A BID for National Lottery cash to turn a railway museum into the hub of a World Heritage Site is being resubmitted in an effort to ensure success.

After talks with heritage experts, Darlington Borough Council has reviewed its Heritage Lottery Fund bid to strengthen its case.

The £3.5m plans to redevelop Darlington Railway Centre and Museum over five years were announced in January last year, and the original bid for the first phase of the cash was submitted last March.

The latest rethink coincides with the retirement from the museum of Dr Stuart Nichols, the man spearheading the project.

While the original plans looked at developing not only the museum, but also the surrounding grounds and the nearby house at 2 McNay Street, to create a Beamish-style street feel, The Northern Echo understands the revised bid will focus solely on the museum building.

A report to the council's environment scrutiny committee meeting on March 11 - attributed to director of development and environment John Buxton - gives a brief outline of the reasoning.

It stated: "The review will provide the opportunity to include new elements to the proposals, together with details of partnership projects which will strengthen the submission."

He added there are further benefits, including alterations to the Heritage Lottery Fund guidelines and new criteria, which will speed up response times for bids.

The council hopes that by focusing its efforts on the original stretch of the Darlington and Stockton Railway, between the museum and Shildon, it can push for World Heritage Site status when the redevelopment is completed