| | Widely considered to be one of the greatest engineers ever produced by Britain, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was undoubtedly an iconic figure both for contemporaries as well as those who, 200 years after his birth, still marvel at the phenomenal achievements of his relatively short life. A master in the use of many materials – from brick in the viaduct over the Thames at Maidenhead to iron in his great steam ships – when it came to the construction of railways he proved himself equally adept in the use of wood for the construction of bridges and viaducts, setting him apart from most other British railway engineers who preferred to use brick, stone or iron for such structures. Many of the wooden-built viaducts that Brunel designed survived for many years; indeed it was only during the early decades of the 20th century that the final wooden viaducts on the Great Western main line through Cornwall were replaced. Brian Lewis, the chairman of the Stephenson Locomotive Society, has been researching the history of Brunel's wooden bridges and viaducts for many years. Drawing upon the records of the GWR held by such bodies as the National Archives and the National Railway Museum and in various county record offices, the book shows how prevalent the use of wooden bridges and viaducts was across the entire Great Western Railway and its satellite companies. Traditionally associated primarily with Cornwall, wooden structures designed by Brunel could be found almost anywhere on the broad gauge, from the Home Counties through to the Cotswolds. Illustrated throughout, with both contemporary engineering drawings and photographs of the structures in use, Brunel's Timber Bridges and Viaducts represents a detailed study into this important, but often overlooked, facet of Brunel's work. With interest in Brunel heightened as a result of the bicentenary celebrations in 2006, this new addition to the well-received publications produced by Ian Allan Publishing on this most individualistic of engineers is certain to be required reading for all those interested in the history of Brunel and the GWR as well as all engineers interested in the history of their profession. There will in addition be a strong local interest in the areas served by the former Great Western Railway in England and Wales. Contents:
- Acknowledgements, Sources and Recurring References
- Abbreviations and recurring References
- Glossary of Terms
- Introduction and Historical Background
- 1 – The Classification of Brunel’s Bridge and Viaduct Designs
- 2 – Design, Construction and maintenance
- 3 – The Great Western from London To Bristol and the Oxford, Windsor and Henley Branches
- 4 – The Bristol & Exeter Railway
- 5 – The Bristol & Gloucester Railway and the Cheltenham & Great Western Union Railway
- 6 – The South Devon Railway and its constituents
- 7 – The Berks & Hants Railway
- 8 – The South Wales Railway
- 9 – The Oxford Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway
- 10 – Oxford to Birmingham: The Oxford & Rugby Railway and the Birmingham & Oxford Junction Railway
- 11 – The Vale of Neath Railway
- 12 – The West Cornwall Railway
- 13 – The Wilts, Somerset & Weymouth Railway
- 14 – The Cornwall Railway
- 15 – Various other Lines
- Conclusion
- Appendix 1 – The Landore Viaduct of the South Wales Railway by L.E. Fletcher
- Appendix 2 – Oxford Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway, Extracts from Evesham Contract of January 1848
- Appendix 3 – List of Drawings for Oxford Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway
- Appendix 4 – Statistical Details from Board of Trade Inspectors Reports
- Notes & References
- Index
- Bibliography
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