The contractor, which completed pre-construction services on the scheme, will now start main construction work on the project, expected to take around two years to complete.

The new building forms a key part of the museum’s wider transformation programme and sits at the heart of the York Central regeneration scheme.

Designed by Feilden Fowles Architects, the circular building will provide a new main entrance, gallery space, café, shop and visitor facilities while linking together parts of the museum site long divided by Leeman Road.

The contract signing follows confirmation of an additional £3m government funding package announced by the Prime Minister to help move the project forward.

National Railway Museum director Craig Bentley said: “Central Hall is more than a new building – it is a bold, future-facing statement that embodies the Railway Museum’s commitment to being ‘Open for All’ and sets a new sustainability benchmark for the site.”

The building will also house Railway Futures: The Porterbrook Gallery, showcasing emerging rail technologies and the future of the industry.

Its recycled copper-clad exterior and timber-ribbed glazed roof take inspiration from historic railway roundhouses while delivering a modern low-carbon building.

The project is expected to complete in 2028.