BURY'S East Lancashire Railway has been given the green light to steam ahead with plans to renovate the town's historic Bury Transport Museum.

A £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) means that the museum, at the former Castlecroft goods warehouse, is on course to re-open with modern facilities.

The money will go towards a £90,000 planning phase to draw up the exact details required for the revamp and restoration of the building. This is one part of the master plan for the overall ELR town centre site.

The museum is housed in the 1848 warehouse, a Grade II Listed building due to its unique architectural and special historic interest. It is one of the few remaining original buildings on the ELR. Although it has remained substantially unaltered since construction, it is now in need of restoration. It is currently closed to the public and has recently undergone emergency repair work.

The museum collection and displays tell the story of the last 150 years of road and rail transport. The museum restoration will provide a new focus together with a wide range of improvements covering access, interpretation and marketing.

Mr Peter Duncan, chairman of the East Lancs Light Rail Co, said: "It was a major disappointment when we had to temporarily close the Bury Transport Museum but the HLF grant is the opportunity for a new and better museum contributing to the ELR's further development."

The ELR and Bury Council have been working on the idea for more than a year. Previous HLF grants have contributed to the new museum and archive scheme at Moss Street and the plans to relocate the Fusiliers' Museum in the former Arts and Crafts Centre.

Councillor Siobhan Costello, executive member for community services, said: "The East Lancashire Railway is a core attraction in Bury's heritage and cultural strategies.

"Re-opening the transport museum will be a major plus for visitors to the town."