SWINDON'S Central Library may be moved to the former Railway Museum on a temporary basis.

That is one of the options being considered by councillors meet-ing tonight to discuss the vacant listed building's future.

The museum in Faringdon Road closed in 1999 and has stayed empty ever since.

But unlike the derelict nearby Mechanics' Institute, it is in serviceable condition and could be put back into use relatively quickly.

Last month the council asked for ideas on what to do with it.

And tonight the council's cabinet is set to look at a range of options that have been suggested by community groups and the private sector.

They include turning the grade-II listed former chapel into residential flats, craft workshops or a gymnastics school.

One group has even come forward wishing to return the building to its previous use as a church.

The Central Library has been in temporary pre-fab buildings at Regent Circus for 27 years.

During that time successive councils have failed to come up with a workable plan to provide the library with a new suitable permanent home.

Councillors have now comm-issioned officers to carry out a feasibility study into moving the library to the Railway Museum on an interim basis.

A final decision on the build-ing's future has been promised at the next meeting of the cabinet on October 15.

A Swindon Council spokesman said that even with an extra floor, the Railway Museum would be far too small to provide an ade-quate permanent home for the borough's main library.

But chairman of the council's scrutiny commission, Coun Nick Martin (Con, Shaw) is one of the main backers of moving the library to the Railway Museum in the short term.

He said: "In the short term it is doubtful whether we can afford to build one of the best libraries in the West of England. Our finances are in a mess.

"This would be a good short term solution while we look for something better.

"It's very important for Swin-don to support and protect this building so I don't agree with it being sold off."

The Railway Museum started life in 1849 as a lodging house for railway workers.

It later became a Wesleyan chapel until 1964 when it became a museum dedicated to the Great Western Railway.

Among those interesting in making use of the building are the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust which wants to use it on a temporary basis as their headquarters.

About 30 residents living nearby the museum attended a public meeting on September 5.

The unanimous view of that meeting was that the council should keep the building and turn it into a library, art gallery or museum.

A proposal to turn it into a commercial auction hall was received after the council's deadline for bids.

Council spokeswoman Hellen Barnes said: "Officers have been asked to provide a feasibility report on the option of moving the central library as an interim measure until a permanent site is found.

"With the installation of a mezzanine floor the Railway Museum would provide a similar floor-space to that provided at the current site."