SWINDON'S troubled Museum of the Great Western Railway Steam has been named as Wiltshire Family Attraction of the Year 2001 by the Good Britain Guide 2001.

The attraction, based on the site of the former Swindon railway works in Kemble Drive, is home to a comprehensive collection of Great Western Railway memorabilia, including famous locomotives such as Caerphilly Castle and King George V.

The Good Britain Guide, now in its fifth edition, is an independent guide to Britain's top attractions and voted Steam the superior family destination ahead of its rivals in the county.

Andrew Lovett, Steam general manager said: "The whole team at the museum is delighted by the news that we have been selected as the Wiltshire Family Attraction of the year."

The news will come as a welcome boost to the museum, which has run into financial problems, facing losses of up to £1 million because of poor visitor numbers and higher than average construction costs.

Swindon Borough Council has agreed to subsidise the cash-strapped museum to the tune of half a million pounds but this is not enough to enable the museum to break even.