A TRAIL celebrating railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s railway is being relaunched in Dawlish.

Started almost 20 years ago by former town councillor Robert Vickery, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the trail is being revived by Dawlish Town Council to mark 180 years of the iconic coastal railway.

The town council has funded the amendments and re-print of the trail maps.

Robert was invited along to the official relaunch of the trail with Mayor of Dawlish Cllr Anthony James.

The free, self-guided walking route between Coryton Cove in Dawlish through to Langstone Rock in Dawlish Warren, features information boards about the history of the railway to read along the way.

The trail boards are sited mostly along the South West Coast Path and walkers are able to access these from either the sea wall if tides and sea conditions allow, or via the cliff path.

In May 1846, Brunel opened this stretch of railway, which hugs the vibrant red sandstone sea cliffs. Snaking through a series of tunnels, it only took his team two years to complete this monumental project.

The section of railway that travels along Dawlish Sea Wall is often described as one of the most scenic in the UK and is frequently marketed as one of the highlights of any heritage steam or diesel rail tour travelling through the region.

The free trail maps can be collected from Dawlish Town Council at The Manor House, local shops and cafés around the town, with ‘The Cove Café’ and ‘Buddy’s @ Red Rock’ being two of the closest stockists to the trail.