A LOCAL steam train is to form the centrepiece of a new display at an industrial museum in Gwent.

The steam locomotive Nora will form part of the display at the Big Pit Mining Museum, Blaenavon, looking at the contribution railways made to the local coal and iron industries.

Big Pit manager Peter Walker said the display will form part of the £7 million capital programme ongoing at the museum.

He said: "As part of the development we have recreated the former colliery sidings, and what we are doing is moving rolling stock that belonged to the museum and is currently stored at Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway up onto the sidings. We are also moving other rolling stock from the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans, Cardiff, to the site.

"The locomotive will add a great deal to the site to help reinforce that Big Pit was connected to the outside world. Coal didn't go by helicopter from here, it went by train."

A spokesman for the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Company said: "The steam locomotive Nora will be making one of the shortest journeys it has made in its 80-year history in the next few weeks. This locomotive has worked around Blaenavon's mines and ironworks since its construction in 1920, before then going on to see some use on the passenger trains of the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway up to its final retirement ten years ago."

The new display at Big Pit is expected to be in place ready for the new season in February/March.

Before then, though, to celebrate the coming of Christmas, the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Company has arranged for Santa Claus to take up residence at the Whistle Inn, Blaenavon. The festive character will be at the inn for the three weekends leading up to Christmas, and can be found sitting in his grotto near the fire. The company is also running train rides from its depot from 11am until 3pm.