Throughout my month in London as part of the Engineering in London program, I was able to learn about several engineering feats that occurred in London. One was the scheduled trip to the Thames Barrier. The Thames Barrier is a barrier system in which giant walls can be lifted up and dipped down into the river in order to protect the greater London area from flooding due to high tide or storm surges. The idea was originally thought about after a massive flood in the mid-1900s. Since it was originally built, only about 1 or 2 major floods have occurred in which people have lost their lives. Without the Thames Barrier or with failure of the barrier, these natural water events would be catastrophic to the city of London.

Another was the Brunel Museum. We learned about how Marc Brunel had fled to the United States during the French Revolution and had become the chief engineer of the United States. In the early 1800s, Brunel moved to England and made designs for the first working tunnel to be constructed under the River Thames. Operations for constructing the tunnel between Rotherhithe and Wapping began in 1825 and opened to traffic in 1843. However, there was a seven-year hiatus; the construction stopped due to lack of funding and some people dying during a flooding of the tunnel. Isambard, Marc Brunel’s son, continued the project until its opening in 1843. Though it was open to traffic, the tunnel did not fully span the Thames until the 1860s when it was bought by the East London Railway Company. Now, the tunnel is a part of the London Overground Line in the London Underground railway system.

It was also great to visit the Kew Bridge Museum and British Science Museum to see 100-year-old engines still running although they were no longer powering anything. We were learning about steam power systems in Thermodynamics in class, and it was amazing to see those principles being applied in a real, physical system.

Beyond the engineering principles learned both inside and outside of class, my experiences with the city and people were unlike what I was originally expecting. I was able to see the city at night, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Seeing the lights on the buildings, bridges, and along the streets made the city look all the more magical. Another thing I absolutely loved was trying new cuisines with my friends. The places  that had the best food were the various markets all over London. There was the Leather Lane Market right next to where we had classes, the Sunday only Victoria Park Market, the TikTok famous Borough Market, and Old Spitalfields Market which has been around for over 350 years. Each time I went to these markets, I discovered food that was extremely delicious and something I was very glad to experience. I also tried food from the Indian cuisine for the first time, and it was extremely flavorful.

There were also several places I took a trip to that were featured in famous movies/movie scenes. One was King’s Cross Station where the Platform 9¾ scenes in Harry Potter had been filmed. Though the scenes were filmed between stations 4 and 5, there is now a store where the actual Platform 9¾ was supposed to exist. Here you can take a picture with a trolley sticking out of the wall or get a personalized acceptance letter to Hogwarts. I also took a trip to Leadenhall Market where the entrance to Diagon Alley was filmed in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. We also visited Paddington Station, the namesake of Paddington Bear. Another site was the British Museum, the setting for Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

Looking back, I am very glad I took the opportunity to go on this trip. I learned so much about myself. Not only did I discover that I can actually do things I originally thought I couldn’t, but I can also adjust to new environments quite easily. This trip was able to give me experiences I will never forget along with some of the best memories.

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