The last man standing

摘要

When the GWR opened its Tyseley-Stratford upon Avon line, the North Warwicks line, in 1908 it was covered by eight signalboxes. By 1999 it was down to three and then there was just one.Henley-in-Arden and Bearley Junction had closed the previous weekend and that left just Shirley - featured in our National Treasures back in Rl Feb 08, the last of all. For the last 10 years these 'boxes had remained to stand guard over the route, the other 'boxes long gone, but even then their time was running out. 2004 was to be their last year but fate intervened as Railtrack imploded in 2002 and was replaced by Network Rail. The 'boxes got a reprieve and survived to celebrate their centenary in 2008. However there were to be no further reprieves, the route upgrade eventually went ahead, and finally the end came in the last week of October 2010.