Severn Bridge Junction, Railway signal box at Shrewsbury, England
Severn Bridge Junction is a three-story signal box in red brick and wood at Shrewsbury station that controls train movements through converging railway lines. The building houses 180 mechanical levers, of which 89 remain active today and direct the flow of trains across multiple routes.
The signal box was built in 1904 by the London & North Western Railway and Great Western Railway to connect South Wales with England's industrial regions. This cooperation between the two companies allowed them to handle the growing rail traffic of the period more efficiently.
Network Rail graduates visit the signal box to learn traditional railway operations, gaining hands-on experience with mechanical signaling systems from experienced operators.
The signal box is best visited during quieter times since operations run around the clock and hundreds of trains use the facility daily. Visitors should inquire in advance to arrange tours, as this is not an open attraction with regular visiting hours.
The building stands today as the world's largest operational mechanical signal box and still uses its original Victorian-era control system. Its status as a grade II listed building makes it a valuable record of railway history that has survived technological change.
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