SWINDON'S Steam Museum is undergoing a marketing overhaul. Having been consistently dogged by a lack of visitors since it opened to widespread acclaim two years' ago, now nine new signposts have been put up around the town in a bid to rectify matters.

That brings the total number of signs in and around Swindon to 25.

The Evening Advertiser has long campaigned for more signposts at the town's flagship museum to help increase its profile and end its financial crisis.

Coun David Cox, the deputy leader of the council and lead member for healthy living and cultural services, believes that the new signposts are a much-needed addition to the town's roads.

Coun Cox (Lab, Toothill and Westlea) said: "The directions weren't very good in the first place.

"In my year as mayor I tried to follow them myself and they are okay until you get to the Steam area.

"They are intended to make it easier for people to find the museum and encourage new visitors."

The showpiece museum of the Great Western Railway is located next to the Designer Outlet Village in Kemble Drive, but many shoppers claim they do not even realise it is there.

Poor signposting and the bland exterior have been blamed for the lack of interest, rather than the exhibits inside the museum.

Indeed, the showpiece railway museum was the only UK attraction of its kind to be specially commended by judges at this year's prestigious European Museum of The Year award.

The new signposts, which cost more than £2,500, have been erected on main roads around the town.

They can be seen at sites including the Greenbridge roundabout, at the traffic lights on Ocotal Way, on The Meads roundabout and at Coate Water.

But work does not stop there.

Emma Valentine, Steam's marketing manager, said: "We've just added new signs or the museum symbol to existing brown road signs in nine locations to help direct visitors along the main routes to Steam.

"While improving road and site signage is important, we are always creating new promotional and marketing activities to attract new and repeat visitors.

"People talk about signposts but there is no evidence to suggest we are losing visitors because there aren't enough around the town.

"The Greenbridge roundabout sign is of particular interest as that is now a busy tourist route from Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold."

The car park shared by Steam and the Outlet Village has also had the signpost makeover, and there are plans to fix a flag on the museum's roof. Ms Valentine said: "The signs in the car park have been there for a while and help to greet visitors and let them know how to get into Steam.

"The old signs have been revamped and are now more eye-catching. They also illuminate after dark."

A council report last month showed that the museum is projected to overspend by £62,000 this year, with anticipated visitor figures of only 85,000 for the 2002-3 season.

Almost 100,000 people visited Steam between April 2001 and March 2002.

Since then there have been more than 66,000 visitors so far.

In the last financial year council taxpayers had to subsidise the £10.7m museum to the tune of £515,000 and there was even talk of changing the museum's name but that idea has now been abandoned.

Coun Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawn) suggested it should change its name to The Great Western Railway Museum. But the head of Steam museum, Andrew Lovett, said: "There are no proposals to change the name. The signposts are not intended directly to increase numbers as we find most visits here are pre-planned. But it all helps.

"We do hope that drivers will see them and remember them and plan future trips to the museum because of them."

Steam, it seems, is stuck in a catch-22 situation. According to Government guidelines, the museum should first attract at least 250,000 visitors a year before it merits a brown tourist sign on the M4.

But at the moment, as Steam is struggling to break the 100,000 barrier, which means the attraction is perched beside one of the busiest motorways in the country yet motorists can drive by without knowing it is there.

The museum is looking for a marketing and public relations manager to job share for 18.5 hours a week. Call Swindon 466431 for details.

It's a interesting place ... when we eventually find it

The steam Museum is a big hit with visitors provided they can find it in the first place.

Those who have made it through the doors of the Kemble Drive museum agree that it is a fascinating and educat-ional attraction.

But many shoppers at Swindon's Designer Outlet Village, which is just next-door, fail to realise that its historic neighbour even exists.

Mike and Sandy Stanmore from Enford, near Pewsey, say they stumbled across the museum on one of their shopping jaunts to the Outlet Village.

Mike, 49, a project manager, said: "We went there first of all not long after the museum opened but it was only by chance that we found it.

"We enjoy coming in to the Outlet Village to do our shopping but didn't know about the museum before we actually got here.

"It's a shame that it isn't better signposted because I thought it was very good."

Sandy, a 51-year-old nursery nurse, originally from New Zealand, said: "There needs to be more publicity about the museum because it is very interesting inside. The last time we came we had a cup of coffee inside where they have done it up nicely and really enjoyed it.

"People outside the area don't really know anything about it."

Sales assistant Juliette O'Neill 28, said that the museum is good for school trips but repeats previous claims that there should be more signposts around the town.

Juliette, from Eldene, said: "I went to the old museum when it was in the town centre but haven't visited since it changed sites.

"I have got a little boy and he loves trains so I would think about going as I have heard the museum is good for children.

"You couldn't miss the old site but here it just seems too hidden which is sad because there are probably lots of people who would like to visit to learn more about what their ancestors did in the railways."

Terry Dowdeswell has recently moved to Swindon from Cheshire. The 24-year-old manager of Easy Jeans, in the Outlet Village, is currently living in Bath Road and says he hasn't had a chance to visit the museum.

"Other managers who came down to visit Swindon from Cheshire told me what there was to do in Swindon and included Steam Museum in the list," he said.

"I probably will have a look around at some point as it is supposed to be the town's main attraction."

Diary of events

CONTROVERSY may continue about the way Steam is marketed, but the museum itself remains a critical success.

Steam celebrates the Great Western Railway, charting the locomotives history over the last 150 years.

The museum tells the story of the unsung heroes who built the world's greatest steam locomot-ives at Swindon.

It celebrates the genius and vision of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and the engineers who followed him, in founding the world's leading railway of its day.

It has an ongoing programme of activities inside the museum from actors' performances and demonstrations to family fun days and lectures.

Display: Storehouse

When: Ongoing

Tickets: Normal admission prices: Adults, £5.95, children £3.80, family tickets (two adults and two children), £14.70

The artefacts on show in this Aladdin's cave of treasures range from huge boiler trucks and carts, to the tiny, detailed company seals and tickets. Items also include wooden lion heads that used to adorn Queen Victoria's Royal Carriage, a model of the Severn Tunnel Pumping engine and the spare bell for King George V.

Event: Meet The Railway Workers

When: Saturdays.

Tickets: Normal admission prices.

Join former engine drivers, firemen and railway workers to find out more about life inside the Swindon Works. The real experiences of the railway worker will be described with practical demonstrations.

Event: Careless talk costs lives

When: Saturday October 12 and Sunday October 13

Tickets: Normal admission prices.

This week 62 years ago, the Blitz was raging over London. Are you a super sleuth? Become an evacuee for the day and join Air Raid Warden and Steam secret agents on the trail of spies, missing secret plans and an unexploded bomb hidden in the museum.

Event: Day out with Thomas

When: Saturday October 26 and Sunday October 27

Tickets: include ride on mini train: adults £6.60, children £4.20, senior citizen £4.30, family ticket, £16.

For a great family day out meet the real Thomas the Tank Engine as he takes a well-earned rest in the museum. Enjoy a ride on the mini Thomas road train and meet Sir Topham Hatt, The Fat Controller. Storytelling, face painting, competitions and quiz trails are also on the agenda.

Event: Halloween Hocus Pocus

When: Monday October 28 to Sunday November 3.

Tickets: Normal admission prices

A mischievous enchantment has been cast on the trains. Come along to help break the spell on locomotion, get the engines back on track, find ingredients for the potion, and solve the riddles without turning back.

For more information on displays and upcoming events call Steam on Swindon 466646.