1-157-531 - Oxford Science Archive/Heritage Images

Thames Tunnel, c1830. The Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping was the most remarkable undertaking by the engineer and inventor Sir Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849). His son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) was site engineer on the project. Construction began in 1825, but was not completed until 1843, partly due to the workings being totally flooded in 1828, causing the project to be abandoned for several years. 50,000 people walked through the tunnel on the day it opened. Today it is part of the London Underground.