Details
Autograph letter signed ("Your affectionate Son I. Brunel") to M. I. Brunel ("my dear Father") at 30 Bridge Street, 3 pages, 8vo with three explanatory diagrams, Thames Tunnel Office, December 31st, 1826.
Reporting a minor influx of water at no. 1 frame, a difficulty with the the rollers carrying the two staves that supported the tunnel roof, and explaining his solution to the problem.
"There is still the same water at no.1 but nothing more to alarm -- I think we have discovered the cause of the top staves breaking, another went suddenly with an explosion yesterday afternoon and both broken in the same place and in both the carriages are separated and one of the first wheels got off the Bearing (diagram of the carriage showing two wheels marked "a" and "b") a had flown suddenly out of bearing and left b with a jerk equal to a blow to bear the whole weight and the (?) slyyier has broken just over this wheel. Instead of replacing the carriages we have made some holes [two further diagrams] one half fixed in the stave and the other on the long swivel we shall soap them well...."
Final 2 lines of the letter partly obscured by sealing wax.
Address leaf with superscription in M. I. Brunel's hand reading: "1826 December 31st Isambard's Report Water at no. 1!!!! 2 staves broken ...."
Reporting a minor influx of water at no. 1 frame, a difficulty with the the rollers carrying the two staves that supported the tunnel roof, and explaining his solution to the problem.
"There is still the same water at no.1 but nothing more to alarm -- I think we have discovered the cause of the top staves breaking, another went suddenly with an explosion yesterday afternoon and both broken in the same place and in both the carriages are separated and one of the first wheels got off the Bearing (diagram of the carriage showing two wheels marked "a" and "b") a had flown suddenly out of bearing and left b with a jerk equal to a blow to bear the whole weight and the (?) slyyier has broken just over this wheel. Instead of replacing the carriages we have made some holes [two further diagrams] one half fixed in the stave and the other on the long swivel we shall soap them well...."
Final 2 lines of the letter partly obscured by sealing wax.
Address leaf with superscription in M. I. Brunel's hand reading: "1826 December 31st Isambard's Report Water at no. 1!!!! 2 staves broken ...."