Brunel's ss Great Britain

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Isambard Kingdom Brunel was undoubtedly a genius, but many of the projects with which he was involved were dogged by bad luck and the ss Great Britain was no exception.

Nevertheless, when she was launched in 1843 she was the largest and most advanced

ship afloat, equipped with all the features of a modern passenger liner. During her first few years of service, misfortune followed her, culminating in 1846 when she ran aground on the east coast of Ireland during a stormy night, with 180 passengers on board. 

Remaining stranded for almost a year, she was saved from destruction by two of Brunel’s most ingenious ideas: one to protect her from the weather while she remained aground on a very exposed coast, the other the remarkable method he put forward to the Great Western Steamship Company for re-floating her. Duly re-floated in August 1847, she was towed back to Liverpool and sold.

From 1852 until 1876 she was plied to and from Australia carrying passengers. Later

she served as a cargo ship until she became stranded at the Falkland Islands in 1886,

where she remained until 1970 when she was towed back to Bristol to be restored. Brunel’s ss Great Britain follows the story of the ship from the formation of the Great Western Steamship Company, her first owner until she was returned to Bristol.

It is a fascinating tale, spanning 135 years.