A RAILWAY wagon works is being resurrected in a conservation project more than 20 years after its closure.

Shildon Wagon Works was known as the jewel in the crown of British Rail, employing thousands of people throughout the region and generations of families.

Its closure in 1984 devastated the region and left the town of Shildon, County Durham, wondering how it would go on.

This week, plans to open a mini wagon works at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum (NRM) at the site of the wagon works were unveiled as part of a £90,000 project.

Learning in Motion will create four jobs, providing training for young people.

It should allow skills that many feared would be lost to be passed on.

The project has received £36,000 from Europe through the Government Office NorthEast, with the rest of the money coming from other areas.

The scheme aims to improve education, training and work experience of local residents through a partnership that involves Sedgefield Borough Council, South-West Durham Training and the National Railway Museum in York.

It will carry out important work on the museum's growing collection of vehicles and help preserve them.

The museum, which celebrates the life and times of rail pioneer Timothy Hackworth and the role Shildon played in the birth of the railways, has gone from strength to strength since it opened in September 2004.

Bosses estimated it would bring more than 60,000 visitors to the region a year, but it has exceeded all expectations, bringing more than 200,000 people to the area in the first year.

Its collections centre houses a range of engines and vehicles from the NRM's national collection.

Head of the NRM, Andrew Scott, said: "Locomotion already provides an excellent visitor experience, but an equally important part of its role is in developing local skills and training in the Shildon area. The conservation workshop is a fantastic opportunity for the museum, local residents and our nation's heritage."

Collections care manager at Locomotion Anthony Coulls said: "Being able to kick-start the conservation process here will enable us to put the future of the national collection on a sound footing.

"It will also bring wagon working back to Shildon for the first time in over 22 years."