Brunel's first work as an independent engineer was to design and build a bridge over the Avon Gorge (Top picture). There was a competition to decide who would construct it. Out of the twenty designs submitted, Brunel sent four. Thomas Telford was asked to judge, he said all were unsuitable and made his own design (bottom picture).Telford's design was also rejected and Brunel's was used. Construction started in 1836 and ended 1864. The design changed a lot as time went on; the bridge was made higher above the water than first planned, and longer too, as Brunel had planned on having the Suspension Bridge built in a place which wasn't quite so wide. When the Suspension Bridge was built, Clifton was not a part of Bristol, but a village just outside, since then the city has expanded a great deal.

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