17th Dec 2020: AOC appointed to design facility for largest rail vehicle display in UK

AOC Architecture have been appointed by the Science Museum Group to start work on a £4.5m project to deliver a new collection building at the railway museum Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham. Once complete, the facility will house up to 50 rail vehicles, bringing the total at Locomotion to 120 and creating the UK’s largest rail vehicle display, spread across the museum's two buildings.

First opened in 2004, Locomotion remains a partnership with Durham County Council as well as a member of the Science Museum Group. The collection facility is part of a £6m improvement programme to regenerate the museum’s historic site, with Durham County Council contributing £2.25m to support the delivery of the new building.

Geoff Shearcroft, Director at AOC said: “We are delighted to be working with the SMG team to develop a low carbon, open museum store, creating new opportunities for the public to engage with the full diversity of the museum’s collection. Through its location and design, Locomotion’s newest building will help activate the surrounding landscape, enhancing biodiversity and improving public access to the museum site’s historic buildings and demonstration railway line.”

This tender was first published by TenderStream on 17.08.2020 and can be viewed in our archive here