THE MUSEUM which honours Swindon's railway history has made it to the finals of the National Railway Heritage Awards in the midst of a crisis over funding and visitor numbers.

Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, is being recognized for playing a part in helping to maintain railway heritage.

It is one of five organisations to reach the finals of the Modern Railways category of the awards, to be presented at Merchant Tailor's Hall in Threadneedle Street, London, on Tuesday.

Last week we reported how Swindon Council says it is working hard to raise the museum's profile and end its poor image compared to the booming Great Western Designer Outlet Village next door.

With visitor numbers half of the expected 200,000 in Steam's first year a council subsidy of £470,000 was needed, and a further injection of £500,000 from the authority is expected to be needed by the second year of operation.

And earlier this month we revealed how Steam's final cost had increased from £11m to £13m leaving the council and the Heritage Lottery Fund wrangling over who should meet the shortfall.

Amid the financial background, though, Steam has been judged for the work that has been carried out to transform the once derelict machine and turning shop, which was part of Swindon Railway Works, into a visitor attraction.

It was also judged on the quality of its displays which celebrate the story of the people who built the Great Western Railway.

Judging was carried out throughout the summer by a panel of adjudicators from the Heritage Railway Association, who travelled to sites across the UK and Ireland.

In order to reach the final stages of the awards, entrants had to satisfy the judges that the work they had carried out was of a high standard of workmanship as well as being sympathetic to the era of original buildings.

Tim Bryan, Steam curator, said: "At a time when news about the railway industry had been rather gloomy, we are delighted to be part of something that is good for the industry.

"Visitors to Steam can enjoy, discover and be inspired by the remarkable story of the people who built the Great Western Railway and our remarkable collection of objects and locomotives.

"The museum continues to receive excellent feedback from its visitors and it is important for everyone involved in its success to be recognised in this national award scheme.

"This shortlisting follows other accolades for Steam such as the Civic Trust Award, Good Britain Guide's Wiltshire Family Attraction of the Year and the English Tourism Coun-cil Quality Assured Visitor Attraction."

The Railway Heritage Awards 2001 are sponsored by Ian Allen Publishing, Rail-track, London Underground, Railway Heritage Trust, Westinghouse Signals, Atoc and Modern Railways Magazine.

Steam was made possible through a funding partnership bringing together Heritage Lottery Fund, Swindon Coun-cil, Carillion Development Management and BAA McArthurGlen.

It opened to the public in the summer of 2000. The project had begun nearly six years earlier with the most magnificent milestone coming in 1997, when the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant of almost £8 million.

Restoration work began in January 1999 to restore this listed railway building, part of which dates back to 1846.