ENTHUSIASTS are already gearing up to celebrate Isambard Kingdom Brunel's 200th anniversary of his birth in 2006.

The engineering genius is credited as being the man responsible for the birth of modern-day Swindon by deciding to re-route his Great Western Railway here rather than via Savernake Forest, as he had earlier planned.

Brunel's legacy is alive and well in the town through the historic GWR works in Churchward and rare artefacts on display at the Steam museum.

But now fans of the Victorian industrialist are putting their heads together to make sure his anniversary goes off with a bang.

Tim Bryan, 43, acting general manager of Steam, said: "We couldn't let this pass without celebration.

"He was an immensely important man if his railway had gone south then Swindon would probably have stayed as a market town the same size as Wootton Bassett, instead of the massive industrial centre it is today.

"The Institute of Civil Engineering is putting together something, there are events being held in Bristol and talk of a Brunel trail from Bristol to London, but it's all in the early stages at the moment.

"However, people can rest assured that Steam will be holding an exhibition and creating something unique for Swindon."

The museum already houses a collection of Brunel artefacts, including his walking stick, a track gauge, surveying equipment, an attach case and drawing board.

But the largest collection of original Brunel possessions can be found in the Bristol University library.

Brunel was born in Ports-mouth in 1806, the son of French engineer Marc Brunel. His bicentenary is seen as an important landmark for Swin-don and one that would help raise the town's profile.

Martha Parry, spokeswoman for the New Mechanics' Preservation Trust, said: "He built the buildings at the works.

"So much that surrounds us is of his design and way ahead of its time. Brunel is a very important man and we should be commemorating him because he put us on the map.

"Next year it's the 150th anniversary of the Mechanics' Institute and Brunel was a member.Any way we could help with celebrations we would love to be involved."

Last year Brunel was voted the second greatest Briton of all time behind Winston Churchill beating competition from Diana Princess of Wales, John Lennon, Charles Darwin, Horatio Nelson, Isaac Newton, Oliver Cromwell, Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare.

Brunel's decision to build an engine works in Swindon on the 118-mile GWR is widely lauded as the birth of the town.

The works, which opened in 1843 and today are home to the Designer Outlet Village and Steam museum, manufactured everything a successful railway required all under one roof.

Within 50 years of the works opening, it employed 14,000 people and Swindon's population had boomed.

Brunel died of kidney failure in 1859, aged 53, five years before the Clifton Suspension Bridge opened.