Collection
Discover our collection of objects.
Sketch of the timbering for the removal of the old shield
Small drawing; a pen-and-ink study, presumably by Richard Beamish, of the timbering for the removal of the old shield
Watercolour of a cylindrical tunnelling shield
Watercolour featuring a cylindrical tunnelling shield with crank (apparently for propelling cast-iron segments into place), cut from a larger sheet (conjoint with LDBRU:2017.19), with scale of feet, dated "September 1818".
Two watercolour views of a cylindrical tunnelling shield
Cylindrical tunnelling shield, two views, one with a miner at work, cut from a larger sheet with ink-ruled border at left-hand and lower edge (conjoint with LDBRU:2017.20)
Watercolour of the timbering for the removal of the old Shield
Watercolour depicting the "Timbering for the Removal of the Old Shield/ Side Timbering", signed "Rich. Beamish"; cut from a larger sheet
Watercolour of proposed three-part Shield
Watercolour showing a section of a tripartite shield with twelve miners at work in the shield; with partial ink border and seemingly a companion piece of LDBRU:2017.11, originally part of the same sheet.
Watercolour of proposed three-part tunnel
Watercolour representing a section of the tunnel, showing on the left a stagecoach riding through the tunnel, to the centre and right men at work in the shield; with partial ink border (cut from a larger sheet).
Four views of the Tunnelling Shield
A technical illustration of one of Brunel’s early designs for a method of tunnelling.
Section of tunnel with overlay
Watercolour depicting a section of the tunnel with overlay. The under section shows the shield with its twelve iron frames as seen from the front. The overplay places the brick-work double tunnel entrance over the shield.
Section of tunnel with overlay (under section)
Watercolour depicting a section of the tunnel with overlay. The under section shows the shield with its twelve iron frames as seen from the front. The overplay places the brick-work double tunnel entrance over the shield.
Watercolour of the Tunnel and Shield
Watercolour depicting a section of the tunnel, shield and movable stage, showing one of the arches not yet cut out from the encasing brickwork, attributed to Joseph Pinchback.
Watercolour of the second tunnelling Shield
Watercolour depicting section of one of the iron frames comprising the shield used in the construction of the Thames Tunnel, signed and dated "A.H.C./ June 1836",
Watercolour of proposed tunnelling Shield
Watercolour depicting three miners at work in the tunnel; shows how miners would dig forward, and the whole shield would be driven forward by hydraulics, in exactly the way that was eventually used, on a larger scale, in the "Great Shield"
Print of one frame of the Shield
A small woodcut engraving of isometrical sketch (based on the watercolour isometrical projection) depicting sections of the "Great Shield", credited to 'R. Beamish' and 'W. Warrington'.
Watercolour of one frame of the Shield
Watercolour depicting an "Isometrical projection of one of the Twelve Iron Frames forming the Shield/ shewing
the manner in which the ground in front was altogether supported", headed "One Frame", signed R. Beamish.