From stables... to dinner tables
RAILWAY stables which have laid unchanged for nearly two centuries are expected to become the heart of a new bar and restaurant district.
The stables – which were uncovered during work to build the Ordsall Chord railway project – were built beneath the ‘Zig-Zag arches’ of Liverpool Road Station, the brainchild of ‘father of railways’ George Stephenson.
In 1830, passengers would have tied up their horses before taking a train and cattle tradesmen might have lodged their beasts there to break up a journey.
Today, the dark and highceilinged barns are lit by floodlights, but that’s the only modern intrusion. The light falls on old timber stall partitions. A giant wooden door – once at the entrance to a stable – leans against the wall. Old hooks, back in the day used to tie up horses and cattle, are still nailed into the walls. Look up, and you can see evidence of the old lofts where hay was kept.
Once the Ordsall Chord project to link Piccadilly and Victoria is complete they will be cleaned up, restored and let out. But for now, walking beneath the viaduct arches is like strolling back through time.
Peter Jenkins from BDP, is the lead architect behind the entire £85m project, which will regenerate all the land around Trinity Way. He said: “It’s great – spaces like this give you a real feeling of the history and significance of the area. We’ve always been appreciative of how valuable it is to be working in this amazing heritage area, alongside these spaces and structures which date right back from the start of the railways.
“If you like, it was the world’s first transport interchange. You’d ride your horse from wherever you lived in Manchester then go upstairs to get the train to Liverpool. Today you’d get a cab – then you’d ride your horse.”
When Liverpool Road station was first built in 1830 it was designed for passenger use.
But with the creation of Victoria station, it soon became known as Manchester’s goods station, a hub for the transportation of wares, cotton - and animals.
Our pictures show how the stables looked when Network Rail took possession of the structures in 2013, these viaducts and Stephenson’s Bridge were in private ownership until then.
The brickwork and timber in these areas are currently being cleaned and repaired as part of the extensive package of heritage restoration work.
Network Rails’ Ordsall Chord is due for completion in December this year. The regeneration of the area will begin after that.
Like the arches elsewhere in Manchester, they are likely to be in high demand.
Peter, from Rochdale and also behind the Victoria station design, added: “There’s a lot of derelict land around the Orsdall Chord site that’s going to be very different in years to come. These spaces will be at the heart of a new urban community, which the railway will sit within. We envisage bars, restaurants and businesses coming here. They have real character to them and will be really nice spaces to use.”