My fuse box (1950) was almost inaccessible and required holding the flashlight in my mouth to to change out a fuse. None of the local electricians would deal with it because they said the wiring all had to be replaced in the whole house (fabric covered wires) which expense would render it more economical to buy a new house. So I erected a framework that would support me in the necessary odd position and replaced it myself with a breaker box which I moved to a more accessible location.
A neighbor has a giant junction box in the old fuse box location (which is total spaghetti looking mess inside) that connects things to a more modern circuit breaker box in a different basement room.
That house still has some tube and knob wiring (which is apparently quite reliable, unless you go around the house drilling holes in the walls.