Isambard Kingdom Brunel – Book Review

Over two centuries after his birth, Isambard Kingdom Brunel is still held in very high regard by the British public. In fact, in a poll they voted him the second greatest Briton of all (behind Winston Churchill). His influence was pivotal to the development of railways in South Wales.

Robin Jones tells his story in the eponymously titled Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was first published in 2006 by Mortons Books, reprinted in 2011 and released in its final format in October 2020 by Pen and Sword Transport. The latest version is still available and is the subject of this review.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel: A life told through his works

Jones sets the background for the young IKB by devoting a chapter to his father, French-born Marc Brunel. Marc was a talented engineer in his own right and collaborated with his son on projects including the Thames Tunnel.

Recounting the life of Isambard through his creations, each chapter is devoted to an engineering achievement. Three final chapters cover aspects of the post Brunel world starting with the victory of the ‘narrow gauge’ (known today as standard gauge). The penultimate topic describes the creation of the replica Fire Fly locomotive before closing with a look at approaches to modelling Broad Gauge.

Boundless self belief and a century of extravagance

Stories of extraordinary extravagance occur in the book; such as holding a lavish banquet for guests in the Thames Tunnel while it was actually being built and liable to collapse! Due to the sheer scope of Brunel’s achievements it is impossible for a book of 218 pages to assess them fully.

Critics, heroes and villains!

The Taff Vale Railway (TVR) is one example. In South Wales the development of railways followed the Broad Gauge pattern except in one very important aspect. Arguments for Brunel building the TVR to standard gauge were the expected low speeds and the narrower gauge being more suitable to railway building in confined twisting valleys. Not mentioned in the book is the ammunition it gave to Broad gauge critics.

Inevitably there are heroes and villains in this story. South Wales provides one of the heroes in the form of ex Tredegar Iron Company apprentice Daniel Gooch whose Broad gauge locomotive designs helped make the GWR famous. A villain is William Stanier who, while Manager of Swindon Works cut up many of the broad gauge engines, thus destroying much heritage

Illustrated throughout with monochrome photographs, the book contains many from the author’s own collection. Unfortunately, there is no further reading section nor an index, both of which would greatly enhance this biography.

In Summary

This is a very engaging book about one of the greatest engineers to have lived. However, it lacks some features such as a bibliography and index. This is less likely to be a problem to the general reader.

Outline Contents

• Brunel: Rediscover the Legend
• Marc Brunel: The Revolution Begins
• The Thames Tunnel: The Eighth Wonder of the World
• Reach for the Sky: Bristol and its Suspension Bridge
• A Head for Steam: God’s Wonderful Railway
• Biggest is Best: Brunel Broad Gauge
• The Railway Adventure Begins: Paddington to Swindon
• Lets Build Our Own: The Rise and Fall of Swindon Works
• Box and Beyond: The GWR Line From Swindon to Bath
• Temple Meads: The First Great Terminus
• The ‘Flying Dutchman is Here: the Bristol and Exeter Railway
• Locomotives: Steam Behemoths of the Broad Gauge
• ‘The Atmospheric Caper’: The South Devon Railway
• Brunel’s Second Paddington: The Ultimate Great Western Station
• Broadening Horizons: Brunel’s GWR Empire Expands
• Go Great Western – To New York: The First Transatlantic Liners
• How the West Was Finally Won: The Bridge at Saltash and Beyond
• The Final Epitaph: The Great Eastern
• Victory of the Narrow Minded: 1892
• Fire Fly: Brunel’s Steam Dream Reborn
• Bringing Brunel Back Down to Size: Modelling the Broad Gauge

About the Author

Robin Jones is a widely published and highly respected journalist who specialises in heritage transportation and industrial archaeology subjects. Robin contributes news and feature material on a regular basis across a wide range of railway titles and has written many books on Britain’s railway history.

(From Pen and Sword Books)

Related reviews

Brunel in South Wales: Volume 1, In Trevithick’s Tracks by Stephen K. Jones
Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Vol.12, South Wales by D.S.M. Barrie
Railways of Wales by Stuart Owen-Jones