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Thomas Telford

Adam Walton discusses the life and legacy of the engineer Thomas Telford with Julian Glover, whose new book Man of Iron explores how Telford transformed the landscape.

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 4 Jun 2017 06:31

More about the programme

This week Adam is in conversation with Julian Glover, author of the new book Man of Iron: Thomas Telford And The Building Of Britain. The book explores the life of one of the true greats of engineering, whose legacy of roads, bridges and canals – many of them built in Wales - still stand the test of time two hundred years after they were constructed.


Telford’s great Welsh achievements include the vertigo-inducing, elegant Pontcysyllte Aqueduct near Llangollen, the A5 road and the Menai Suspension Bridge. Julian tells Adam how Telford’s newly-constructed bridge which, for the first time in history connected Anglesey to the mainland, was admired by visitors from all over Europe. He also explains how Telford’s work both reflected and facilitated the Industrial Revolution.


Julian Glover is a journalist, a former columnist with the Guardian, and was chief speechwriter for David Cameron when he was Prime Minister.  He also had the role of special advisor at the Department for Transport.

Man of Iron: Thomas Telford and the Building of Britain is published by Bloomsbury.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 31 Jan 2017 18:30
  • Sun 5 Feb 2017 06:31
  • Tue 30 May 2017 18:30
  • Sun 4 Jun 2017 06:31

Adam Walton

Adam Walton

Adam's "other job" - tune in every Saturday at 10 PM for the best new music from Wales.