THIS lovely old photo shows Swanage around 125 years ago.

In Victorian times the first steam train left the resort 130 years ago

From that point, the area was opened up for travel from the London, Midlands and the North and essentially creating tourism as we now know it.

The British seaside holiday was born and, 125 years later, the steam railway still brings holidaymakers into the centre of Swanage.

Swanage's Victorian pier was built in 1859.

After World War Two the damage was deemed too much and it was left to deteriorate for the next 30 years. In 1994 however a team of dedicated people came together as volunteers to gain funding and a workforce for its restoration.