ABC of Chippenham: Isambard Kingdom Brunel


Thanks to the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Chippenham is a railway town. He decided that his Great Western Railway line from London to Bristol - nicknamed 'Brunel's billiard table' at the time because the line is relatively flat compared to others in the UK - would be routed through the town and was also based here for a while whilst it was being built. When you visit many of our towns and cities, places of heritage are often marked with a blue plaque like the one above. The temporary presence of one of our greatest Britons ever was deemed to be of significance by the Civic Society.

The plaque is placed on a small building to the side of the railway station. This was Brunel's office which he used whilst supervising the works in Chippenham and the surrounding area. He left quite a mark on the town in 1841, but you'll have to wait until a later letter to see exactly what that was...

This is for ABC Wednesday and is the ninth in my themed round of posts about Chippenham.

Comments

  1. Roger Owen Green16 March 2011 at 10:28

    interesting bit of history
    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

    ReplyDelete
  2. Berowne16 March 2011 at 11:04

    I always enjoy these history posts.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hermes16 March 2011 at 12:07

    Thanks didn't know that. I can just remember when Swindon was a railway town.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Janet/Plantaliscious16 March 2011 at 12:32

    I'm a big fan of Brunel - and the fabulous Clifton Suspension Bridge of course. I like the idea of him personally supervising the project, moving his office as the line progressed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. petoskystone16 March 2011 at 14:13

    mr. & mrs. brunel certainly saddled their son with an impressive name!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chubskulit Rose16 March 2011 at 15:09

    Very interesting.

    Invent and Create is my ABC, please come and see.

    ReplyDelete
  7. jabblog16 March 2011 at 16:43

    Chippenham was honoured to have been selected by Brunel:-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gattina16 March 2011 at 16:47

    Interesting to know, I often take the train from Ashford to the cost I didn't know this story.
    Gattina
    ABC Team

    ReplyDelete
  9. The bike shed16 March 2011 at 17:37

    After your ABC post on the history centre, I went there today with Jane. What a great place. And some interesting lectures too; we almost got quite excited!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Misfit in Paradise16 March 2011 at 18:30

    Anticipation!
    Donna - ABC Team

    ReplyDelete
  11. Meryl18 March 2011 at 20:05

    I love opening a post and learning something. Thank you!
    Meryl
    http://departingthetext.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP21 March 2011 at 08:14

    ROG, Berowne and chubskulit - glad you enjoyed it

    Hermes - me too. It's rather weird there nowadays isn't it? By that I mean going round a shopping centre where engines were once built

    Janet - I was really surprised that the link I chose had no mention of the suspension bridge at all. I've been underneath it by train - a steam train :)

    Petoskystone - he had to live up to it really didn't he?

    jabblog - I hadn't thought of it that way before

    Gattina - that's a different railway. I wonder what it's story is?

    Mark - it's a fab place isn't it? Like you I thought the talks looked good too

    Misfit in Paradise - welcome and you'll have to wait!

    Meryl - welcome and you're welcome ;)

    ReplyDelete

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