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News Supplement: Dunster Sea Lane Level Crossing

	The original control equipment for Sea Lane crossing was installed during February/March 1975 and commissioned just before the first train ran on the WSR. Over the years, the equipment been subject to time, weather and various forms of animal life (although located in a "sealed" cupboard, some rodents can get into the smallest hole). The salt air atmosphere had also corroded some of the relay contacts, in the last few years two relays had failed completely. Due to the age of the equipment, replacements were difficult to obtain and the decision was taken to provide completely new equipment in a new location case. The road lights and rail signals were retained although new cable was installed. The new equipment was designed to comply with the current level crossing requirements using BR standard relays and components. The new location case was pre-wired at Williton over the winter. Testing of the new circuits was carried out at Williton before the location was moved to site by train on 6 March. Several weekends were then spent installing the new cables for track circuits and road/rail signals. On Friday 25 April, the old installation worked for the 10.15 Minehead for the last time. After the train had passed, the power was switch off and all trains were handsignalled for the rest of the day. The S&T staff then had to removed all the old cables from the track circuits and road/rail signals and connect up the new cables. Testing and adjustment of the new crossing equipment began after lunch on Saturday 26 April. The weather was against us in the afternoon, testing was carried out with the aid of umbrellas to keep the equipment dry. At 6.30pm, our independent tester "signed-off" the crossing as fit for use. Work continued on Sunday 27 April to observe the operation of the equipment and to tidy up the area. The S&T department withdrew the handsignalman from site after the passage of the 12.25pm Bishops Lydeard and the crossing was left to work on its own. Further work is still required over the next few weeks to recover all the redundant equipment. The BR standard relays and equipment will be repaired and returned to stores. Most of the control relays are not to BR standard and will be scrapped. 29 April 2003 Details from local correspondent