Men Of Iron

In the first part a whole generation of great engineers is covered, among them Thomas Telford, James Nasmyth and Richard Trevithick. Their achievements, won through the close collaboration of the finest minds of the century, but more often through bitter competition, are colossal monuments to a time when engineers were superheroes.

The second episode looks at the rivalry between the Stephensons and Brunel to build Britain's new, highly lucrative, railway network. The Stephensons were hard-headed and realistic, while the flamboyant Brunel drove the investors in his Great Western to near bankruptcy.

In the 19th century, one man emerged as a true colossus among engineers - although he was only 5'3". Isambard Kingdom Brunel had an insatiable desire to build things that other engineers claimed were impossible. Not content with building the finest railway in England, Brunel wanted to go global and create a high-speed steam-powered transport link between London and New York. This seemingly mad project led to three revolutionary ships, each the biggest and most technically advanced of their time. It was the final chapter in Brunel's life, dominated by a monster ship that eventually destroyed its creator.