Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) was a very famous British engineer. He is best known for the creation of the Great Western Railway, a series of famous steamships and numerous important bridges.
Although Brunel's projects were not always successful, they often contained innovative solutions to ancient engineering problems. During his short career, Brunel achieved many engineering 'firsts', including assisting in the building of the first tunnel under a navigable river.