Tag Archives: Manchester

Factory

Thursday 26th May 2016, 8.25am (day 1,736)

Factory, 26/5/16

Another shot of Manchester architecture, this time a more significant building despite its unassuming appearance. This is the former office of the great Factory Records, founded by the late Tony Wilson and which gave the world Joy Division, the Happy Mondays and the Haçienda nightclub amongst others. Although actually they only moved to this building relatively late in the label’s existence (if you have seen the movie Twenty Four Hour Party People this will be the scene of the (probably mythical) moment when Rob Gretton attacks Wilson over the cost of the table at which they’re having their meeting). As you can see it will soon be overshadowed by whatever is being built on the site of the old BBC building behind.

Incidentally, and one for the anoraks, this shot is taken at the same time as yesterday’s (allowing for the rounding to the nearest 5 minutes which I always do). This is the 13th time in the 1,736 days when there have been two consecutive shots at the same time. The nearest I’ve come to three in a row remains 20th – 22nd November 2011 (9:55am, 9:50 and 9:50).

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3 Brown Street, Manchester

Tuesday 24th May 2016, 4.35pm (day 1,734)

3 Brown Street, 24/5/16

Manchester city centre, like all big city centres, is now substantially formed of anonymous glass buildings like these, the coating probably not doing much for the insulation, but look at the lovely reflection effect it gives. I like taking pictures of buildings though I am sure all would be better composed if I had a hundred-foot tall crane to lift me up and get the perspective right.

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Mr. James Brown (no, not that one)

Tuesday 17th May 2016, 3.15pm (day 1,727)

James Brown, 17/5/16

We worked out today that come September it will be twenty years since I met James, we shared a flat in my final year at Leeds University, subsequently he was best man at my wedding (coming up for 17 years ago). We haven’t seen each other much lately as he has lived in Taiwan for more than a decade now, but he passed through Manchester today, as did I briefly. Last time I saw him was 2011 not long before I started doing this blog so today was his first chance to appear on it. I know he normally looks happier than this but that’s what overnight flights from Asia do to the complexion, I guess. Good to see you mate, sorry it wasn’t for longer.

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New Market, Manchester (building site)

Tuesday 3rd May 2016, 9.30am (day 1,713)

New Market, 3/5/16

The street of New Market makes, I think, its third appearance on this blog, with its transition from well-lit back street to building site to today’s, well, building site having been documented over the last two years. Reduced now to a mere alley, the fence that bounds it on the right is captured, distorted, in the side wall of Boots on the other side. It’s actually quite hard to get a photo of Manchester city centre that doesn’t somehow show it as a building site at this point in time.

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Edge of campus

Wednesday 27th April 2016, 12.55pm (day 1,707)

Dilworth Street, 27/4/16

Since the teaching term recommenced for me on 13th April I have offered 15 consecutive pictures either at home in Hebden or in Manchester for work. The fence on the left of this shot represents the limit of my present world.

I know this would perhaps be a better photo if the traffic cone in the middle distance weren’t there. But while I could have moved it, I say that on this blog no shot is posed or staged in any way. So let’s see it as just one of those little blemishes that proves the fallibility of all my efforts, or something like that.

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Back Pool Fold, Manchester

Friday 22nd April 2016, 4.00pm (day 1,702)

Back Pool Fold, 22/4/16

Now here’s a back alley, discovered as I try ever more to hone the directness of my walking route through Manchester city centre on a given working day. I like the detail on this shot — lots of things to see, from bottom to top, but all epitomising the idea of an alley, a trench in the urban landscape.

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Manchester tram, Aytoun Street

Thursday 21st April 2016, 8.40am (day 1,701)

Manchester tram, 21/4/16

I cannot think of anything much to say about this photo today, although I quite like it. Clare, sat by me at this point, says however that she likes ‘the pinks, the blues and the purples’, so now you know what she thinks, anyway.

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The Pub Zoo

Tuesday 19th April 2016, 4.15pm (day 1,699)

Pub Zoo, 19/4/16

An unnecessarily tautological name for a drinking establishment, perhaps. Who cares on such an utterly beautiful day as today.

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Legless

Thursday 14th April 2016, 6.00pm (day 1,694)

Legless, 14/4/16

OK, it’s a pretty obvious optical illusion, but what the hell, after a long day at work spent almost completely walking around from one place to another (not to mention my standard 5-mile round-trip hike there via two railway stations), it summed up my day.

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Outside Manchester cathedral

Wednesday 16th March 2016, 5.30pm (day 1,665)

Outside cathedral, 16/3/16

Another pleasant, sunny afternoon, although a chilly one. I know this shot would be better without the signs, but hey, that’s the clutter of modern life for you.

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