Shadows of Desire

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Desire by Chris Knight is an abstract sculpture 8m high, contrasting rusty corten steel with shiny stainless steel spikes, inspired by the Blackpoo's reputation as a destination for "dirty weekends", and its hidden "fetish scene". It casts the shadow of a spiky heart on the promenade.

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It was erected as part of the Great Promenade Show which involved a complete reconstruction of Blackpool's South Promenade incorporating a major series of new public art works commissioned by Blackpool Borough Council, and described by them as "an outdoor gallery of contemporary art". Since 2001, ten large-scale permanent works have been installed at special viewing points along the well-designed new 2km walkway.

Additional information can be found at Public Art Online.

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A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

September sunset over South Promenade, Blackpool

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When staying at the New Mayfair Hotel in Blackpool as we did in May, June and again in September this year, we choose a room with a sea view. And this is why. It allows us see marvellous sunsets through the window.

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This photograph was taken just two minutes after the first one.

A view that focuses on the clouds (taken 30 seconds after the first) can be seen on my photoblog sithenah.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Signs on the North Pier, Blackpool

A notice on Blackpool's North Pier "prohibits the filming of this attraction for public broadcast without the prior written permission of the management. This also applies to the use of stills photography"

Beneath it is a blue plaque that says "On 19th July 1948 Sooty was discovered by Harry Corbett OBE near this spot."

A contribution to signs, signs.

Walking past a Blackpool mural

Yates Wine Lodge on the corner of Talbot Road and Clifton Street was destroyed by a blaze in 2009. The remains were demolished and the site is now cordoned off with hoardings. These have been decorated by murals including one of a dancing couple.

Just as I was taking a photograph of it another couple walked in front of it.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Over the River Irk

These photos were taken in July from a stationary Metrolink tram on the Rochdale line waiting to join the line coming in from Bury.

This view is of the river Irk as it passes under Smedley Road and over a weir.

A closer view shows that there were roadworks on the bridge at the time.

This is the view in the opposite direction and you may be able to see where the viaduct the tram is travelling on crosses the river. As the Irk reaches Manchester Victoria it is culverted under the station and joins the Irwell close to where last week I showed you some bridges and reflections in the Irwell.

A contribution to Friday Fences and Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Taking the Cure at Blackpool

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Adelphi Street leads to the staff entrance to the Winter Gardens.

On the end wall underneath the poster advertising its attractions is a mural by street artist id-iom in collaboration with My Dog Sighs - see photos on the artist's blog

It was created as part of a free Urban Art Festival organised by Sand, Sea & Spray

The title and text of "Taking the cure" refers to the Victorian pastime of coming to Blackpool to bathe in the sea as it supposedly had healing qualities.

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I took the first photo on our visit in June which would have been just a few days after its completion.

I took this closer view in September and it seems the title has been erased.

When I researched this earlier I discovered a post somewhere that said some people had associated the title with drugs but I can't seem to locate the reference now.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Reflections in the Irwell

The River Irwell rises on the Rossendale hills north of Bacup and flows south for 39 miles before joining the River Mersey west of Manchester.

During the Industrial Revolution the river became severely polluted by industrial waste but in the second half of the 20th century, a number of initiatives were implemented to improve its water quality, restock it with fish and create a diverse environment for wildlife. Consequently, stretches of the river flowing through Manchester and Salford have attracted large-scale investment in business and residential developments such as Salford Quays, and other parts of the river have become nationally important wildlife havens.

This stretch is below Manchester Cathedral and there used to be moorings underneath this viewpoint.

The bridge on the left is Cathedral Approach. Formerly it carried the railway into Manchester Exchange Station but now leads only to the NCP car park.

On the right is Chapel Street bridge carrying the A6041. Behind it is the railway bridge leading out of Victoria Station.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections
as well as Scenic Weekends
and also Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Bridge across Corporation Street, Manchester

Corporation Street, October 2013 showing the bridge connecting the Arndale Centre with Marks & Spencers.

The original bridge was destroyed in the IRA bombing of Manchester in June 1996. The story is told in this BBC News item now archived.

I last posted about the bridge over Corporation Street in August 2008



This view shows construction work still taking place in July 1998.



This shows the new walkway bridge as it looked in 1999.

The new bridge is cylindrical, instead of oblong, but otherwise fits exactly as the original had. The walkway is neither level (sloping downwards from the Arndale Centre into Marks & Spencer) nor straight, as it was discovered that the original walkway entrances in the two buildings were not directly opposite one another, but slightly askew.

This is the view inside going from the Arndale into M&S.

Here is the view going the other way.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

The Sign of The Grove Inn, Clayton, Manchester

The sign of The Grove Inn, a Joseph Holts pub on Ashton New Road, Clayton.

I usually only photograph pub signs from one side but in this case I did it from both sides. It wasn't until I looked at the two photographs that I noticed the differences.

A contribution to signs, signs.

Metrolink Trams finally run to Ashton

I wrote about the Metrolink tram extension back in December 2012.

Last Wednesday, 9th October 2013, the new tram service finally arrived.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

Weekend Reflections: They Shoot Horses Don't They?

Blackpool is known as the "ballroom capital of Britain". This rotating ball covered in 46,500 mirrors, is named after the 1969 film about a ballroom marathon. Created by artist Michael Trainor and erected at Harrow Place on the New South Promenade in October 2002, it was at that time the world's largest mirror ball, 20ft in diameter and weighing 4.5 tonnes.

Here it is reflecting the illuminations.

You can see daytime views of the mirrorball in my post from June 2008.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Mural next to Blackpool Nandos

Wandering around Blackpool a week last Sunday I came across this mural next to a branch of Nandos. It is dated 2013 and signed by "Sea Sand & Spray" who it seems are a collective of around 40 street artists in Blackpool.

Find more about them from their website or their Facebook page.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Fleetwood Ferry slipway

This is the slipway at Fleetwood leading down to the ferry that crosses the river Wyre to Knott End on Sea.

When I blogged about Knott End on Sea back in October 2007 I wrote

There are plans to dredge the river to allow even bigger ships to use the Port of Fleetwood.

Ferries had operated from Fleetwood to the Isle of Man from 1876 to 1961, and again periodically from 1971. However, in recent years the service had been restricted to once or twice per year. From 2004, Stena Line provided some passenger accommodation on its thrice daily service to Larne in Northern Ireland. However, Stena Line withdrew the service at the end of 2010.

Now the only ferry is the Wyre Marine service across the river.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

The Wave, St John's Square, Blackpool

The Wave by Lucy Glendinning in collaboration with Mark Merer was installed in St John's Square, Blackpool in September 2009. It is a mirror polished stainless steel wave shape with intelligent internal lighting, a laser cut pattern with transparent blue resin insets and a figure cast in crystal clear blue resin which dives from the wave.

Around the base are clear cat blue pebbles which act as seats and protection from traffic.

See another view on my photblog sithenah

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

The Still Point

The Still Point is a sculpture carved from Cumbrian sand stone by Colin Spofforth commissioned by Argent Group in 2008 and installed in 2009.

It is found somewhat hidden within the courtyard of the Piccadilly Place group of highrise offices between London Road and Aytoun Street, Manchester.

Four figures represent human forms whilst remaining stone like. The 2m tall figures stand within a polished granite circle. Around the base is a quotation

"At the still point of the turning world. Neither the flesh nor fleshness. Neither from nor toward; at the still point, there the dance is, but neither arrest nor movement. Where the past and future gathered. T.S.Eliot."

See a fuller view of the sculpture on sithenah.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections and The Weekend in Black and White.

Questions in Denton

There appears to be questions about this plot of land on the corner of Stockport Road and Inman Street, Denton.

I don't have any answers.

A contribution to signs, signs and Friday Fences.

Monday Murals: Map of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway

A tiled mural map of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway at Victoria Station, Manchester probably dating from 1904. Below it is a bronze war memorial which was unveiled in 1922.

(Click on image for a closer view)

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Manchester's Musical Bridge

The top of the bridge taking Great Bridgewater Street bridge over an arm of the Rochdale Canal next to the Bridgewater Hall (on the right) has a musical theme (click on the photo to enlarge for a better view).

It leads into a small basin bounded on two sides by apartments and on the others by the Bridgewater Hall and Barbirolli Square. The basin is not accessible to canal boats and a fountain now plays in the middle thereof.

The Bridgewater Hall opened in 1996 as an international concert venue. The Hall is home to three resident orchestras: the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

London Road Fire Station, Manchester

The fire station on London Road opened in 1906. It had a compliment of 30 men, 10 horses and 6 fire engines. The first motorised fire appliance did not appear until 1911.

In addition to a fire station with accompanying workshops, stables and control room, the site also housed a police station, an ambulance station, a bank, a Coroner's Court, and a gas-meter testing station as well as housing for the fire chief and his deputy and apartments for 32 firemen's families who were provided with a gymnasium, laundry, children's play area and a billiard room. The doors above were for the ambulances. The door below was the entrance to the deputy's house.

The premises began a gradual wind-down in 1974 and closed as a fire station in 1986 when it was sold to Britannia Hotels who proposed turning it into a luxury hotel but no plans have actually materialised.

The building was Grade II* listed in 1974 and in 2001 was placed on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register.

In 2013 the group Friends of London Road Fire Station was formed. It is a community trust working to bring the London Road Fire Station in Manchester back into positive use through a sympathetic, multipurpose redevelopment for the benefit of the community – as soon as possible.

A contribution to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors and Our World Tuesday.

Astro-Haiga for SARM's International Short Astropoetry Gallery

as the tide rolls out
temporary pools reflect
the lowering sun

words & image © Gerald England

This haiga is included in the International Short Astropoetry Gallery, a project by SARM's Astropoetry Master Club coordinated by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe and Valentin Grigore in partnership with Astronomers Without Borders with the support of some members of the Science Fiction Poetry Association and International Meteor Organization, the astronomical circle of Bucharest National Children Palace and SRCSTV ("Youth for Future" Romanian Society for Culture and Science)

The project celebrates 20 years of existence of the Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy (SARM).

The pages contain a wealth of photography, poetry, haiga from all over the world.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday and Weekend Reflections.