*Accompanies episode 47 of Ladies Who London podcast.
The River Thames holds many secrets and one of them sits 23 meters below the surface. Could it be a bunker? A Victorian broach stuck in the mud? River monsters? No! I’m talking about a tunnel, I know, I know it doesn’t sound very sexy, but this was in fact the first ever tunnel built underneath a navigable river in the world.
The chaps responsible? the dream duo: Marc Isambard Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The Brunel’s were engineers and responsible for many jaw dropping creations, such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain.
Construction of the tunnel started in Rotherhithe and it went north under the river to Wapping, which lives on the opposite bank. It was opened in 1843 and would you believe still exits and 1000’s of people travel through it every day.
But it wasn’t plain sailing that’s for sure!
Want to hear more? why not tune into Episode 46 and hear about the dangers and deaths that occurred whilst creating what has been deemed : a wonder of the world.
This Episode was recorded in the wonderfully unique @theboatpod who invited us to use and enjoy their decked out floating studio.
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