Designed by architects Cruickshank and Seward in the Sixties, to house the cutting-edge computing power of the time, the ICT later ICL Tower, towered over Wenlock Way, Gorton in East Manchester.
A landmark for many from bus, train, car, Shanks’s pony or low flying VC10.
A place of work for thousands.
At a time when modern technology looked a little like this:
Sadly ending like this:
Two weeks into the demolition process the east elevation is no more, revealing a concrete honeycomb of torn steel and fresh air.
A few weeks time and it will be little more than so much dust and memories.
Modern Mooch 
Having worked in the building it is no great loss. While a fair example of the architecture of the era, it was not a pleasant working environment.
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Awesome shots. My uncle worked on the original construction. Can I ask which camera you used. Stunning images.
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Thanks for the kind words – a Panasonic Lumix ZS40 compact
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Worked there from 1978-1982
The tower was always the ‘eye in the sky’ with the ICL logo staring down at you when you were still in the pub!
Great memories!
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I worked there on the 5th floor in mid ’80. It was interesting that that the tower was used like a slice thru the operating system software (VME). The bottom being the user interface and working thru the layers to the core in the higher floors. Great employer at time, loads of training, mostly in Windsor, and six months after started had major surgery, full pay while off and not an eyelid batted, a great community,
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I did an electrical survey of this building and the associated massive open plan research building… I think it was about 2011 for MCC.
The technology was old and way beyond its life expectancy.
The old fluorescent lighting had been left switched on for the 8 years prior to my visit since the building was abandoned… just sucking vast amounts of power and slowly damaging the planet (What a waste)!
I spent a week surveying with lights flickering or with low failing output on their last legs.
Sadly this is the best thing that could be done with this building.
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