A REBUILT wagon has become the first of its kind to emerge from a former North- East wagon works in 25 years.

The Wagon Works, in Shildon, County Durham, was described as the jewel in the crown of British Rail Engineering Limited before its controversial closure in June 1984.

Nowadays, the area is known as Hackworth Industrial Park, and one company whose location has particular poignancy, is Rail Restorations North-East, based at Unit Eight.

During the past four months, the company has rebuilt a burnt-out coal wagon, which is the first one to come out of the site for 25 years.

The wagon was one of six which were badly damaged in a fire, started by vandals, at the Bowes Railway, near Gateshead, in March 2008.

More than £100,000 worth of damage was caused, and two of the most rare wagons were beyond repair.

The wagon arrived at the company for restoration four months ago, and foreman Steven Foxton, has painstakingly stripped, cleaned and rebuilt it from scratch, using more than £3,000 worth of new timber.

Mr Foxton, who joined the company two years ago, said: “I am very pleased with the finished wagon. It is the biggest scale of woodwork I have worked on since starting here.”

His father, David, who is a partner in the business, said: “I think it is a really good thing, especially because it is the first wagon to come out of the site in 25 years.

“When something like that comes in, you have to try and get as many measurements and reference drawings as possible before stripping it down and ordering the timber.

“The chassis is made first, followed by the two side frames, intermediates, cross rails, and the buffer beams.

“Then, when it is all fastened together, all the other bits can go on, such as the brakes.”

The rebuilt wagon is due to be taken back to Gateshead on Tuesday, where it will be hauled by steam engines on the railway.

Meanwhile, the restoration company is inviting people to an open day at its headquarters on October 17.