A NATIONAL rail museum is proving a popular educational resource for local youngsters before it has even opened.

Pupils from four schools have been charting the development of the new Shildon Railway Village at film and photographic workshops.

Artwork created by the 45 students will be presented in a temporary exhibition when the £10m museum opens next September.

Pupils from Thornhill Primary, Timothy Hackworth Primary, St Johns Aided Primary and Sunnydale Comprehensive schools attended the workshops at the Timothy Hackworth Museum.

Over the next 12 months, with the guidance of creative writer Suzanne Hunton, digital photographer Rachel Clarke and film-maker Sheryl Jenkins, the youngsters will capture the progress of the site's construction. Alongside the work of local youngsters will be a £90,000 art display.

The four shortlisted artists competing for the project displayed their ideas to the public yesterday and will be showing them again on Monday at the Sunday school, opposite the Timothy Hackworth Museum, from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Steve Chettle, director of Arts UK Ltd, which is in charge of the commission, said: "This is the first opportunity we have had to see the ideas and though processes of the four finalists.

"The calibre of the four finalists is very high and we are looking forward to seeing an array of imaginative work."

An exhibition of the artists' proposed pieces is due to be held in December, after which a final choice will be made.

Published: 23/10/2003