Construction work on a £10m railway village will get under way next week.
Derek Foster, the MP for Bishop Auckland, County Durham, will cut the first turf to mark the start of a project to celebrate Shildon's railway heritage.
The venture, which is a partnership between Sedgefield Borough Council and the National Railway Museum, is expected to attract up to 60,000 visitors each year.
It will incorporate the popular Timothy Hackworth Museum, which features the former home of the North-East railway pioneer.
The £4.8m contract to create a National Collections Centre in the heart of the village has been awarded to Balfour Beatty Construction.
The 6,000m sq building will house up to 60 vehicles from the National Railway Museum, York, and includes offices, workshops, retail and catering space.
Mr Foster will launch construction at a ceremony on Monday, at 10.45am.
Work to create a visitor orientation area in a former Sunday School at the entrance to the village, and construction of a car park, has already begun.
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