Telephone Exchange
The building shown on the plan as Telephone Exchange (building 97) is in Boston Lodge Works next to the former Brass Shop.
It is a small building dating from 1970 which occupies the corner between the former Brass Shop and the Old Oil Store, which after the revival became the S&T Stores. However its rendered finish does not match the exposed stone of its neighbours and its low single-pitch roof neither conceals nor matches the gable end of the S&T stores, which it otherwise obscures. It housed the Strowger electro-mechanical telephone exchanges used from 1960 until 2015 which were installed around the Railway and maintained by a dedicated band of volunteers who salvaged and reconditioned equipment the GPO no longer required.
Following the switch-off, much equipment has been disposed of, some fetching useful sums for FRS projects. The plan was to clear out the buildings for repairs and future use[1]. See here[2] for a 1969 picture before the extension was added, or below for the scene in 1962.
The plan is now to remove the Telephone building to reveal the old Oil Store/S&T Store and use it as an IT room for the site, following renovation[3]. This is part of the Boston Lodge Interpretation and Development Project.
The Old Oil Store building is described by CADW a 'Former Oil Store' (14418) and listed grade 2.
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S&T Stores 1962, Brass Shop on left. -
Brass Shop with Tel. Exchange in front of S&T Stores. 2013
References[edit]
- ^ Festiniog Railway Heritage Group Journal, page(s): 19
- ^ Festiniog Railway Heritage Group Journal, page(s): 41
- ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine, Issue 246, page(s): 436