Brunel Speeding the Mail

Isambard Kingdom Brunel embodied the engineering genius of the Victorian age. He left behind an enduring legacy of technology and architecture, much of which is still used today.

Brunel’s Great Western Railway and transatlantic ships were vital to the improvement of the postal service, speeding the mail over land and seas. Brunel Speeding the Mail is illustrated with striking stamp artwork, and celebrates Brunel’s role in the birth of mass communication.

• Brunel timeline
• Brunel's Beginnings
• The Great Western Railway (GWR)
• Building the GWR
• The Great Ships
• The Great Eastern
• A Lasting Legacy

Brunel Puzzles - family activity sheets

You can download and print these great Brunel Puzzles and activities. There is also information for parents with National Curriculum links... and the answers!

Brunel Puzzles (PDF, 744KB)

Brunel Puzzles - information for parents (PDF, 394KB)

Royal Mail Brunel Stamps for 2006

To mark two hundred years since his birth, Royal Mail’s 2006 stamp issue illustrates some of Brunel’s greatest works: The Royal Albert Bridge in Saltash, Box Tunnel, Paddington Station, SS Great Eastern, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and Maidenhead Bridge. These stamps were created by design consultants hat-trick, and Brunel Speeding the Mail includes artwork from some of hat-trick's proposed designs.