Several of Radstock’s landmarks disappeared on Sunday morning – the 65 year-old signal box and two level crossing gates from the GWR West station.

The equipment has been bought by the Bristol group of the Great Western Society.

The project has been the group’s top priority for over two years and all fundraising activities have been directed towards the final goal of erecting the box at the society’s headquarters at Didcot, Oxfordshire.

There the signal box will be restored and used in its former job, albeit on a smaller scale.

For six weeks members of the society made the signal box ready for the move. On Sunday morning it was lifted off its brick foundations without incident and loaded onto a lorry.

The box is typical of many to be found on the former GWR system, although the lever frame around which the system is built is less common, being known to railway devotees as of the “twist” type.

It cost the group £50 to buy the signal box from British Rail. Cost of transport and re-erection will be £400.

The Group is very proud of its acquisition. A member said “We are grateful to Avon County and BR for their wholehearted co-operation.”