SS Great Britain

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

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 submits a detailed report recommending screw propulsion instead of paddle wheels for the new Great Britain.

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

The ship's machinery uses a large chain drive to transmit engine power to the screw propeller.

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.

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

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 ship designed by Brunel reached New York on its inaugural Atlantic passage after departing Liverpool in July.

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

Great Britain completed its inaugural return crossing and arrived in Liverpool after sailing from New York.

Great Britain began another westbound service when it left Liverpool for New York in late September.

Great Britain reached New York on its second westbound commercial voyage of the year.

Great Britain arrived back at Liverpool after the late October departure from New York.

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

Great Britain sailed west from Liverpool in May on another scheduled crossing to New York.

Great Britain arrived at New York after its spring voyage from Liverpool.

Great Britain completed its June Atlantic return and reached Liverpool.

Great Britain departed Liverpool on another scheduled westbound voyage during July.

Great Britain reached New York on its July voyage while still operating on the North Atlantic route.

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

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.

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

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

The former Atlantic liner was sold to new interests for a change of service toward Australian passenger voyages.

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

The ship underwent substantial preparation to serve the growing demand for passage to Australia.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.