THE Famous Flying Scotsman will be greeted by hundreds of well-wishers when it arrives in the region for the opening of a national museum.

One young woman is looking forward to its arrival more than anyone because she will be able to see the engine that her grandfather drove for the first time.

Sarah Joyce, collections assistant at Locomotion: National Railway Museum in Shildon, has been planning for the Scotsman's arrival since it was bought by the museum last month in a dramatic bid to keep it in the country.

What makes its visit extra special for the 24-year-old is the fact that her grandfather, Denis Donovan, who is now 84, used to drive it in the Sixties.

She said: "He did not drive it all the time but he has fond memories of it. He enjoyed driving it. He said it was like driving a sewing machine.

"I am very proud to have such an important link with such an important part of railway heritage as The Flying Scotsman.

"My Grandad has fond memories of working on the railways and by having the Flying Scotsman here at Locomotion, I feel like I am carrying on the family tradition.''

The national treasure is just one of the star attractions planned for the opening of the £10m museum on September 27, which is expected to attract about 60,000 visitors a year.

The new 6000 sq metre single storey building, which will house 60 vehicles from the National Railway Museum's collection, including the Flying Scotsman, is in the final stages of its completiton and in the next few weeks the keys will be handed over to manager of Locomotion, George Muirhead.

Mr Muirhead said: "We do not have an exact date yet but we could be looking at the beginning of June. The building will be completed in the next couple of weeks, then we will be getting the keys."

The handing over of the keys means that plans for the homecoming of the Sans Pareil, the engine that rail pioneer Timothy Hackworth built in Shildon in 1829, can now begin.

The engine will be the first of many vehicles to arrive at the museum and it will be housed in the Sunday School opposite Hackworth's former home.