THE UK's first rail academy was opened yesterday by Education Secretary, Charles Clarke.

The £1.25m venture is based at the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York.

It is a centre of excellence for training and education in the rail industry and will see students aged five to 65 learning rail-related subjects ranging from safety to signalling.

The Yorkshire Rail Academy is a partnership between the NRM and York College. It has been funded by Yorkshire Forward and the Learning and Skills Council North Yorkshire.

Incorporated into the academy will be York College's Centre of Vocational Excellence for rail and signal engineering. The trackside building also houses the NRM's education service, providing an art facility for schoolchildren and adults.

Yesterday, Mr Clarke marked the opening on board a high- speed train power car, the original inspiration for the academy's new logo.

Andrew Scott, head of the NRM, said: "Having people who work in the modern industry at the heart of the academy brings together the past, the present and the future, which is one of the NRM's key objectives.

"Students have the opportunity to explore their rail heritage as well as preparing to shape its future."

Up to 155 students a week attend courses at the academy, some based at the York centre and others taking part in distance-learning courses.

Mike Galloway, principal of York College, said: "Our goal is to work closely with rail employers to ensure that the people who are going to take their industry forward into the future have the right skills and knowledge to meet that challenge."