On January 16th one of our Probus members, Peter Rix, talked to us about Isambard Kingdom Brunel (IKB). Peter produced an excellent and informative talk about the busy working life during the Industrial Revolution of this innovative and renowned engineer.

With a French engineering father, Mark, and an English mother, Sophia Kingdom, IKB embarked on a career in major building projects: tunnels under the Thames (and bridges over it), the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and the entire Great Western Railway system of tunnels, bridges and stations from Paddington to Bristol.

Peter peppered his talks with fascinating detail. e.g. the re-using of infrastructure from one project in another and the great story of the mandatory refreshment stop at Slough station!

IKB also made his mark with revolutionary ships for transatlantic travel, the Great Britain, the Great Western and the Great Eastern and introduced modular building techniques in the design of hospitals for the Crimean War.

A raft of questions rounded off a terrific afternoon.