Seven Wonders of the Industrial World 1. The Great Ship (7 of 19)

Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

l can see the look of disapproval on Mr Russell's face, we're not yet in agreement over the launch.
But l'm sure in this matter the engineer's creed of acceleration, inertia, momentum, load and friction will prevail.
Go, come on.
The great work starts.
The Great Eastern is to be the first ship almost entirely constructed of metal.
Heave.
Heave.
Each plate weighs a third of a tonne and takes six men to lift it and the ship will need thirty thousand plates.

Then two hundred gangs of riveters known as bashers fix the plates to the ship's superstructure.
lnside the ship's hull children squeeze between the walls of the metal.
Handling white hot rivets of temperatures of over a thousand degrees.
It will take three million rivets to complete the job.
Twelve thousand men are employed at Russell's shipyard.
My name's John Donovan, l'm a basher, age seventy five, l grew up when Carpenters were the top men.
Now it's all gone from wood to iron, mind you there's some who'll say there's not the skill in it these days just a lot of bashing, but, don't make no difference to me.
Come on lad, this is my grandson Jack, yeah l give him a few pennies each week.
Here show 'em your scar.
He got that from a rivet.
Here we are gentlemen.
For the first time a ship without ribs.