station, and a tramway ran north to the Waterlip Quarry; the tramway was extended in 1907 to the Somerset Basalt Quarry, and was converted to standard gauge in 1926; the artist David Shepherd used the station from 1971 to house steam locomotives he owned, and over time the location has developed into a heritage railway site, known as the East Somerset Railway; Merehead Quarry Sidings; a siding connection to quarries was opened on 14 March 1948; with the huge expansion of roadstone use in the late 1960s, the quarry was much mechanised, and became known as Torr Works; the rail loading facility was much expanded, and the new arrangement was opened on 19 August 1970; Wanstrow; station opened in January 1860 having been paid for by the local community "as the ESR could not afford to build one"; there was no staff until 1 April 1909 when a Station Master was appointed; it appears he had to do all the station work himself; Great Western Railway, Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth section Witham station; the junction station; the community served is Witham Friary; the main line became much busier on the opening in 1906 of the direct line between Castle Cary and Taunton via Somerton, so that most of the West of England trains ran this way; there was an up side bay for Cheddar line trains; renamed Witham (Somerset) from 9 June 1958. Gradients From Yatton the line ran more or less level at first, then climbing to Shute Shelve Tunnel at 1 in 90, falling on the other side at 1 in 75. Gentle undulations followed to a summit between Lodge Hill and Wookey, climbing at 1 in 96. A slight fall followed to Wells. Leaving Wells the line climbed for over 6 miles to Dulcote at 1 in 46½ for much of the distance. The falling gradient the other side had a ruling gradient of 1 in 47, although with some short sections of gentler climb. Signalling The original signalling on the East Somerset Railway followed the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway practice of using a double-needle electric telegraph; the signals at each station were disc and crossbar home signals; starting was authorised by hand signal. The GWR replaced the double-needle telegraph by a single-needle variety. The Bristol and Exeter line (north-west of Wells) used a staff-and-ticket system, but the Somerset Central line, worked by them, used a