Talk:Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Brunel, Rattler & Alecto

The article claims that the RN commissioned Brunel to carry out the famous trial of HMS Rattler vs. HMS Alecto to settle the paddle vs. screw argument. However the RN's commission was in 1844 to study different forms of screw propeller and the paddle comparison wasn't until the following year. Is there any reference to support Brunel being involved with this later trial too? Surely Brunel had already made his own mind up and would hardly have been regarded as an impartial judge?

It's also worth noting that the Great Britain had already been launched before both of these trials. Brunel's own die was already cast. Andy Dingley (talk) 02:47, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

You are right, I have removed that and put in a reference to the tests he conducted on the steam tug Archimedes. I think this may come from mis-information from Adam Hart Davis in a TV programme. Jezhotwells (talk) 15:11, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Recognition

There used to be a pub, in Bristol, called 'The Great Engineer' - the pub sign was of Brunel. The address was Goodhind Street, Bristol - BS5 0ST. I don't know whether the pub is till there [possibly knocked down, with flats built on the site]. Can any one confirm. Is the [former??] existence worth mentioning? Autochthony wrote 2050z 4th December 2009. 86.151.60.238 (talk) 20:48, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

There was also a pub, at the bottom of the Temple Meads incline in Temple Gate House called The Reckless Engineer and later this was changed to the Isambard. Think the Holiday Inn Express has now comsumed the site. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.6.149.27 (talk) 15:57, 12 January 2010 (UTC)

Good article still?

Whilst I'm not sure enough work has been done to restore Featured Article Status, I think the article is at least a Good Article. Does a more involved editor want to nominate it. If it fails the GA nomination, then it's still at least B class, and I've rated it as such for Wikiproject Bristol with this edit NullofWest Fill the Void 15:28, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

I have a significant rewrite in the works, and plan to go through GA and FA after that. It might could skate through GA as is, but I'd rather have it in great shape first. Maralia (talk) 17:47, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

It Died

Did he die or did the gauge? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dr.queso (talk • contribs) 05:10, 29 May 2010 (UTC)

Saltash bridge

The last para of the article implies that Brunel´s name was only added to the bridge supports in 1959 but in fact it was there from the start. See old photos e.g. at

http://www.ssplprints.com/lowres/43/main/50/129546.jpg

and

http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/imfile/02660.jpg

Thanks

81.86.167.71 (talk) 12:14, 22 August 2010 (UTC)

Tim Roberts

If you read the supporting citation you will see that the name was added on the occasion of Brunel's centenary and then gradually disappeared due to layers of paint. Recently restored by Network Rail, I have adjusted the wording to make this clear. Jezhotwells (talk) 16:37, 22 August 2010 (UTC)

Reading the cite it suggests that it was a commemorative plaque was added at the centenary, not Brunel's name. Network Rail here had moved the access platforms obscuring his name, and moved the plaque from Saltash station to the bridge pier. It doesn't mention the name being obscured by paint.

You can compare the Saltash end in this 1979 picture and this Dec 2006 picture, and the Plymouth end in this 1979 picture and this Dec 2006 picture. Notice how the newer pictures have a railing right round the top of the tower, whereas the older ones have a small railing in the middle, and the access platforms have moved around the back.

EdJogg (talk) 13:28, 26 August 2010 (UTC)

Also see Royal Albert Bridge#Changes since 1859 where this all made clear. This article needs further updating for accuracy. -- EdJogg (talk) 13:33, 26 August 2010 (UTC)

Jasper Fforde cameo?

In the Thursday Next books, which are more or less based out of Swindon, a character named Isambard Kingdom Buñuel makes small but frequent appearances as an eccentric and brilliant book engineer. Something worth including? I was shocked and amused to come across this article and find that the character was inspired by a real person. 66.108.94.198 (talk) 21:51, 17 September 2010 (UTC)

I don't think so, this sort of trivia is not suited to an encyclopaedia, perhaps a passing mention in the article on the books. Jezhotwells (talk) 22:03, 17 September 2010 (UTC)

Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel

The section at the bottom of the page, Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is buried far too deep, in my opinion. I rarely scroll beyond the See Also′s, so I went back to Google when I couldn't find the list I was looking for. It turns out there's a Category page called Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, too, but it's alphabetical and doesn't show any dates. Plus I can't seem to link to it properly. Can we have a new section 10 (before the See Also′s) with a complete chronological list? I may do it myself, so excuse me if I duplicate some text that's already there...
nagualdesign (talk) 00:57, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

The 'Works of...' template is not intended to be comprehensive -- more a selection of highlights -- the Category should contain 'everything'. The bottom of the page is the traditional place for navigation templates such as this; however, in this case I think you would be justified in moving it to the end of the 'Legacy' section (where it is also conveniently close to 'See also'.

Alternatively, you could create List of works by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (title negotiable!) based on the category, making sure that entries were at least listed chronologically and/or by subject (railways, bridges, ships, etc) to add value beyond the category membership (which would persist). This could then be linked from the top of the 'Legacy' section here.

EdJogg (talk) 15:48, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

Engineer

Brunel was not just a civil engineer, but also nautical and mechanical. The first paragraph should be modified. DesmondW (talk) 18:42, 25 January 2011 (UTC)

Great Eastern

It can't possibly have been part of Brunel's vision (in the 1830s) for the Great Western Railway that passengers should cross the Atlantic on the 'Great Eastern', not built until the late '50s! I changed it to 'Great Western', which was contemporary. 86.181.115.142 (talk) 13:23, 9 May 2011 (UTC)

Timeline

Its a useful and appealing addition, but it really creates problems in the article with sandwiching of text (see Wikipedia:Images): at one point on my display there is the infobox, the timeline and a picture squashing the text. I have tried various options to sort the problem but none seems to work. Does anyone have any suggestions?--SabreBD (talk) 23:21, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

Is it any better now?

I've replaced

{| align="right"

with

{| style="float: right; clear: right;"

'align' doesn't do quite what you might expect in HTML - read brainjar.com about CSS float if you want to understand this stuff. Andy Dingley (talk) 09:18, 25 June 2011 (UTC)

Thanks its definitely an improvement, although I have to be honest and say that there are still problems as on my display (this does vary a lot) there are still pictures sandwiching text in the Thames Tunnel and Bridges sections. I think this will do for now, but it is a MOS issues and so is should come up if this article goes to GA or back to FA review. In the end some pictures may have to be removed or go in an album.--SabreBD (talk) 10:08, 25 June 2011 (UTC)

Looks very good. An improvement I'd say. But why do we slip into the past tense at his 1836 marriage? I have added a note at template talk page. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:38, 25 June 2011 (UTC)

I've re-positioned the images to try and improve things. All bridge images are now on the left, to avoid being pushed down by the timeline, and I've added some whitespace to the rendering of later sections to stop images getting pushed too far down. Andy Dingley (talk) 15:30, 25 June 2011 (UTC)

The Difference Engine

Perhaps we should mention that I.K. Brunel is a major figure in the alternative-history novel The Difference Engine. He succeeds the fictionalized Lord Byron as prime minister. --Christofurio (talk) 00:12, 11 February 2012 (UTC)

No, because Brunel's relevance to a novel does not mean that the novel has any relevance to Brunel. Andy Dingley (talk) 00:36, 11 February 2012 (UTC)

Born where?

Born 9 April 1806 Weybridge, England... Or The son of French civil engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and Sophia Kingdom Brunel, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born on 9 April 1806 in Portsmouth, Hampshire. ...Which is it, as currently this article contradicts itself. 92.233.49.173 (talk) 18:21, 16 October 2012 (UTC)

His older sisters were born in Weybridge, but by the time IKB was born, they'd moved to Portsmouth to work on the block making machines. Andy Dingley (talk) 21:38, 16 October 2012 (UTC)

Thanks Andy. Probably worth getting that right. 92.233.49.173 (talk) 19:57, 17 October 2012 (UTC)