A £1.5 million lottery grant has enabled Bury Transport Museum to embark on a journey to a new future.

And those behind the bold plans to reopen the museum, which closed its doors to the public in 2003, are confident of securing the remainder of the £2.5 million needed to fund the restoration of the building.

The £1.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant will potentially enable the museum to reopen in 2009, becoming a major tourism and educational attraction.

Bury Transport Museum is described as the less well-known jewel in East Lancashire Railway's (ELR) crown. Nestling behind Bolton Street, opposite the railway station, is the Castlecroft Goods Shed. The large detached stone building, constructed between 1846 and 1848, was once at the hub of the transport network in Bury.

Established around 1993, the museum shut to the public four years ago because of the dangerous condition of its roof. The fantastic and varied collection of road and rail vehicles and hundreds of smaller objects have remained inside. But they have only seen by the public when they are occasionally brought out for an event .

Now, Bury Transport Museum joins the Fusiliers' Museum and Bury Art Gallery and Museum as the third lottery success over the last five years. Mark Sanders, chief executive of Bury Council, said: "Three HLF successes in a row is a real coup for Bury and a tribute not only to the rich heritage but to the quality of applications that the town has been producing. The three heritage attractions together will give a real boost to the Cultural Quarter."

In 2004, the local authority supported the ELR in commissioning a team of architects and designers to produce detailed proposals for the refurbishment of the museum.

Research was carried out into the building's history and with potential visitors and users to find out what they wanted in the new museum. Surveys determined the extent of the work required to restore and repair the building and to provide it with new visitor service facilities, such as a new entrance, toilets and a multi-purpose education and activity room.

The overall capital cost of the project is £2.5 million and the result will be a beautifully restored, listed building which will provide a new home for the museum collection and a new education and community facility for Bury. The project will offer work experience and training opportunities as well as interactive displays and working vehicles.

The cost of an events and activities organiser for the first three years of operation is included in the bid and future programmes will be developed in conjunction with the Fusiliers' Museum and Art Gallery and Museum.

The restoration of vehicles, which used to take place inside the museum, will be relocated to a workshop opposite. This will be open to the public, both for demonstrations and talks and for training and skill sharing.

ELR director Malcolm Vickers said the remainder of the £2.5 million had to be raised within the next year: "We are confident that we can achieve this by a combination of cash from asset sales and applications to various Government, European and waste disposal agencies.

"This isn't just a new visitor attraction and a resource for science education. It will have a brilliant programme of activities and events appealing to schools, families and disadvantaged groups and will actively participate in training, with initiatives like BTEC and the Young Apprentice Scheme."

Should all the required funding be in place, restoration work could begin as early as February 2008.

"It should take around 12 months to complete and there will be a further three months set aside to get all the exhibits in," added Mr Vickers. "In terms of the overall benefits, basically Bury will have a brand new museum which will give the history of transport in Bury and the surrounding areas from 1846."

ELR hold a long lease on the building. In promoting the HLF bid, they have secured a capital contribution from Bury Council, are selling a building in their ownership and putting volunteer labour into the project.

As part of the fundraising activities, real slates are being sold as part of a We've got a slate loose! campaign to help raise money towards the roof re-slating. More ideas and fundraising volunteers are actively being sought to help bridge the funding gap.

Find out more about the project on the ELR website www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk or by writing to the ELR at Bolton Street Station, Bolton Street, Bury. Alternatively, telephone the appeals office on (0161) 764 7790.