Peter Kerslake adds "This is probably a late 1950s shot when those in authority unfortunately kept changing the Reporting Numbers making it difficult to identify this particular working, but it's clearly a down working either for the Kingswear line or to Plymouth and possibly into Cornwall.
The fine terraced houses on the left are Sea Lawn Terrace and Riviera Terrace. The walkway dropping down to sea level and beginning where the two people are seated at what is known as the 'Sea Lawn Gap' was unuseable at anything but low tide and can be seen in this view running up to the 1870 built 'Black Bridge' visible in the background at Rockston which permitted travellers on foot from Langstone and Dawlish Warren to cross the line safely and to head into Dawlish by road.
This is the location where so much damage was caused by the storms two years ago, the line here being left suspended in mid-air when all the ballast, track bed and sea wall collapsed into the sea. The houses on the left, particularly the far end ones, suffered damage and were isolated by that event.
I think this photograph has been taken from 'Coastguard Footbridge' with 'Rockstone Footbridge' visible in the distance and Langstone Rock in the far right distance."