AFTER almost four years of searching, a locomotive preservation group has found a new home in the North-East.

And the first locomotive to be worked on at the Darlington site will be one which was built just down the road.

The North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group (NELPG) has re-located to Hopetown Carriage Works.

The building is already home to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which is building a new steam locomotive, but there is plenty of room for NELPG to lease half of it.

The group has been looking for a suitable base since losing the use of a building on the former ICI site at Wilton, Teesside, in 1998.

Many organisations were approached in the search for a suitable site, but the Darlington option was the most attractive.

NELPG press and publicity officer Danny Fawcett said: "The railway pedigree of the building is impeccable, being built by the Stockton and Darlington railway company itself.

"Located on the Darlington Railway Museum site and close to the operating line of the Darlington Railway Society, the bringing together of railway projects on one site seemed an ideal prospect."

NELPG, which has received great support from the museum and Darlington Borough Council, has refurbished the interior of the building, although the outside could do with some work. A viewing platform may eventually be built to allow people to watch the restoration work.

Track is expected any day, courtesy of Railtrack and Jarvis Rail, followed shortly afterwards by the frames and wheels of the first restoration project.

The locomotive to be worked on was completed in 1918 at the North Road works and will take about two years to be reassembled and steamed for the first time in nearly quarter of a century.

The group, which owns or has custodianship of six locomotives, is hoping its presence in Darlington will stimulate interest in the town and beyond.

NELPG intends to start evening and weekend working parties at Hopetown and there are vacancies in all departments.

Anyone interested in visiting the works or joining NELPG can contact Danny Fawcett on 01609 771302.

Updated : 15:19, 15-02-02