PLANS to open the National Railway Museum's first ever "out station" have today gained a £4.9 million boost, courtesy of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The HLF confirmed its support for a partnership project between the York-based museum and Sedgefield Borough Council, by approving the scheme's vital Stage 2 bid for funding.

The £7.7 million plan to build a new home for the reserve national collection of railway vehicles at Shildon, in County Durham, is expected to bring about 50,000 visitors a year to the historic railway town.

Andrew Scott, head of the National Railway Museum, called the grant "wonderful news". He said it provided most of the required funding.

"But we remain heavily reliant on continued support within the region to make sure that this important new venture succeeds," he said.

An outline planning application for the proposed new 6,000 square metre building, adjacent to the existing Timothy Hackworth Museum, will probably be submitted within weeks, and it is hoped that work on the site will start later this year and the attraction will open by 2004.

Updated: 11:41 Wednesday, March 13, 2002