Peter W. Barlow facts for kids

Peter William Barlow (born February 1, 1809 – died May 19, 1885) was an important English civil engineer. He is best known for his work on railways, bridges, and tunnels. He designed the first Lambeth Bridge across the River Thames in London. He also created new ways to build tunnels, including a special design for a tunnelling shield.

Early Life and Learning

Peter William Barlow was born in Woolwich, London. His father, Peter Barlow, was a professor and engineer at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Peter William was taught at home. In 1824, he won a medal for his drawing of a theodolite, a tool used in surveying.

Later, he became a student of Henry Robinson Palmer, a civil engineer. Palmer was one of the people who started the Institution of Civil Engineers. Peter Barlow joined this group in 1826. He worked on projects like the Liverpool and Birmingham Canal and the new London Docks. He also wrote articles for engineering journals. His brother, William Henry Barlow, also became a famous railway engineer.

Building a Career

From 1836, Peter Barlow worked on the South Eastern Railway line from London to Dover. He became the main engineer for the whole line in 1840. He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1845 because of his knowledge of math in engineering.

During the 1850s to 1870s, Barlow was the chief engineer for several other railways. These included the Newtown and Oswestry and the Londonderry and Enniskillen railways.

Designing Bridges

Barlow was very interested in building long bridges. He studied the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge. Then, he became the engineer for the first Lambeth Bridge in London, built between 1860 and 1862. This bridge was a suspension bridge. While designing its supports, Barlow experimented with pushing iron cylinders into the ground. This helped him learn more about building strong foundations.

Inventing the Tunnelling Shield

His work on bridge foundations gave him an idea for building tunnels. In 1864, he patented a design for a cylindrical tunnelling shield. This was different from the rectangular shield used by Marc Isambard Brunel for the Thames Tunnel.

Even though Barlow patented his design, he never actually built one of his own shields. However, his idea was very important. James Henry Greathead, who was Barlow's student, later designed and built the first working cylindrical tunnelling shield. This shield was used to build the Tower Subway in 1869-1870, which was the second tunnel under the Thames.

Another engineer, Alfred Ely Beach, also designed a similar shield in New York around the same time. All these engineers improved on earlier designs. The change from a rectangular shield to a cylindrical one was a big step forward in tunnel building.

Peter William Barlow lived in Blackheath, London, for many years. He passed away in 1885 and is buried in the Kensal Green Cemetery in London.

Family Life

In 1836, Peter Barlow married Bethia Crawford Caffin. They had two daughters and one son. Their son, also named Peter William Barlow, also became a civil engineer. He later moved to New Zealand.