The Founding Fathers and Mothers of Victorian Engineering with Rob Bell

The Founding Fathers and Mothers of Victorian Engineering with Rob Bell

Author: Reign of London Tours April 9, 2025 Duration: 1:12:04

On the 9th April 1806 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, a little boy was born. Few could have predicted the impact his work would have on the world.  His name was Isambard Kingdom Brunel.


As a special treat in honour of Mr Brunel’s birthday, today I talk to Rob Bell, an engineer, podcaster and TV presenter. You may recognise him from Channel 5 documentaries on Britain’s Bridges, Ships, Lighthouses, Lost Battlefields and Railways and many more.


We’re going to discuss some of the founding fathers and mothers of Victorian Engineering... in other words, how it all began…


Rob's Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1MEsNELZRQ1bCfNHI50r6J


Rob's Documentaries:


Brunel: The Man Who Built Britain:

https://www.channel5.com/show/brunel-the-man-who-built-britain (UK)


Britain's Greatest Ships:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-Greatest-Ships/dp/B084GLBRR8/ (UK)


Building the Impossible (Lighthouses):

https://www.channel5.com/show/building-the-impossible (UK)


London's Greatest Bridges:

https://www.channel5.com/show/london-s-greatest-bridges (UK)


Britain's Greatest Bridges:

https://www.channel5.com/show/britain-s-greatest-bridges (UK)


Britain's Lost Battlefields:

https://www.channel5.com/show/britain-s-lost-battlefields-with-rob-bell/season-1/britain-s-lost-battlefields-with-rob-bell (UK)

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Britains-Lost-Battlefields/0IP4Y3DYQZ29KZ9XXJEFZ92UXX (USA)


If you would like to join Natalie on her Royal London Walking Tour, please see:

https://www.getyourguide.com/s/?q=supplier:252243


For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroquepodcast.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/


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There's a certain texture to the past that often gets smoothed over in textbooks. If It Ain't Baroque..., an independent history podcast from the team at Reign of London Tours, digs into that rich grain. Instead of a dry march through dates, each episode uses history as a lens-a prism, really-to examine the broader tapestry of life, culture, and the human experience. You'll hear stories where the grand narratives of politics and power intersect with the intimate details of everyday existence, revealing how people lived, thought, and felt in other times. The perspective offered here is grounded in a deep, practical knowledge of historical spaces and stories, moving beyond the abstract to something more tangible. This isn't about memorizing facts; it's about connecting threads from then to now. Tune in for a thoughtful, meandering exploration where a single artifact, a forgotten figure, or a specific event can open up a whole world of understanding. The result is a consistently engaging listen that reminds us how the past is never truly past, but always echoing in the foundations of our present.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

If It Ain't Baroque...
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