THE countdown has begun to the opening of a museum which is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the region.

Train enthusiasts from across the globe are anticipating the launch of Locomotion: National Railway Museum in Shildon, County Durham.

The £11m project, a joint venture between the National Railway Museum and Sedgefield Borough Council backed by European funding, opens for the first time to the public this weekend.

It is hoped that the attraction will draw 60,000 visitors a year to the region.

Shildon, the town whose love affair with the railways began with rail pioneer Timothy Hackworth in the 1800s, is bracing itself for bus loads of visitors on Saturday.

Museum manager George Muirhead has already issued a plea to visitors to use a park-and-ride scheme.

The area surrounding the museum is a hive of activity this week as workers busy themselves with the finishing touches to the attraction, which will house 60 of the finest vehicles in the National Railway Museum's collection.

Also expected this week are two of the museum's main attractions, the "leaning" APT train and the City of Truro, which was the first train to reach 100mph.

The star attraction at the museum for many will be the Sans Pareil, created by Hackworth in 1829 at his Soho works in Shildon for the Rainhill Trials.

Anthony Coulls, collections manager at the musuem, said: "It is great to finally see it all taking shape, and all our hard work coming together."

Published: 20/09/2004