Great Western

The Great Western paddle steamer, one of the most important ships of the 19th century, was designed by famed British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was his attempt to build a steamship capable of regularly crossing the Atlantic without relying on wind power.

Brunel cleverly incorporated sails into his design, however, as this stabilized the ship in rough seas and ensured maximum efficiency of the two powerful steam paddles.

When Great Western was launched in 1837, it was not only the largest passenger ship in the world, but was also full of technologies and innovations that would be used in ship design for many years to come.