Comments on: A great picture of a great man http://pindelski.org/Photography/2008/03/04/a-great-picture-of-a-great-man/ This journal discusses photography in all its guises with an emphasis on the art of making photographs. Tue, 22 May 2012 17:37:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Alex http://pindelski.org/Photography/2008/03/04/a-great-picture-of-a-great-man/comment-page-1/#comment-20372 Alex Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:29:32 +0000 http://pindelski.org/Photography/2008/03/04/a-great-picture-of-a-great-man/#comment-20372 I understood that the Stephenson Standard was based on the then-standard coach width, which was designed so that the wheels went along the relatively smooth parts of the road. In the days before tarmacadam, only the wheel ruts mattered. The gauge is very similar to that used on Roman chariots, which of course would have been the first wheeled users of British roads. That may be a coincidence, of course. I understood that the Stephenson Standard was based on the then-standard coach width, which was designed so that the wheels went along the relatively smooth parts of the road. In the days before tarmacadam, only the wheel ruts mattered.

The gauge is very similar to that used on Roman chariots, which of course would have been the first wheeled users of British roads. That may be a coincidence, of course.

]]> By: Roy http://pindelski.org/Photography/2008/03/04/a-great-picture-of-a-great-man/comment-page-1/#comment-20344 Roy Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:29:48 +0000 http://pindelski.org/Photography/2008/03/04/a-great-picture-of-a-great-man/#comment-20344 Absolutely agree about Brunel - the man and the photograph. Although I'm no engineer he has always been an icon to me. I visited the remains of his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_railway" rel="nofollow">'atmospheric railway'</a> on the South coast not long ago. An amazing method of transport that was 'environmentally sound' (kind of...) and innovative. It only lasted a year, but as you say, he was a man not afraid to fail in the interests of pushing the boundaries of engineering and knowledge. Absolutely agree about Brunel – the man and the photograph. Although I’m no engineer he has always been an icon to me. I visited the remains of his ‘atmospheric railway’ on the South coast not long ago. An amazing method of transport that was ‘environmentally sound’ (kind of…) and innovative. It only lasted a year, but as you say, he was a man not afraid to fail in the interests of pushing the boundaries of engineering and knowledge.

]]>