Brunel Museum

Isambard Kingdom Brunel worked with his father on the project from 1823 and was appointed Resident Engineer in January 1827 at the age of 20.

The remaining 20 ft of shaft necessary to achieve the correct level for digging the tunnel was constructed by under-pinning.

The tunnelling was done by miners standing within an iron shield (or ambulating cofferdam) designed and patented by Marc Isambard Brunel.

The Engine House[2] was designed by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel to be part of the infrastructure of the Thames Tunnel.

[3] Since 1961 the building has been used as a museum, displaying information on the construction of the tunnel and the other projects by Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

This entailed relocating the Rennie flat V steam engine to the Chatham Historic Dockyard to create a larger exhibition space, a cafe and improved toilet facilities.

[1] Since 2012, The Midnight Apothecary[9] has run a cocktail bar within the roof garden, serving seasonal botanical drinks.

If the next stage of the application is successful, this project will conserve the historic building, improve visitor facilities and provide a home for the recently acquired collection of Marc Brunel's Thames Tunnel watercolour designs.