Hive of Activity

This site has been a surface car park for years, with the parking being at the level where I am standing (and that of the portacabins visible on the other side). The car parking occupied the site of the old Exchange Station, which closed in the 1960's - the station was in Salford, but could only be accessed from Manchester (via Cathedral approach). It adjoined Victoria Station in Manchester, and shared the longest platform in the country. Lowry painted it from the Manchester end, including the statue of Oliver Cromwell which used to stand at the bottom of the access - Cathedral Approach.

To create the new development on what has been called the west podium, all the brick arches underpinning the former station had to be removed - the sea of bricks has now reduced. The red sandstone wall facing the Irwell and Manchester is retained. What will follow is levels of new parking to be run by Q Parks above which will sit two flashy new office buildings accessed from Manchester via Cathedral Approach. They will be marketed as Embankment 1 and 2.

Interestingly this whole area occupies the original site of the settlement of Salford mentioned in the Domesday Book. An archaeological dig on the site of a new apartment building rapidly rising to the north of the railway found early arrowheads and later fine 17th century pottery, showing it was a well to do area at one time. The old Salford Cross occupied the site of the old market place. Punching railway lines through in the early 19th century changed it forever. And now some of that railway infrastructure is being removed to make way for a 21st century future.