London Road Fire Station, Police Station, Court, Manchester - 07
Another from the way back when machine.
London Road fire station was one of several civic buildings in the complex on London road which opened in 1906. The building as constructed between 1904 and 1906 at a cost of £142,000 was opened by the Lord Mayor of Manchester James Herbert Thewlis. The complex also housed a police station in the whitworth street wing an ambulanece station on Minshull street, a bank, a coroners court and a gas testing station. the complex was designed by architects Woodhouse, Willoughby and Langham and decorated with architectural sculptures by JJ Milson reprisenting the various functions of the building Justice, Fire ect.
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/imag.../londold01.jpg
When the building was opened it became the headquaters for the Manchester fire brigade and included flats for 32 firemen and their families and for 6 single firemen facilities for the firemen and their families included a laundry, gym, billiards room and childrens play areas it also featured a 40m tall hose tower for drying canvas hoses. THe fire station was designed with the future in mind and its seven applience bays were built wide enough to accomdate motorised fire engines which arrived in 1911. The firestation also became the first in britain with the ability to record emergency calls in 1952.
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/imag.../londold03.jpg
Along with the police station, the Manchester City police also maintaind a police mans club and facility for training police recruits known a the "nursery".
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/imag.../londold04.jpg
Police recruits physical training on one of the first floor balconies
The fire brigade headquaters closed in 1974 when the Greater Manchester Fire Brigade was founded wth a new headquaters in Swinton. London road remained as the divisional head quaters for E division but its role was slowly cutback until only three fire engines remained and the Control room was closed in 1979, Whithworth Steet police station closed the same year. the much reduced station remained open until 1986 and the building was sold off. THe building has been proposed for hotel developments on several occassions over the following two decades but none has taken off it is currently used as a warehouse by its current owners but is the subject of a planning battle with the city council concidering compulsory purchase to ensure the building is finally redeveloped.
Visited with a bunch of manc explorers of 28dl and then again the following weekend with attendees of the 07 summer manc meet.
Re: London Road Fire Station, Police Station, Court, Manchester - 07
forgot to mention the heavy duty security BEAR which keeps an eye on the place, the key when tackeling a grizzle bear is not to run and to have lots of honey to distract it.
thank HTML i dont think my pics show the place in the best light bit this was collection of little bits and things that were'nt in everyone elses reports at the time.
