Sir Charles Richardson (1814–1896) was the resident engineer of the Bristol and South Wales Union Railway.

This led to some conflict with Brunel over disruptions to his work, although equally it was encouraged by other contractors[i] as an alternative to the evils of drink.

In 1858 Brunel appointed Richardson as the resident engineer of the Bristol and South Wales Union Railway.

During the completion of the ferry piers, around 1863, Richardson began to advocate an underwater tunnel as a better means of joining the Bristol and South Wales lines.

[5] The consulting engineer for this project was John Hawkshaw with Alfred Gooch[ii] as Richardson's assistant.

[6] This was the date of the opening of the nearby Severn Railway Bridge, which Gooch attended as chairman of the GWR and had invited the guests present to view the even more impressive tunnel with the ironic warning, "It will be rather wet and you had better bring your umbrellas".