2-480-617 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Thames Tunnel, London, mid 19th century. Designed by Marc Isambard Brunel, the Thames Tunnel, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was the first underwater tunnel in the world. Work began 1825 and it was completed as a foot tunnel in 1843. It was converted to a railway tunnel for the East London Railway in the 1860s and is still used by the trains today. Isambard Kingdom Brunel acted as site engineer during the project.