Harlescott Railway Signal Box (or why I shouldn't write at 4am)

The following is clearly a work of fiction. You can tell it's a work of fiction, because the subject of the adventure no longer exists. If you recall, I mentioned two posts ago that I had failed to get in there on the day before it was demolished. So how else other than time travel is an explorer meant to get there???

Well it turns out, since this is a fictional story, that time travel was indeed the answer. And don't seem so surprised! Loads of stories featured here are fictional. What, you thought someone could be this good looking in real life? No, beyond The Explorer, at the real heart of "Shrewsbury from where you are not" is a mostly faceless lady we here in the fictional universe know as The Artist. We tried referring to her as God once, but Charles Darwin got angry. And so did Westboro Baptist Church, but they're always angry so it's okay.

 As you can see from the early concept art, That Explorer Person has laser eyes gained by radiation exposure when exploring Chernobyl, yet another fictional adventure. The Artist, with her brilliant talent, actually sits and paints all the images you see here at Shrewsbury From Where You Are Not. What, you don't believe me??? Here's what Shrewsbury looks like before she colours it in.

But I digress magnificently, for I am a fictional character without a plot. But to retrace my steps, I did indeed find a time machine, nestled deep in the cavernous cellar of the last articles subject, Stoke Grange! There I sought the ultimate adventure. I would set my sights on... TELETUBBY LAND!!!

*cue dramatic music*

This image does not belong to me or The Artist. No, unlike me and my photos, it's real! Teletubby Land was a real, derelict and abandoned historical location up until 2013 when it gained a Gremlin infestation and the land owners decided to demolish the entire thing and fill it with water.

I don't think they saw the movie. That's so going to backfire on them. But the point is, since I didn't get a chance to explore it when it was there, I decided to utilize time travel. However, since the Artist didn't write trans-chrono physics into my skill set (I know right, laser eyes and knockout breasts, but no idea how to program a time machine) I ended up not at Teletubby Land, but back in Shrewsbury, just prior to the railway signal boxes demolition.
So why waste the adventure?

  (LEGAL DISCLAIMER: As an explorer, I do not force entry, vandalize, steal, or disclose means of entry. Trespass without forced entry is a civil offence rather than a criminal one, which isn't worth acting on unless one causes damage, steals, has ill intent, etc. I simply photograph and leave everything as I find it. I do not condone breaking and entering, and I do not condone what I do. I'm a danger to myself and a terrible role model. I'm also a fictional character retelling a fictional adventure, so none of this really applies)


The derelict Harlescott Signal Box was, to my initial disapointment, baricaded by a measely piece of wood nailed over the top of the door, preventing my access. However, the ground floor door was open...

 Those verticle metal bits along the side are the mechanisms for the signal levers. Naturally, I didn't touch them just in case any were still connected. But as you can see, some of them are lying on the floor already, since the place was derelict.

Here's an old telephone exchange.

 And look guys, railway signal boxes were apparently affected by window tax back in the day too!

 Here's a closer look at those lever mechanisms.

Anyway, in spite of the upstairs door being locked, the fact that numerous levers had been removed made it completely possible to access the top floor via the hole in the floor where the lever used to be. Thus proving my fictionality. No way would I be so inventive with getting somewhere if I was a real human being!

Here's a sign with some interesting communication information on it.

In the corner was a small handwashing area, which still had paper towels in the dispenser, but no sink.

Where was the toilet? Outside, in a little room at the exact opposite end of the building to the actual door. So if one worked here, and needed to trot off the the loo, one then would have to come all the way back upstairs to the work area to wash their hands, which is kinda weird.

Hmm... It's still cleaner than some toilets in some of Shrewsburys pubs and clubs.

And that about sums up the Harlescott Railway Box. It was demolished less than 24 hours later, which means that if this wasn't a work of fiction, I would very likely be the last person to set foot in this place and appreciate it prior to its demolition.

In the days following the demolition, numerous groups online were sharing old memories of this place, and it was obvious that this signal box had quite a lot of sentimental value to the right social circles. And of course, it wasn't exactly in the way, so its demolition seems rather pointless. Doubly so given how much people love their old buildings.

But regardless, if you have any information or stories about this place or any other place mentioned on "Shrewsbury From Where You Are Not" please get in touch. I can be reached via various social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In the meantime, if there's any part of Shropshire thats secret, forgotten, or abandoned that I have no desire to see, it's only because I already have.

Thanks for reading!