Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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How Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the world. Try brilliant.org/Newsthink for FREE for 30 days, and get 20% off your annual premium subscription

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Newsthink is produced and presented by Cindy Pom
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:35 Thames Tunnel
2:15 Clifton Suspension Bridge
2:38 Great Western Railway
5:00 Brunel’s bridges
5:44 Brunel’s first ship SS Great Western6:47 Brunel’s second ship SS Great Britain7:58 The struggle to build the SS Great Eastern 10:45 Brunel’s death and legacy
12:50 Today’s sponsor Brilliant

Special thanks to the following for permission to use their material:
Soojin Han’s performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3: youtu.be/-egBwAl6ahQ?si=BFYdq9Y0Vq9_tP3b
Andy Longfellow for Wharncliffe viaduct: youtube.com/watch?v=_M37gVhQPvI&t=22s
Nithin Reddy for Wharncliffe viaduct: youtube.com/watch?v=yl29dbl9N68
Andrew Liles for Steamtrain over Wharncliffe viaduct: youtube.com/watch?v=pFyrqK1MA2g
Southwestern Railway Fan for Maidenhead Railway Bridge: youtube.com/watch?v=kW4q3aJP-2g

Sources:
Lychée Henri IV: Nwautana, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Portsmouth Block Mills Comlay, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Thames Tunnel from Wapping: Matt Brown, CC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Clifton Suspension Bridge image: Gothick, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Mixed gauge railway track: Copyright Les Chatfield via Flickr https://flic.kr/p/abK6w CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic
Great Western Railway train on track: Copyright Les Chatfield via Flickr https://flic.kr/p/abK6w CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic
Maidenhead Railway Bridge image: Nancy, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
SS Great Britain: mattbuck (category), CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
SS Great Britain front hull image: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
SS Great Britain interior: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
SS Great Britain bow view: Nortix08, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
SS Great Britain propeller and rudder wide shot: "Derbyshire Dale", CC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Custom launch ramp for Great Eastern at Millwall: Neddyseagoon, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kensal Green Cemetery: Justinc via Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
Seaside town of Torquay: youtube.com/watch?v=EJogloB7W5g&t=40s Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)
Brunel Manor: David Smith / Brunel Manor
Clifton Suspension Bridge lit at night image: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Brunel statue: Mewwiii, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Aerial view of Clifton Bridge and the Observatory: Chris Lathom-Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons