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The Greatest Iron Ship
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The Greatest Iron Ship – S.S. Great Eastern

R1250.00

Richly illustrated with technical drawings, historical photographs, and diagrams, The Greatest Iron Ship allows readers to appreciate the scale and ingenuity of Brunel’s design. Emmerson combines meticulous research with clear and accessible prose, making complex engineering concepts understandable to enthusiasts, students, and historians alike.

Author
George S. Emmerson
Publish Date
1980
Cover Type
Hardcover
Condition
Near Fine
No notable defects

1 in stock

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Book Description

The Greatest Iron Ship: S.S. Great Eastern by George S. Emmerson (David & Charles, 1980) is a definitive historical and technical account of one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of the nineteenth century. Published in 1980, this hardcover volume explores the conception, construction, and operational history of the S.S. Great Eastern, designed by the legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and celebrated as the largest ship of its time.

The Greatest Iron Ship provides a thorough narrative of the ship’s development, detailing the immense engineering challenges involved in building a vessel of unprecedented size and ambition. The book examines the Great Eastern’s innovative iron construction, its revolutionary double-decked hull, massive paddle and screw propulsion, and the technical problems encountered during trials and early voyages. Beyond engineering, Emmerson contextualises the vessel within maritime history, discussing its intended purpose as a transatlantic passenger and cargo liner, as well as its later use for laying the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable.

Richly illustrated with technical drawings, historical photographs, and diagrams, The Greatest Iron Ship allows readers to appreciate the scale and ingenuity of Brunel’s design. Emmerson combines meticulous research with clear and accessible prose, making complex engineering concepts understandable to enthusiasts, students, and historians alike.

Published by David & Charles in 1980, this book remains a cornerstone reference for those interested in maritime history, Victorian engineering, and the legacy of one of Britain’s greatest engineers. The Greatest Iron Ship stands as both a celebration of human ingenuity and a detailed chronicle of a ship whose ambition and scale continue to captivate readers and historians to this day.

Condition: Near Fine – No notable defects.

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Teresa Kearney
10 months ago
What an amazing shop. And for an indecisive shopper, Robert Cronje’s service selling a book set online that I’d seen in the shop when on holiday and not bought was simply impressive. The book set was wrapped so well it arrived via courier without damage.
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S Muel
10 months ago
Another collector (Fynn Lee) had warned us in advance to prepare a lot of time to browse this massive collection, and he was right! The size of the collection is simply immense. But it's still well organized! We had a blast hunting for cool books here. We actually spent over three hours here, thoroughly enjoying ourselves as we went through these cool books. We found so many great books at Midlands. We bought far too many to travel home with, but they were kind enough to ship our books back home for us (overseas).
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Andre Britz
10 months ago
I highly recommend Midlands Books & Collectibles. Their service was fast and professional with brilliant open and honest communication. Robert Cronjé was an absolute pleasure to deal with and I received my order faster than expected at an excellent rate. Parcel was packed securely and arrived in perfect condition. Very happy new customer and looking forward to buying from Midlands Books soon again.
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Ronald Howes
11 months ago
A real hidden gem for collectors of hard to get books. I was able to get a rare book I was looking for, and for a great price. The people who run this are very nice and was able to get my book shipped very quickly, despite having to have it shipped internationally to here in the states.
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Tessa Vermeulen
1 year ago
Stepping inside this bookstore was a delight! It immediately ranks among the best I've ever experienced. The care and dedication of the owner is palpable. It's the kind of place you could happily get lost in for hours. If you're nearby, this is an absolute must-visit. I can't recommend it enough.
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Patrick Gildenhuys
1 year ago
An absolute pleasure to deal with Robert, at Midlands Books and Collectables. My books were extremely well packaged and protected, and shipping was super quick. I received my books 2 days after payment cleared. I will definitely be buying from them again, and highly recommend them. Patrick
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Joanna Bocer
1 year ago
I recently bought a book online from Midlands Books and the experience was great! Robert was very helpful and shipped the book to Spain. The book was a rare find and in pristine conditions! Would recommend 100%!
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Jason McCormick
2 years ago
Absolutely INCREDIBLE treasure trove of the most collectible books, coins and artifacts I’ve seen and absolutely worth the trip out to the Old Mushroom Farm to visit this gem - you could get let in the store for a week and still not get to see everything! Incredible service to match the selection! A must see and worthy of the five stars and more!
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John Kinghorn
2 years ago
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Dawie Rotteveel
2 years ago
Excellent service from Midlands Books. They searched for books and ordered books in for me. I’ll definitely be doing business with them again in future.
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Andrew Mcdonnell
2 years ago
Great bookstore, we discovered this while in the Midlands. Great selection at great prices. Robert was so helpful as my genre was very specific.
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Anele Molefe
2 years ago
Excellent service and communication. I ordered my book from another province and got it just in time. I had a delightful experience.
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Cameron Mpumi
2 years ago
Got one of the most rare books here. The efficiency and professionalism is on another level. Love them
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Terry Taylor
2 years ago
We discovered Midlands books and collectibles at the old mushroom farm and at horse shoe bend. You can spend hours browsing the incredible selection of books. The vast array of bird books is definitely worth the visit.
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Tazmin Read
2 years ago
I discovered the most enchanting magical bookshop – a true hidden gem! The moment you step inside, you’re surrounded by shelves that seem to stretch into other worlds, filled with every kind of story imaginable. From secret passageways to cozy reading nooks, this shop has it all, creating an atmosphere that feels like stepping into a fairytale. The staff are as knowledgeable as they are welcoming, always ready to recommend your next great adventure. It’s not just a place to buy books; it’s a doorway to other world with the incredible domed roof of the mushroom farm. A must-visit for any book lover!
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Canelle Friis
2 years ago
Utterly enchanting, in a unique and magical setting (an old mushroom farm tunnel in the beautiful, wooded Midlands Meander). This is hands-down one of the best bookstores I've ever perused (I'm serious about books and work for a major publishing house). The selection is incredible; I visited from Oxford (England) and was amazed at the very old, rare and precious gems on offer - books that would be snaffled up by auctioneers and collectors too quickly to even set eyes upon in the UK are waiting here at unbelievably good prices. There is something for every interest and price point; this is both a solid second-hand bookshop as well as collectible store. The owner was so friendly and took time to show my family and I some of the oldest, largest, and most unusual items in the collection. We were dazzled by a poetry book from the Renaissance period; signed first editions of books from authors as diverse as Douglas Adams and Muhammed Ali; antique children's illustrated books and even a hand-coloured illustrated South African bird book. The owner also had an impressive coin / currency collection which was fascinating to view. If the literature or objets d'art were not enough, there was also a delightfully cosy dog (pictured) - irresistible! I walked away a very happy customer and will go out my way to visit again when I'm next in South Africa.
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Errol Douwes
3 years ago
Wow! Amazing diversity of previously owned and collectible books. I enjoyed the section on books about birds and birding - several shelves worth - just on this topic - including many rare and classic texts.
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