IT was full steam ahead for a railway museum that opened yesterday to give community leaders a first look at its £1.7m revamp.

Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum was given a VIP launch ahead of opening to the public today.

The museum, which is housed at the Victorian grade II-listed North Road Station, has undergone a transformation to make it more modern and family-friendly.

The money for the renovation was provided by Heritage Lottery Fund, Railway Heritage Trust, English Heritage, Northern Rock Foundation and the European Regional Development Fund.

Locomotion No 1, the engine that pulled the first passenger train on the opening day of the Darlington Stockton Railway, is the star attraction.

Three other locomotives, all built in Darlington, are also key exhibits.

The revamp has brought history to life by introducing interactive displays and video presentations, as well as a storyline explaining the impact of the railways on Darlington and the town's history.

There is also a cafe with open-air dining, a dressing up area and a children's play area, as well as room for temporary exhibits.

Today, Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum will be hosting a family fun weekend.

Admission before noon is free. Northern Rail is providing a free train service from Banktop Station, in Darlington, to North Road.

Entertainment will be provided from 10am to 4pm, with live music, trapeze artists, dog agility displays, street theatre, stilt-walkers, face-painting, character guided tours and story-telling.

There will also be a climbing wall, archery sessions, children's workshops and a treasure hunt.

Councillor Nick Wallis, who is Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for health and leisure, officially opened the museum yesterday.

He told The Northern Echo last night that the museum was unique in having so many original buildings on their original site.

He said: "The rich history of the buildings really is quite remarkable.

"It was slightly off the beaten track, so they just left these buildings.

"They became stuck in a time warp, which is fantastic for us because we have this wonderful legacy of Victorian railway buildings, which reflect Darlington's rich railway heritage."

He said he thought the revamped museum would attract more families while continuing to draw rail enthusiasts from all over the world.

"I am really pleased with the good mix of local history and railway history," he said.

"Everything we were wanting to do is there. I am just looking forward to hearing what the people of Darlington think about it."