Brunel's Steamships

Brunel proposed an ocean steamship to connect Bristol with North America and extend the transport ambitions of the Great Western enterprise.

Brunel proposes extending the Great Western transport system from Bristol to New York by steamship.

The Great Western Steamship Company is formed to develop Brunel's transatlantic steamship plan.

William Patterson's Bristol yard constructs Brunel's large wooden paddle steamship for the Great Western Steamship Company.

Brunel's large paddle steamship entered the water before machinery fitting and sea trials were completed.

The wooden paddle steamship SS Great Western is launched at Bristol under Brunel's direction.

Brunel developed proposals to improve harbour entrances as increasing steamship dimensions challenged the original locks.

Early plans for Brunel's second major steamship envisage a wooden paddle vessel initially called City of New York.

SS Great Western completes an early sea trial before beginning her first Atlantic service.

SS Great Western departs Bristol on her first Atlantic voyage to New York.

SS Great Western reaches New York and demonstrates the commercial practicality of regular steamship crossings.

Brunel and the building committee recommend changing the new steamship from wood to iron construction.

Construction begins on Brunel's iron-hulled transatlantic steamship SS Great Britain.

The steamship directors accept Brunel's recommendation and approve converting the vessel to screw propulsion.

Brunel orders SS Great Britain to be redesigned for screw propulsion instead of paddle wheels.

SS Great Britain is equipped with a six-masted schooner rig designed to reduce the sailing manpower required.

Prince Albert attends the public launch of SS Great Britain in Bristol's Floating Harbour.

SS Great Britain is launched as the largest ship in the world and a pioneering iron screw steamship.

The rebuilt southern entrance was planned to accommodate larger steamships than the earlier Bristol dock entrance.

SS Great Britain is completed for service but remains delayed by limitations in Bristol Harbour.

SS Great Britain finally leaves Bristol Floating Harbour after modifications are made to the harbour locks.

SS Great Britain is completed and prepared for transatlantic passenger service.

SS Great Britain departs Liverpool for New York on her first transatlantic voyage.

SS Great Britain reaches New York after becoming the first iron steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The new screw steamship departed New York for Liverpool on its first homeward passenger voyage.

The steamship sailed from New York for Liverpool on a further return crossing with a small passenger complement.

SS Great Britain completes two transatlantic round trips during her second season of passenger service.

SS Great Britain runs aground in Dundrum Bay during a transatlantic voyage.

SS Great Britain is refloated after remaining stranded in Dundrum Bay for nearly a year.

The enlarged entrance and its new bridge provided more practical access for the growing steamship traffic at Bristol.

Brunel develops a huge steamship intended to reach distant destinations without repeatedly stopping to take on coal.

Brunel developed plans for a steamship large enough to travel immense distances without frequent coaling stops.

Brunel develops the concept of an exceptionally large steamship able to reach distant destinations without refuelling.

Brunel specified both side paddle wheels and a screw propeller to power his exceptionally large iron steamship.

The keel of SS Great Eastern is laid at John Scott Russell's shipyard in Millwall.

The giant steamship is designed with five funnels serving its extensive steam machinery.

Work on SS Great Eastern stops temporarily after John Scott Russell's shipbuilding business becomes bankrupt.

Robert Howlett photographs Brunel standing before the launching chains of SS Great Eastern.

The first attempt to launch SS Great Eastern sideways ends in failure and the death of a worker.

After prolonged and difficult launch attempts the huge steamship entered the water in January.

SS Great Eastern is finally floated after repeated and costly launching attempts.

Brunel suffers a severe stroke shortly before the first sea trials of SS Great Eastern.

The Great Western became an important early example of using large purpose built steamships for regular Atlantic travel.

SS Great Britain lost propeller blades during her first homeward Atlantic passage and relied on sail power to return to Liverpool.

Scottish engineer James Bremner undertook the demanding salvage of SS Great Britain after her grounding in Dundrum Bay.

James Bremner arranged the measures needed to recover the stranded iron steamship from the sands of Dundrum Bay.

The cost of recovering SS Great Britain after her 1846 grounding placed severe financial pressure on the original Great Western Steamship Company.

Gibbs Bright and Company bought SS Great Britain in 1850 and prepared the former Atlantic steamship for the growing Australia emigrant trade.

Refitting SS Great Britain for the emigrant trade included a substantial deckhouse that provided more accommodation for long voyages.

During the 1851 to 1852 conversion SS Great Britain gained passenger accommodation for roughly 730 travellers serving the Australian emigrant route.

SS Great Britain was adapted to combine steam with ocean sailing, allowing her propeller arrangement to reduce resistance when winds were favourable.

Great Britain reached Melbourne after a long voyage carrying hundreds of people from Liverpool.

SS Great Britain carried hundreds of emigrants to Victoria during her first Australia voyage as demand surged following the gold discoveries.

Great Britain departed Liverpool for Melbourne carrying emigrants and other passengers during the Australian gold rush.

John Gray joined SS Great Britain as second officer in time for her first voyage to Australia.

During the first Australia voyage SS Great Britain turned back towards Saint Helena to replenish coal after fuel consumption proved greater than expected.

Thousands of curious visitors paid to inspect the newly arrived steamship during its first Australian visit.

A refit of SS Great Britain after her first voyage to Australia included installation of a two blade screw propeller and changes to her sailing rig.

John Gray advanced to first officer aboard SS Great Britain during her early Australian passenger service.

Great Britain continued Australian passenger service by combining engine power with sail on lengthy ocean routes.

An Australian service refit altered SS Great Britain to three square rigged masts to improve economical ocean sailing.

John Gray became captain of SS Great Britain in April 1854 and began a long command spanning Australian and military voyages.

Great Britain was selected for conversion from emigrant transport into a troop carrier during the Crimean War.

Great Britain carried British military personnel during its temporary employment as a Crimean War troopship.

Great Britain received a renewed rig of three larger masts as part of its midcentury refitting.

After its Crimean service Great Britain returned for further refitting and eventual civilian employment.

The ship was used to transport troops to India during the military response to the uprising of 1857.

Great Britain resumed civilian long distance operations after being used to transport soldiers in wartime.

Great Britain continued the established Australian emigrant route with steam and sail operating together.

The England cricket party arrived in Australia aboard Great Britain following its voyage across the oceans.

The ship transported the pioneering English cricket team that travelled to tour Australia.

The cricket tour sailing carried live animals for food alongside passengers and crew during its ocean passage.

Great Britain could lift its screw propeller clear of the water when favourable winds allowed it to sail without engine power.

Captain John Gray supervised the passage of SS Great Britain to Australia during the 1860s, when the vessel had an established reputation on the emigrant route.

Under Captain John Gray SS Great Britain remained engaged in the long distance Australia trade in the early 1860s, carrying emigrants between Britain and Melbourne.

Passengers on SS Great Britain observed a total solar eclipse near Brazil during a passage home from Australia.

A voyage departing Melbourne carried valuable gold alongside other cargo and homeward bound passengers.

Captain John Gray disappeared at sea during a return passage from Australia and the circumstances remained unclear.

After Captain John Gray disappeared at sea in November 1872, the surviving crew continued the voyage towards Liverpool, where news of his disappearance became public.

Great Britain embarked on a return passage from Melbourne to Liverpool during its later Australian service.

SS Great Britain collided with the vessel Mysore in November 1874 during her later Australian service, suffering damage and losing an anchor.

The iron ship designed by Brunel made its final return to Liverpool from Australian passenger service and was laid up.

Commercial owners purchased Great Britain for a new working life as a cargo carrying sailing ship.

Great Britain entered sailing ship service transporting coal around Cape Horn toward San Francisco.

The vessel was converted to sail only service and its steam machinery was removed for cargo operations.

The vessel served the transoceanic cargo trade by returning with grain after delivering coal to California.

A violent storm damaged Great Britain and stripped away masts during an attempted cargo voyage around Cape Horn.

Damage sustained near Cape Horn ended the vessel career as a seagoing cargo ship.

After storm damage Great Britain reached the Falkland Islands rather than continuing its planned cargo voyage.

Great Britain entered a prolonged period of use as a stationary storage hulk at Port Stanley.

Great Britain was deliberately settled in shallow water at Sparrow Cove after years of work as a storage hulk.

Naval architect Ewan Corlett publicly advocated saving Great Britain and helping return the historic vessel to Bristol.

The campaign to recover SS Great Britain built support after naval architect Ewan Corlett publicly argued that the abandoned iron vessel should be rescued.

Great Britain began the ocean tow from the Falkland Islands that would eventually take it back to Bristol.

Great Britain returned to its original building dock in Bristol after a century away from the city.

The salvaged ship reached Barry in Wales on a transport pontoon after its Atlantic journey.

Ewan Corlett helped establish the technical feasibility of recovering and transporting the decayed iron vessel.

The abandoned Great Britain was lifted onto a submersible pontoon to prepare for its long tow to Britain.

Jack Hayward contributed substantial financial support that helped make the recovery of Great Britain possible.

Conservation surveys revealed that SS Great Britain remained vulnerable to corrosion and prompted plans for controlled dry dock preservation.

A major conservation project at Brunel's former building dock incorporated a protective glass waterline around the vessel.

The preserved SS Great Britain received the 2006 Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year, recognising the museum and its public presentation.

Great Western was planned with four masts and sails to supplement her steam propulsion during ocean crossings.

Brunel worked with Bristol investors to establish a company dedicated to regular steamship communication between Britain and New York.

The designers adopted a large wooden hull for Great Western while incorporating steam machinery intended for prolonged ocean service.

Thomas Guppy joined Brunel and other Bristol promoters in organizing the company that would commission the Great Western.

William Patterson's shipbuilding yard began constructing the hull of the pioneering transatlantic paddle steamer Great Western.

The London fitting out supplied the large boilers necessary to sustain Great Western's paddle wheel propulsion.

Great Western's exceptionally large dimensions made her one of the most ambitious merchant steamships of her time.

Great Western carried a four masted auxiliary sailing arrangement alongside her steam machinery.

Great Western received side lever steam engines supplied by the engineering firm Maudslay Sons and Field.

After launching at Bristol, Great Western travelled to London for fitting out with her propulsion machinery.

Royal Navy lieutenant James Hosken was appointed to command Great Western before her inaugural Atlantic service.

Brunel was injured during the response to a fire involving Great Western before the first Atlantic voyage.

A fire around Great Western's machinery during preparations for her inaugural crossing delayed the beginning of service.

Great Western's four masts provided auxiliary sailing capability alongside the paddle wheels during her early transatlantic operations.

Great Western carried letters as well as passengers and freight, contributing to faster communications across the ocean.

Experience gathered under Captain Hosken provided practical evidence about fuel consumption and handling on lengthy steam powered voyages.

Captain Hosken demonstrated that a large paddle steamer could cross the North Atlantic while relying predominantly on steam propulsion.

Great Western departed New York on 7 May for the first homeward voyage of her scheduled steamship service.

The advertised direct passage under Captain Hosken promised that Great Western would avoid a routine coal stop in Ireland.

Contemporary advertisements under Captain Hosken offered cabin passage to New York with provisions included in the fare.

Following the inaugural arrival, Captain Hosken prepared the ship for her first eastbound passage to Britain.

Great Western's first westbound Atlantic crossing established a leading passage time for early transatlantic steamships.

Great Western reduced her eastbound Atlantic passage time again during the summer of 1838.

During a subsequent 1838 voyage Great Western improved her westbound crossing time as the crew gained ocean steaming experience.

Public notices identified Lieutenant James Hosken as commander of the steamship's first transatlantic service.

Under Captain Hosken, Great Western continued regular North Atlantic crossings following her successful first round trip.

Great Western set an important early benchmark for the speed of eastbound Atlantic steamship travel.

The steamship underwent a programme of alterations intended to provide additional passenger accommodation.

Refitting work in the period from 1839 to 1840 lengthened Great Western and increased her accommodation capacity.

Alterations to Great Western during the 1839 to 1840 period expanded the space available for commercial operations.

Passengers presented Captain Hosken with a telescope to commemorate an exceptionally rapid westbound crossing in May 1839.

A May crossing by Great Western established a faster westbound Atlantic passage time under Captain Hosken.

The ship's refit produced a longer vessel better suited to carrying additional passengers on Atlantic passages.

Great Western continued her transatlantic career after modifications designed to improve carrying capacity.

The arrival of Cunard steamers created a powerful new competitor for Great Western's North Atlantic passenger service.

A surviving sailing notice advertised a Great Western departure from Bristol in October 1841 under Captain Hosken.

Great Western reclaimed a leading eastbound Atlantic crossing time in May 1842.

From 1843 Great Western operated her North Atlantic voyages primarily from Liverpool rather than Bristol.

Lloyd's underwriters gave Captain Hosken a gold watch in recognition of his safe navigation of many Atlantic passages aboard Great Western.

Great Western briefly regained a leading westbound Atlantic passage record during May 1843.

Great Western was withdrawn from her original North Atlantic operation after the 1846 season.

The Great Western Steamship Company sold its original paddle steamer to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in April 1847.

After the sale, Great Western entered Royal Mail Steam Packet Company service linking Britain with the West Indies.