PLYMOUTH PASSENGERS COME FACE TO FACE WITH BRUNEL

Friday 25 Aug 2006

PLYMOUTH PASSENGERS COME FACE TO FACE WITH BRUNEL

Region & Route:: | Wales & Western: Wales & Borders; | Wales & Western: Western; | Wales & Western

Thousands of passengers at Plymouth railway station will be coming face to face with the achievements of one of the greatest engineers in history over the next two weeks. The ‘Discover the Legacy’ exhibition, dedicated to Isambard Kingdom Brunel to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, will be on display for all visitors to Plymouth Station. Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s Western Route Director, said: “The West Country has the unique honour of safeguarding much of Brunel’s legacy – not only his original drawings but also structures such as the Royal Albert Bridge. “Our engineers still use Brunel’s original drawings in their day-to-day jobs, so it is only fitting that we are involved in these celebrations.” The exhibition stands include rarely-seen drawings and plans by Brunel from Network Rail’s own archive, commissioned photographs and information about the great man and ‘pearls’ of the Great Western route. Following its launch at Paddington Station, this unique exhibition will be at Plymouth Station from Saturday 26 August – Friday 8 September and will then finish its travels at Swindon Steam Museum.

Notes to editors

The Exhibition has been at the following locations: Paddington Station: 3 -14 July Bath Spa Station: 15 – 30 July Reading Station: 31 July – 11 August Bristol Temple Meads Station: 12 – 25 August Plymouth Station: 26 August – 8 September Swindon Steam Museum: 9 – 23 September For filming permission at Plymouth Station, please contact First Great Western press office on 01793 499499. In addition to the exhibition, Network Rail also restored the Royal Albert Bridge to its former glory in May when Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s name, which had been hidden for decades, was unveiled.

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