Shildon's Locomotion museum: New £5.9m building to house 45 attractions

Prior to the pandemic, the Locomotion museum received up to 200,000 visitors a year

Plans have been revealed for a £5.9m collection building at the National Railway Museum's County Durham site.

The low-energy use facility will give the Locomotion museum in Shildon extra space to house 45 new attractions.

It is due to open in 2023 ahead of bicentenary celebrations for Stockton and Darlington Railway in 2025.

The public are invited to have their say on the new building during exhibitions at the museum from 19 to 23 January.

An artist's impression of the new building which will house 45 new attractions

Durham County Council received £3.5m from the government's Levelling Up fund and this will go towards the cost of the project.

The government said levelling up means investing in forgotten areas to improve local economies and opportunities.

Some of the money will be used to enhance the display area of the Locomotion No 1 steam engine, which was built in 1825 by George and Robert Stephenson and was the first engine to pull a passenger train on a public railway.

Since 1857 it had mostly been in the Head of Steam museum in Darlington but moved to Shildon in 2021.

Locomotion currently has 87 rail vehicles on display and said the additional 45 attractions will mean it has one of the world's largest collections.

Since 1857 the engine had mostly been in the Head of Steam museum in Darlington but moved to Shildon in 2021

Dr Sarah Price, head of Locomotion, said: "This project will help us move towards our goal of achieving net zero carbon across the site and the new building will enable us to display an additional 45 vehicles from the national collection."

Councillor Elizabeth Scott, the county council's cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: "This project will not only revitalise the site and attract more visitors but also showcase the dynamic culture and rich industrial heritage of County Durham, which is a key reason why the county is bidding for UK City of Culture 2025."

Locomotion opened in 2004 and is part of the Science Museum Group.

Prior to the pandemic, the museum received up to 200,000 visitors a year.

Locomotion No 1 was once displayed at Bank Top Station in Darlington, as seen in this 1895 postcard