10 Questions
Which railway system did Brunel advocate for in South Devon?
Atmospheric railway
What was the main advantage of the atmospheric railway according to Brunel?
Ability to handle steeper gradients
Why did the atmospheric railway system fail?
Inadequate materials for construction
How long did the atmospheric railway system operate before it was abandoned?
A year
What did Brunel do after admitting the failure of the atmospheric railway system?
Took responsibility for the failure
Peter Hay quotes from Nicholson’s British Encyclopaedia of 1909 as follows: ‘Engineers are extremely necessary for these purposes; wherefore it is requisite that, besides being ingenious, they should be ______ in proportion.’
brave
His father, Sir Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849), was himself a famous engineer, of ______ parents.
French
He eventually settled in Britain and married the Sophia Kingdom, an ______ woman whom he had known in France in earlier days.
English
Their only son Isambard was born on 9 April ______.
1806
He was sent to France at the age of 14 to study mathematics and science and was 16 when he returned to England to work with his father. Sir Marc was then building his famous tunnel under the River ______.
Thames
Test your knowledge of Brunel's ambitious and controversial atmospheric railway project in South Devon. Explore the pros and cons of this innovative concept and its impact on engineering judgment. Discover how the unique design of the connecting arm and the train's progress through a flap presented challenges and opportunities.
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