1838
The Great Western leaves Bristol on her maiden voyage, painted by Joseph Walter.Image: Joseph Walter · Public domainscience · Europe
Brunel’s Great Western steams for New York
Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s paddle steamer Great Western left Bristol on 8 April 1838 on her first voyage to New York. She arrived 15 days later, about half the time a sailing ship usually took. Built of wood and powered by steam, she proved that a ship could carry enough coal to cross the Atlantic, and became the first steamship to run a regular transatlantic service.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica: Great Western (ship) ↗
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