Place    From 1825 

Brunel's Thames Tunnel

Categories: Engineering, Transport

The first tunnel in the world under a navigable river. Built between 1825 and 1843 using the tunnelling shield technology invented by Marc Brunel. It was originally intended to be used for horse-drawn traffic, but this never materialised. It was briefly profitable since it attracted tourist pedestrians so shops and entertainment were provided in the tunnel. It is now the link between Rotherhithe and Wapping stations on the London Overgound rail network. Not to be confused with the Rotherhithe Tunnel - used for road traffic.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Brunel's Thames Tunnel

Commemorated ati

Brunel's Engine House

Brunel's engine house The tunnel shaft and pumping house for Marc Brunel's tu...

Read More

Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Thames Tunnel flooding

Near this spot in 1828 Isambard Kingdom Brunel was pulled half-drowned from t...

Read More

Thames Tunnel Boiler House

Boiler House, this building was originally used as a boiler house during the ...

Read More

Thames Tunnel - Rotherhithe

International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Thames Tunnel constructed 1...

Read More

Thames Tunnel - Wapping

The tunnel which runs under the Thames from this station was the first tunnel...

Read More

Other Subjects

Major-General William Roy

Major-General William Roy

Military engineer, surveyor, antiquary. Born South Lanarkshire.  Founder of the Ordnance Survey. 1749-55, one of a team that produced "The Duke of Cumberland's Map", commissioned by  George II as ...

Person, Armed Forces, Engineering, History, Science, Scotland

2 memorials
François Hennebique

François Hennebique

Engineer and builder. One of the early innovators with reinforced concrete initially in Brussels. In 1892, he patented a reinforced-concrete construction system. The first building erected using th...

Person, Architecture, Engineering, France

1 memorial
First residential roof-top wind turbines

First residential roof-top wind turbines

The published benefits of domestic wind turbines vary enormously. Taking a very rough average, each one saves about five tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere each year, and p...

Group, Engineering

1 memorial
S. G. Purkis

S. G. Purkis

St Marylebone Borough Engineer and Surveyor in 1965.

Person, Engineering

1 memorial
J. & E. Hall, Dartford

J. & E. Hall, Dartford

From Dartford Archive: "In the early days the company specialised in heavy foundry-based engineering. Later on, the company developed a specialisation in refrigeration engineering." We wondered wh...

Group, Craft / Design, Engineering

1 memorial