RAILWAY history has been made today as a service ran between Swanage and Wareham for the first time in 45 years.

The return of the Isle of Purbeck train service comes after decades of work by dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers.

Seven miles of railway line linking the towns were demolished in the summer of 1972. The final British Rail service between Swanage and Wareham ran in January of that year.

Two generations of enthusiasts then worked to rebuild and reconnect the heritage line. At 10.23am on Tuesday, volunteers who dedicated themselves to the service's restoration took the first train from Swanage's restored station.

The departure marked the start of a two-year trial public service, which will see diesel trains operating on 60 days during the summer.

Four trains a day will run in each direction between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.

The services will operate on 90 days during 2018.

Visitors will be able to travel to Swanage and Corfe Castle by train from stations across the country.

Swanage Railway Trust chairman Gavin Johns hailed the "historic milestone".

"Returning trains from Swanage and Corfe Castle to Wareham shows what can be achieved thanks to vision, determination and working together in partnership.

"This is the culmination of a huge amount of work by our dedicated volunteers and the support of our stakeholders," he said.

The reinstated service was funded by organisations including BP, Net work Rail, Dorset County Council and the government's Coastal Communities Fund.

Purbeck District Council committed £3.2 million for re-signalling improvements between Wareham station, Worgret Junction and Swanage Railway’s existing signalling system at Corfe Castle.

Dorset County Council underwrote the district council's financial commitment to the signalling work.

Councillor Bill Trite, chairman of the Purbeck Community Rail Partnership, and chairman of the Swanage Railway Trust from 1991 to 2008, said: "Restoration of the rail link with a through public passenger service has been the long-held objective of many, many people over the last 45 years since closure of the branch line in 1972.

"Unfortunately, but inevitably, a significant proportion of them are no longer with us to see that ambition realised."

Cllr Trite said the service "has to be sustainable" after the initial trial.

"It holds the promise of enabling the residents of Swanage, Corfe Castle and Isle of Purbeck villages to travel anywhere that's possible by train, leaving their cars at home and taking traffic off the congested A351 road," he added.

Tickets are £15 for an adult or senior citizen day-return between Swanage and Wareham and £9 for an adult or senior citizen single. Tickets for children aged between five 5 to 15 are £10 for a return and £6 for a single.

Passengers are advised to use public travel to visit Wareham station because of limited parking.