HISTORY was made by Swanage Railway as it ran the first passenger trains from Swanage towards Wareham in 44 years.

On the first day of its annual spring celebration of steam, locomotives took passengers beyond Norden station and over four miles of newly restored line, finally stopping at the River Frome – within sight of the town of Wareham.

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Swanage Railway’s general manager, Matt Green, said: “This is real history – timetabled passenger trains last ran on the line in 1972.

“Our dedicated teams have worked very hard over the past 18 months restoring and upgrading the former Network Rail line. Half a mile of new track has been laid, almost 2,000 wooden track sleepers replaced and six miles of embankments cut back, fences repaired and drains cleared,” he added.

Starting from Swanage, four passenger trains will run each day this weekend, over the newly installed Norden Gates level crossing and on past Motala, Furzebrook, Creech Bottom, East Holme, and the River Frome.

Passengers will not be able to board or alight the steam trains running over the four-mile extension beyond Norden station, and the trains operating between Norden and the River Frome will have a steam locomotive at each end.

David Rawsthorn, head of sales and marketing and a long-term volunteer for the heritage railway, said the extension was part of a bigger project that will see Swanage Railway connect its services with the national rail network at Wareham.

“Ever since British Railways said they were going to close the line over 40 years ago, there’s been a huge battle to re-open it in stages. Next year, we will achieve the final stage when we finally get back to Wareham,” he said.

“Today’s an emotional day as, like a lot of supporters and members of the railway, it’s felt like forever in the coming, and now it’s finally beginning to happen.

“We’ve got the track, the signalling, and we’re awaiting our heritage diesels to be certified for the mainline, so the end is in sight.”

Although the service to Wareham will utilise heritage diesel trains, Swanage Railway is planning to run steam-hauled trains to Wareham in the long-term.

For further details visit swanagerailway.co.uk.