What made the SS Great Western the first Atlantic steamship

The SS Great Western launched from the Bristol shipyard of Patterson and Mercer on 19 July 1837 after a period of construction overseen by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, whose growing reputation for large engineering projects such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge inspired confidence in the new vessel.

Construction had begun in 1836 and required a large team to complete the largest passenger steamship yet built.

At 72 metres in length and 1,340 gross registered tons, it exceeded the size of any previous passenger steamship, and its wooden hull, which had been strengthened with diagonal iron bracing to stop bending in rough seas, provided both strength and reduced weight.

The vessel carried four masts to hold auxiliary sails, yet its main drive came from two large paddle wheels that were powered by steam. 

The engines had been constructed by Maudslay, Sons and Field, a leading London engineering firm founded by Henry Maudslay, who had pioneered precision engineering techniques.

The company produced side-lever engines that generated 750 rated power, which enabled the ship to travel at speeds of around 10 knots.

Coal bunkers held a significant amount of fuel, and period reports recorded that about 655 tons of coal were consumed on a crossing, which meant that it allowed the vessel to complete the passage without refuelling.

The design of the hull and internal layout reduced any extra weight, which also created more space for passengers and cargo.

Brunel had realised that a ship planned and built specifically for steam propulsion would perform more efficiently than sailing packet ships of the time, and he emphasised long range and fast speeds as essential elements to reliable service.

Compared to earlier steamships such as SS Savannah in 1819 and Royal William in 1833, which had been primarily sailing ships with auxiliary engines, SS Great Western showed a new approach that placed steam power at the centre of its design. 

The Great Western Steamship Company had been formed to carry out regular voyages between Bristol and New York, and SS Great Western became the main feature of this bold project.

The ship departed on its maiden voyage on 8 April 1838, one day after the refitted SS Sirius had sailed from Cork, and arrived in New York on 23 April.

It completed the crossing in 15 days and overtook Sirius to arrive first, which demonstrated that steam power could sustain regular Atlantic service.

The vessel carried seven passengers on the outward voyage, and media reports at the time praised its comfortable first-class cabins and public rooms.

They also boasted that the ship could accommodate more than 100 passengers on later voyages.

However, a ticket for the crossing cost around 35 guineas, a price affordable only to wealthier travellers.

The success of these crossings demonstrated that commercial interest in reliable transatlantic travel already existed, and the arrival of the ship in New York was widely reported in American and British newspapers. 

SS Great Western operated transatlantic voyages from 1838 to 1846 and usually completed the passage in about 16 days westbound and just over 13 days eastbound.

After 1847, the ship passed into the ownership of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and carried out services to the West Indies and South America.

It later acted as a troopship in the Crimean War before it was finally dismantled in late 1856.

Because the vessel combined powerful engines with a strong yet relatively lightweight hull and large coal storage, it offered a model for the future of sea travel that designers soon adopted.

The ship had been planned and built specifically for steam propulsion and long-distance service, and for that reason it became recognised as the first true Atlantic steamship.

Its success encouraged Brunel to construct SS Great Britain and SS Great Eastern, advancing the development of global sea travel.