 The first thirteen sections of the line were constructed by contractors Cornish and Bruce, who gained a reputation for trying to reduce costs by taking shortcuts on materials and reducing worker's wages.The Company made almost no progress on the construction of the railway due to an inability to raise sufficient funds, and in 1856 it was purchased by the Victorian Government.Because Isambard Kingdom Brunel was at that time the Inspecting Engineer in Britain for the Victorian Government, some people have claimed that he was responsible for the railway's design.