Having photographed the arterial roads of Manchester in 2014, I have resolved to return to the task in 2024.
Some things seem to have changed, some things seem to have stayed the same.
Manchester Arterial 2024 – A635
Manchester Arterial – A635
The road now begins slightly further south than it used to. Instead of starting on Fairfield Street in Manchester city centre, it begins immediately as the Mancunian Way ends, which at this point is the unsigned A635(M). The motorway flows directly into our route. There’s a TOTSO right at a set of lights, and we pick up the old alignment, which now starts as the B6469.
We can see the new City of Manchester Stadium on the left, site of the 2002 Commonwealth Games and now home to Manchester City FC. The road switches between S2 and S4 as it passes through the rather run-down urban areas of Ardwick and Gorton. A short one-way system at a triangular-shaped junction with the A662 leads onto a wider stretch as we near the M60 junction. This area is set to see significant industrial growth, with whole swathes of land either side of the now D3 road cleared and ready for development.
In 2014, having taken early retirement from teaching photography, I embarked on a series of walks along the arterial roads of Manchester.
See also Bury New Road and Cheetham Hill Road and Rochdale Road and Oldham Road and Ashton New Road
Higher Openshaw
There’s been more than a few comings and goings along Ashton Old Road.
Where once there were fields, homes and industry arrive, as the Industrial Revolution is in full swing.
The streets to the north of Ashton Old Road are alive with shops, homes, people and prams.
Along with the occasional motor car.
The Old Road boasted some fine busy boozers.
And a splendid church and school.
The man responsible for the majority of these archive photographs is Tommy Brooks of 56 Gransmoor Road.
He is my hero, a member go the Manchester Amateur Photographic Society, cycling the streets of Manchester to produce a unique record of life in the Sixties.
The Manchester Image Collection is awash with his work.
Chapeau Tommy!
The house is no longer there – the area has recently been redeveloped, some older properties demolished, and new homes built.
Though The Gransmoor is no longer The Gransmoor.
Although it briefly became CKs
Converted to retail use 24th September 2012 after closure. This interesting Victorian building stands back from the road with what may well be a coach road in front. Inside the high ceilings and glorious plasterwork gave the impression of a gentlemen’s club. Though it previously sold cask Banks’s beers in its earlier years, its final days were seen out with only keg beers being available.
St Clements still prevails with a healthy congregation.
In 2010 several properties were removed and the land levelled.
Eleven years later old and new now snuggle up together.
The street structure is more or less unchanged.
Though sadly the wonderfully named Ambush Street is no more.
So the big wheel keeps on turning new homes, new folk and new life for East Manchester.
Modern Mooch 