Bath Railway Works Authorised
Parliamentary approval allowed construction of the Great Western Railway through Bath and the neighbouring Avon valley.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Biography and Timeline — Page 3
Follow Isambard Kingdom Brunel through 477 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
477Distinct records
3 of 12Page
1835–1837Years on this page
1835
Wiltshire Railway Section Approved
Parliament authorised the railway through Chippenham as part of the wider Great Western main line.
Great Western Transatlantic Steamship Plan Formed
Brunel proposed an ocean steamship to connect Bristol with North America and extend the transport ambitions of the Great Western enterprise.
Paddington Railway Development Authorised
The Great Western Railway Act enabled construction of the line from its London terminus toward Bristol.
1836
Engagement
Brunel proposes marriage to Mary Elizabeth Horsley during a family walk in London.
Marriage
Brunel marries Mary Elizabeth Horsley and later establishes a home and office in Westminster.
Leigh Woods Abutment Foundation Laid
Construction restarts with the foundation stone for the Leigh Woods abutment laid on the western side of the gorge.
Box Tunnel
Brunel begins sinking exploratory shafts to examine the geology along the proposed route through Box Hill.
Broad Gauge
Brunel adopts a broad railway gauge of seven feet and one quarter inch for the Great Western Railway.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Construction resumes after renewed commercial confidence brings further investment to the project.
Railway Construction
Large-scale construction begins on Brunel's Great Western Railway between London and Bristol.
Broad-Gauge Bridge Clearances Standardised
Brunel's broad gauge determines the generous track widths and spans required for many early Great Western bridges.
GWR Main-Line Construction Contracts Let
Construction of the London-to-Bristol main line proceeds through multiple major contracts under Brunel's overall engineering direction.
Hanwell Viaduct Works
The viaduct becomes an early showpiece of Brunel's railway engineering.
South Devon Main-Line Survey Completed
Brunel surveys a railway route between Exeter and Plymouth that later becomes the South Devon Railway.
South Wales Railway Engineering
Extends his railway engineering work into industrial South Wales.
Taff Vale Railway Appointment
Is appointed engineer for the Taff Vale Railway project.
Wharncliffe Viaduct Construction
Directs construction of the Wharncliffe Viaduct for the Great Western Railway.
Underfall Dam Flow Control Refined
Harbour operators used the culvert sluices to regulate scouring currents without draining the Floating Harbour.
Bath Approaches Engineering Planned
Brunel designed the approach through the confined Bath valley with railway bridges and substantial masonry works.
Chippenham Alignment Engineering Planned
Brunel planned the route through Chippenham to maintain gentle gradients suitable for broad gauge locomotives.
Leigh Woods Foundation Stone Laid
Construction resumed with a ceremony marking the foundation of the western bridge abutment.
Great Western Paddle Steamer Design Developed
Brunel designed a large wooden hulled ship propelled by steam powered paddle wheels for Atlantic crossings.
Hungerford Thames Bridge Scheme Considered
Brunel's engineering work extended to proposals for a pedestrian suspension crossing over the River Thames at Hungerford.
Paddington Railway Approach Works Begin
Contractors developed cuttings bridges and track formation for the western railway approaches to Paddington.
Great Western Steamship Venture Begins
Brunel worked with Bristol investors to establish a company dedicated to regular steamship communication between Britain and New York.
Bristol New York Route Planned
Brunel advocated a direct steamship service from Bristol to New York as an extension of modern British transport networks.
Wooden Hull Chosen For Western
The designers adopted a large wooden hull for Great Western while incorporating steam machinery intended for prolonged ocean service.
Paddle Propulsion Selected
Brunel's transatlantic vessel was designed with side paddle wheels driven by powerful marine steam engines.
Coal Capacity Shapes Ship Design
Brunel's design allowed substantial bunker space so the ship could make the Atlantic passage under steam without routine intermediate refuelling.
Auxiliary Sailing Rig Specified
Great Western was planned with four masts and sails to supplement her steam propulsion during ocean crossings.
Leigh Woods Foundation Ceremony Held
On 27 August 1836, the foundation stone of the Leigh Woods abutment is laid as bridge construction resumes after years of financial and political interruption.
1837
SS Great Western
The wooden paddle steamship SS Great Western is launched at Bristol under Brunel's direction.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
The main contractors fail financially, but the bridge towers are raised in unfinished stone.
Institution of Civil Engineers
Brunel becomes a full member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
First Major GWR Structure
The structure is the first major engineering work completed on the GWR.
Great Western Hull Built by William Patterson
William Patterson's Bristol yard constructs Brunel's large wooden paddle steamship for the Great Western Steamship Company.
Wharncliffe Becomes First Major GWR Structure
The Wharncliffe Viaduct becomes the first major completed structure on Brunel's Great Western Railway.
Wharncliffe Viaduct Completed
Completes the Wharncliffe Viaduct on the Great Western Railway.
River Avon Crossing Locations Selected
The railway engineering plans identified places where the main line would cross or run alongside the River Avon.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.