The joint initiative between Teignbridge Council, the Newton Abbot Town and Great Western Railway Museum and Newton Abbot Town Council to mark the 200th anniversary of Isambard Kingdon Brunel hit full steam at the weekend. Whether travelling by Heritage bus, steam lorry or a more modern form of transport, hundreds of people flocked to the family event held at Old Forde House, Newton Abbot. The proceedings were opened by the chairman of Teignbridge Council and the mayor of Newton Abbot, Cllr Daphne Watts. The event included top-quality mid-1880s model railway lay-outs, local model engineers' displays, a model tip wagon owned by Brunel himself and a section of atmospheric pipe loaned by the National Railway Museum, York. In the grounds, there were steam model rides, a steam lorry, a working atmospheric railway model and atmospheric gun which kept the spectators amazed, while a Brunel look-alike (actor Steve Manning) mingled and answered questions posed by the crowd. The free Heritage buses linked the event with the town museum. More than 400 people visited the museum on each day to see the Dawson watercolours and the Brunel exhibition. Four showngs of The Brunel Community Play – A Wonderful Alteration, written by Tim Laycock and directed by Eileen Dillon was put on at Coombeshead Theatre, Newton Abbot. It was a Wren Music production, commissioned by the town for the Brunel celebrations and funding was sought from many bodies including the Heritage Lottery Fund. It was a remarkable feat to bring so many different groups together as a team. Those involved werre Canada Hill School, Ogwell, Coombeshead, Knowles Hill, Newton Abbot, and budding actors from the community of all ages, together with the town band.