A UNIQUE railway memorabilia shop which has moved from London to York is to be officially opened next week.

The Lord Mayor of York, together with the Sheriff, who is a former train driver, and Sir William McAlpine - who once owned The Flying Scotsman - will be among the shop's special customers on Tuesday lunchtime.

For years Collectors Corner, the only official outlet to sell off old British Rail stock, stood close to Euston station in London.

It was opened in 1968 and visitors from all over the world - including the rich and famous - flocked to the train buff's boutique to buy their wares.

But it was put on the market last year as part of ongoing rail privatisation and was bought as part of a deal by National Railway Supplies.

Now rail enthusiasts will be able to buy everything from station clocks to real signals from the store which is to open next week - appropriately in George Hudson Street.

Ray Herbert, of NRS, said: "We bought the stock and were told that the shop was also being sold out so we would have to move out quickly.

"Collector's Corner was rather an alien part of our deal with British Rail but now we are glad we bought it.

"We have tried to create a shop with something for all ages and we chose York as the most appropriate place to open because of the National Railway Museum and the city's close historical links with the railways."

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