If ET were to drop into Burghwallis he would soon struggle to phone home. The village phone box is about to disappear.
An old friend, which has been superseded by modern technology to the extent its usage had dropped to nowt. I recall spending many a moment stuck half in and half out of the box in all weathers. Having just moved into Burghwallis the phone was essential to contact BT to check what had happened to the agreed connection date for the land line. Then over the years it was to report a fault to BT and served primarily as the BT help desk.
Since its installation we have moved on. Computers, mobile phones and broadband have overtaken the need to for the phone box. Not that the device was that attractive, its triangular stainless steel construction has lost all the endearing qualities of the traditional red box predecessor. The low maintenance steel kiosk no longer gave an army of students gainful employment during holidays repainting the red boxes. The new triangular device was minimalist providing just enough sound proofing to be heard. Maybe a self defence design as their main function evolved into the BT complain line.
An old red box would have at least doubled up to provide a one person bus shelter as it is right next to the bus stop. But the ways of the world move on and our triangular thingy is soon set to be dust, maybe just an odd cable sticking out of the ground. If you are one of the inventive types you could put an offer in and convert it to a shower cubical (one of the uses for the old red box). Mind you its lack of sides would add a new dimension to the term wet room.
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