AN art gallery celebrating a town's railway history will be opened tomorrow.

The gallery, in the newly refurbished West Wing of Darlington Railway Museum, will showcase railway art and exhibitions.

The centre's opening exhibition features four displays, two permanent and two temporary.

The North Road Works exhibition traces the history and development of Darlington's North Road locomotive works, and includes images of engines built and scrapped at the works over the years.

This exhibition has been relocated to the main gallery, where it will be on permanent display.

New displays include the history of North Road station and its development as a museum, including the story of the North Road ghost.

Paintings by local artist Brian Sefton will be on temporary display, as will the George and Robert Stephenson exhibition.

The Stephensons had close connections with the building of the Locomotion, which is housed in the museum.

Darlington mayor Ron Lewis, who will be open the displays, said: "This is a really exciting development.

"It is hoped that the series of displays and temporary exhibitions will attract a growing number of visitors to the museum.

"Staff are currently putting together a Lottery application bid with a view to developing the whole site, and the West Wing is the first of many new attractions planned."

The wing, refurbished at a cost of £10,000 following a flood in August last year, will also be opened by Tyne Tees and former Northern Echo journalist Andy Kluz.