SWANAGE Railway Volunteers will be hosting a Royal visit today.

HRH The Duke of Gloucester will be travelling on a special train from Swanage to Corfe Castle in the company of the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Angus Campbell.

The Duke is visiting the heritage line to present volunteers with the coveted Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, recognised as the MBE for voluntary groups.

Swanage Railway Trust chairman Gavin Johns said: "The presentation of the award is tremendous public recognition for the huge amount of work put in by so many volunteers over the last 45 years.

"To have all that dedicated and devoted hard work marked in this way by Her Majesty the Queen is very special indeed and something that we will treasure."

Six Swanage Railway volunteers, including two members who have worked at the railway since the start in 1972, will be presented with medals at Corfe Castle railway station.

Mr Johns, who is also a volunteer signalman, explained: "Several generations of dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly to rebuild the branch line from Swanage to Corfe Castle and onwards to near Furzebrook after it was controversially closed by British Rail in January, 1972.

"Seven miles of track was torn up in just seven weeks, during the summer of 1972, with several generations of determined Swanage Railway volunteers taking 25 years to relay it."

The steam locomotive hauling Friday’s special train – with His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester on board – will be carrying four white discs on the front of the to denote it is carrying royalty.

During the official visit, His Royal Highness will also unveil a plaque in the booking hall of Swanage station, marking the awarding of the coveted Peter Manisty Award to the heritage line in March, 2018.

As well as meeting officers of the Swanage Railway Trust, the Duke will also be introduced to directors of the Swanage Railway Company, which runs the trains, as well as volunteers and staff who have worked on the railway for more than two decades.