G-Mex, Manchester - October 2013
Visited with Hidden and Millhouse
Before a recent jaunt around Manchester, I'd had a late night chat with Gone regarding some 'buildering' options in the city - he suggested the much-overlooked G-Mex amongst other things. I was unsure how to actually do this at first, but the idea immediately resonated with me, and sure enough we made sure to have a look the next night when up to no good with Hidden and Millhouse. Turns out it's a fairly easy route to figure out, and with a few different roof levels to navigate and some awkward climbs, it made for an interesting 2 or 3 hours of scrambling around. To say we had some fun up there would be a massive understatement. Big shout out to the lads for being up for it.
History
In 1872 permission was granted for the Midland Railway, the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and the Great Northern Railway to extend their lines into the centre of Manchester. Lewis Moorsom was commissioned to build a new station, and in 1875 the work began on the construction of Central Station. The station featured a single span roof that was 210ft wide, 550ft long and 90ft high. The roof spanned six platforms and nine tracks. The station was built over the canal and the site of the former Dacca Mill.
The station opened in 1880 with trains running to Liverpool, Chester, Stockport, and London St. Pancras. The station closed in 1969 and lay vacant and increasingly derelict for many years. In 1978 the Greater Manchester Council acquired control of the site, initially using the space as a car park, and subsequently, converting it at a cost of £20 million into the Greater Manchester Exhibition and Events Centre - which, being a bit of a mouthful, was condensed into G-Mex.
G-Mex was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 1986. It was regarded as one of England's finest exhibition centres. It was certainly one of the country's largest, the whole space being open without interior supporting pillars.
In 2000 the Manchester Convention Centre was built next door to the G-Mex to a design by Stephenson Bell. In 2007, both sites were combined and re-branded as an impressive facility for conventions and exhibitions called "Manchester Central". By March 2009, construction had begun on a new entrance for the building.
Only had 70mm lens with me, hence the photos being a tad, erm, close.
tweek
Visited with Hidden and Millhouse
Before a recent jaunt around Manchester, I'd had a late night chat with Gone regarding some 'buildering' options in the city - he suggested the much-overlooked G-Mex amongst other things. I was unsure how to actually do this at first, but the idea immediately resonated with me, and sure enough we made sure to have a look the next night when up to no good with Hidden and Millhouse. Turns out it's a fairly easy route to figure out, and with a few different roof levels to navigate and some awkward climbs, it made for an interesting 2 or 3 hours of scrambling around. To say we had some fun up there would be a massive understatement. Big shout out to the lads for being up for it.
History
In 1872 permission was granted for the Midland Railway, the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and the Great Northern Railway to extend their lines into the centre of Manchester. Lewis Moorsom was commissioned to build a new station, and in 1875 the work began on the construction of Central Station. The station featured a single span roof that was 210ft wide, 550ft long and 90ft high. The roof spanned six platforms and nine tracks. The station was built over the canal and the site of the former Dacca Mill.
The station opened in 1880 with trains running to Liverpool, Chester, Stockport, and London St. Pancras. The station closed in 1969 and lay vacant and increasingly derelict for many years. In 1978 the Greater Manchester Council acquired control of the site, initially using the space as a car park, and subsequently, converting it at a cost of £20 million into the Greater Manchester Exhibition and Events Centre - which, being a bit of a mouthful, was condensed into G-Mex.
G-Mex was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 1986. It was regarded as one of England's finest exhibition centres. It was certainly one of the country's largest, the whole space being open without interior supporting pillars.
In 2000 the Manchester Convention Centre was built next door to the G-Mex to a design by Stephenson Bell. In 2007, both sites were combined and re-branded as an impressive facility for conventions and exhibitions called "Manchester Central". By March 2009, construction had begun on a new entrance for the building.
Only had 70mm lens with me, hence the photos being a tad, erm, close.
tweek
