Robert Howlett in this feat of engineering. This project included the well-known portrait of the "Great Eastern"’s creator and engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, standing in front of the giant launching chains on the 'checking drum' braking mechanism at John Scott Russell’s Millwall shipyard. It was taken to celebrate the launch of the world’s largest steamship, in November 1857. This image, which depicts Brunel in an industrial setting instead of a more traditional background for a portrait, has been described as "one of the first examples of environmental portraiture". Howlett died in 1858, aged 27, at his home and studio at 10 Bedford
Brunel FM renamed the station to Brunel FM, after Isambard Kingdom Brunel whose railway network had developed Swindon from a small village on the top of a hill, to a large town. Brunel Radio was also the previous name for Classic Gold Radio (now DAB Station Gold) when Wiltshire Radio/GWR (now Heart Wiltshire) launched on FM. However Brunel FM and Brunel Radio/Brunel Classic Gold had no connection other than their names and where their studios were based. The station launched at 10am on 2 September 2006, to the sound of many people from around the coverage area wishing the station luck. In