Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE THAMES TUNNEL. 189 who shortly afterwards had to cope with a strike of the workmen lasting for several days —a period sufficiently long to allow the mov- ing parts of the shield to become rusty and obstinate. Hardly had the men been per- suaded to resume work when a great disaster occurred. On the evening of May 18 the river took control, invaded the shield, and drove the miners pell-mell to the shaft. All managed to gain the top except First Irruption of the River. 19,500 cubic feet had been thrown into the hole. This procedure stopped out the water, and rendered possible an inspection of the tunnel. The frames were found to be in positions, unaffected by the terrific strain to which they had been subjected. Public enthusiasm ran high. Praise of Brunel’s genius was in everybody’s mouth. Two of the directors decided to explore the their proper The Tunnel cleared. one old fellow, bard Brunel, ever quick to act, seized a rope and slid down one of the iron ties of the shaft, followed by Mr. Gravatt, an assistant engineer. By means of the rope all three were brought safely up, and when the roll was called the engine attendant. Isam- tunnel in a boat, which unfortunately cap- CROSS-SECTION OF RIVER AND TUNNEL BED LOOKING NORTH. sized and caused the death of one of the work- men — a mis- hap that af- fected Mr, Brunel’s noble heart much more than had the irruption of the river. In due course the large mass of mud block- ing the tunnel at the shield every man employed in the tunnel answered to his name. The disaster Marc Brunel, become public Remedial Measures. came as a severe blow to Mr. But the news of it had hardly property before he was busy devising some means of rec- tifying matters. Bags were filled with clay, pierced with hazel rods, and flung into the deep depres- sion over the shield. A large raft of timber was then placed on the clay with the aid of a diving-bell, the working of which was at- tended by several very narrow escapes from drowning. The raft proving unsatisfactory, it had to be removed—a very difficult business —and the clay-filling resumed until some end was removed, and the advance resumed. This happy event was celebrated by a banquet given in the tunnel itself by Isambard to a number of distinguished guests, and to a hun- dred of the leading workmen. But the gen- eral satisfaction was short lived. On January 12, 1828, the water invaded the tunnel a second time. A rush of air extinguished the gas lamps, and the workmen were left to struggle along in utter darkness towards the shaft, through water that was running like a mill race. Isambard had a , Irruption. foot jammed in some timber, and was held prisoner until the flood reached to his waist. He then managed to free himself ■