took several attempts over three months to launch the ship (sideways) so it could be towed to Deptford for fitting out.
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As soon as the Great Western entered service people realised this was the way that sea travel would develop and Brunel designed the first ocean going, propellor driven ship in history - the Great Britain. Work started on her on 19th July 1839 and was launched four years later in July 1843. She was so wide that teams of men had to stand on the wharves and push against her to stop her scraping the walls, she was ... wider than the locks at the entrance to the Floating Harbour and part of the lock walls had to be demolished for her to get through them.
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