Great Western Railway

Brunel surveys the proposed Great Western Railway route on horseback and negotiates with landowners.

Brunel is appointed engineer for the proposed railway between Bristol and London.

The proposed Great Western Railway route between Bristol and London is formally announced.

Brunel assessed gradients and river crossings on the proposed western section of the Great Western Railway.

Parliamentary approval allowed construction of the Great Western Railway through Bath and the neighbouring Avon valley.

Parliament authorises the Great Western Railway and allows construction of Brunel's London to Bristol route.

The Great Western Railway Act enabled construction of the line from its London terminus toward Bristol.

Parliament authorises construction of the Great Western Railway between London and Bristol.

Brunel adopts a broad railway gauge of seven feet and one quarter inch for the Great Western Railway.

Large-scale construction begins on Brunel's Great Western Railway between London and Bristol.

Directs construction of the Wharncliffe Viaduct for the Great Western Railway.

Facilities were built to allow the Great Western Railway to start passenger services before a permanent terminus existed.

The Wharncliffe Viaduct becomes the first major completed structure on Brunel's Great Western Railway.

Completes the Wharncliffe Viaduct on the Great Western Railway.

Designs the sharply skewed Dumb Bell Bridge beneath the Great Western Railway.

The first working section of the Great Western Railway demonstrates Brunel's broad-gauge track and early bridge designs.

Completes the Leigh Road overbridge on the early Great Western Railway.

Completes an early Great Western Railway overbridge at Middlegreen Road.

Completes the St Mary's Road bridge on the Great Western Railway.

The first public section of the Great Western Railway opens between Paddington and Maidenhead.

The first temporary Great Western Railway terminus at Paddington opens for services between London and Maidenhead.

Work begins on Box Tunnel through Box Hill for the Great Western Railway.

Completes Brook Road Bridge for the Great Western Railway near Bath.

Supports installation of electric telegraph wires beside the Great Western Railway.

The Paddington-West Drayton link becomes an early commercial telegraph installation.

Brunel develops the masonry viaduct carrying the Great Western Railway across the River Avon in Wiltshire.

The crossing carries the Great Western Railway through the city.

Brunel's river crossings were designed for the wider track gauge adopted by the Great Western Railway.

Bath's Great Western Railway station commenced operations as the new Bristol to Bath section opened.

A Brunel-designed accommodation bridge is completed on the Challow to Wootton Bassett section of the Great Western Railway.

Designs a Great Western Railway bridge near Saltford.

Designs the Great Western Railway crossing over the River Chew.

Completes the long Twerton Viaduct for the Great Western Railway.

The Great Western Railway opened its section from Wootton Bassett to Chippenham in December.

The complete Great Western Railway route between London and Bristol opens for through services.

Completion of the main line allows continuous railway travel between London and Bristol in about four hours.

The Great Western Railway offered merchants a more direct land transport route for goods moving through the Bath area.

The Great Western Railway works open at New Swindon and become a major centre for locomotive engineering.

The Great Western Railway opens its Birmingham station at Snow Hill.

The Great Western Railway approves Brunel's plans for a grand permanent terminus at Paddington.

The first Great Western Railway service departs from Brunel's new Paddington Station before completion of the roof.