Friday the 1st of March, 2024
by AidanEyewitness / Aidan O’Rourke YouTuber Content Creator
In this update of AidanEyewitness, we take one final look at the construction of Stockport’s Transport Interchange around 3 weeks before it schedule opening on the 17th of March 2024.
I have taken photos and video of the construction at various points from 2021 to 2024. I include a few of these ‘then and now’ images in this video.
Some have said the interchange should have been built right next to Stockport railway station and I explain why this would not have been a good location.
I show why the project is not just a bus station but a facility that links together buses, trains, bikes and eventually, trams.
As well as some factual information I include a few personal references. I was born and grew up in Stockport.
In addition to the interchange, we take a look at four residential projects under construction close to the magnificent railway viaduct.
I will produce a new video to report on the opening of the interchange and how it looks inside, as well as visiting the rooftop park and the pedestrian and cycle link to the station.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hallo und willkommen, welcome to AidanEyewitness. Recently this sign appeared by Wellington Rd South. Stockport Transport Interchange is nearing completion. This is my last update before it officially opens its doors to passengers on the 17th of March 2024 – that’s St Patrick’s Day! In this video we’ll take a look at some of my then-and-now images of the project and also we’re going to look at some interesting residential projects under construction within sight of here.
We’ll start with a then-and-now view from October 2021 shortly after construction began fading into February 2024 when it was in its closing stages.
Filling up the field of view, the transport interchange and the three tall blocks, two new, one from the 70s.
This view is from the top of the the steps where the artist LS Lowry once had his photo taken by the photographer Crispin Eurich. What would Lowry make of the scene today?
There’s one of those passing freight trains just making its way across the viaduct at the moment. I hope those apartments have good soundproofing.
On the left the glass frontage of the nearly completed interchange, straight ahead, the groovy spiral ramp. Wow it looks very precarious jutting out over the river like that. The spiral provides a link for pedestrians and people on wheels from the ground up to the park on the roof of the interchange, 8.13 metres or 27 feet 3 inches above.
Let’s move up into the air now for a drone view of the project, which is very curvaceous, a quality I like very much, though difficult recreate with my favourite toy, Lego bricks.
It’s great to have a new park in Stockport town centre, and it makes great use of the space. The publicity states that this a park that everyone will be able to enjoy. What they mean is, it is – as we say in German – barrierefrei – it is barrier free – there are no barriers for disabled people. It is accessible to all, including bus spotters, who will have a fantastic view of the buses arriving and departing down below.
Okay, let’s have some statistics: There are 18 bus stands allowing 164 bus departures per hour. The new park will have an area of 2 acres or just over 8000 square metres, about one larger size football field.
Someone has nicknamed the Transport Interchange “the tissue box” because of the oval-shaped hole in the top. I’m not sure if that name is going to catch on, but it’s giving me an idea for a model. I think I’ll use detergent box for the block and lots of model buses.
The interchange extends underneath the Wellington Road viaduct built in the 1830s, reaching almost as far as the shopping centre on the other side of Mersey Square.
And further down, the circular so-called bear pit, which, I trust, is going to be fully renovated.
Let’s do a flashback now to the old bus station. There the 199 to Manchester Airport, waiting by the bus shelter, and nearly 3 years later a construction vehicle, also bright red, is in use to complete the final work on the site. That residential building for rental apartments reminds me of a chocolate bar with three different types of chcolate – plain, milk and white.
Three years later, the 199 again heading down Wellington Rd South towards Mersey Square. Soon all those Stagecoach buses will be painted in the yellow BeeNetwork livery. Stockport will be joining the Bee Network in 2025. But let’s take a look at some more residential projects literally within sight of the interchange. What’s that construction site seen through the viaduct in the distance?
We’re flying from the east above the River Mersey and there it is, a big new apartment complex under construction. It’s on the site of the old Springmount Mill. It’s in a commanding position overlooking the valley of the Mersey. It’s on a sloping site above Brinksway, part of the A560. Brinksway was built on the edge of a steep hill.
The old Springmount Mill was built in the 19th century and lay derelict for many years and then came plans for the new residential development. It’s taken a few years to get this far. The site needed to be thoroughly cleansed of toxic chemicals, which cost a lot of money.
As stated by the developers, that would mean that no affordable apartments could be included in the project.
Springmount Mill was designed by L7 architects, developer Carpenter Investments. It’s a PRS development. PRS stands for private rental sector.
Just along the A6 is or was the Farmers Arms pub. It closed during Covid and never re-opened. Now it is being demolished. For another PRS project? No for for a drive-through outlet for Greggs, the U.K.’s largest bakery chain.
Close to Stockport Town Hall built 1908 opposite Fred Perry house built 2010, on Edward Street, there is a new development under construction, comprising 131 one- and two-bedroom apartments for cocial and affordable rent in Stockport It’s a project of the Guinness Partnership.
Not far away on King Street West, near Stockport station, conveniently located opposite Ironsides Lubricants, is this new housing project. That’s a nice historic photograph of the viaduct being widened in the 1880s. I think we should have historic photos on all of our streets.
The sign says: “Step up into your brand new place at Platform. Find your way to own. Rent at a discounted market rate, while you save for a deposit to purchase all of your apartment or a share of it in the future.”
There will be 73 one- and two-bedroom apartments. That’s how it’s going to look when completed. It’s built on this sloping site, once home to a very cheap car wash I used to go to. And right next door there are plans for the community fire station, we’ll revisit that another time.
And now we are back under the viaduct looking at the Weir Mill residential project, the tall block constructed cheek by jowl with the viaduct and other buildings on the other side at a lower height, and let’s go back to 2021 to see how things looked, quite a transformation.
Seen from above, Stockport’s curvy transport interchange looks futuristic, like something out of the science fiction comic books I read as a child, but the future will be arriving in Stockport in just a few weeks. I’m looking forward to walking and cycling along the ramp and bridge connecting the interchange and the railway station.
Looks like it needs a lot more work doing on it and there are only 21 more days to go.
People have said actually that the Transport interchange should only have been called a bus station, because it is not situated immediately next to the railway station. But it couldn’t have been built nthere because the site has limited access. It would not be possible to handle 168 buses an hour exiting onto the A6. It’s bad enough with queues of cars at the McDonalds on the corner.
The Transport Interchange was built on the site of the old bus station, has access in all directions, including via the new bridge across the Mersey. The new pedestrian and cycle link shrinks the distance from the Interchange to the railway station.The distance is about 300 metres or 984 feet, roughly the same as from the end of platform 14 at Manchester Piccadilly the front concourse, or at Euston Station, from the end of the platforms to the main entrance. About a five-minute walk.
Stockport Interchange is an interchange because it buses and trains and you can change from bikes to buses or trains too. There are bike storage facilities. And in the future, there will be Metrolink – they’ve left some space for it.
In the poster for the local elections, Elise Wilson, former Stockport Council leader now consultant and public speaker. Andy Burnham is still at the helm as Mayor of Greater Manchester. I’d love to get his thoughts on the new interchange and the prospects for the Metrolink line being extended to Stockport.
And, talking of Stockport Council, this is the infamous bus gate. As seen in numerous headlines, the council have made nearly £1 million in fines, very bad PR. I think the signage on Wellington Road is inadequate as it doesn’t warn you about the penalty charge.
But as one project finishes, another is about to start. The bridges just south of Stockport station need to be rebuilt. There will be major disruption around Edgeley.
the Armoury tunnels were opened up, new bridges were built.
But I’ve heard about the future Metrolink line going through a tunnel under the station. I need to find out more about that!
I think the Interchange will bring great benefits to Stockport and I’ll be using it regularly. But let’s keep an open mind and see how things go.
I’ll be reporting on the new interchange when it opens, and I’ll include then-and-now comparisons using all my archive photos I’ve taken, so keep watching AidanEyewitness.
If you found this video interesting, please like the video, subscribe to the channel share with others and post a comment if you have any opinions, suggestions or insider information.
And if you think you can help me out, then please donate to www.buymeacoffee.com.
Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen und auf Wiedersehen in Stockport.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
All drone footage by Cinemaker – check out his channel, where you’ll find longer versions of some of the drone images in this video
http://www.youtube.com/@cinemaker
Some of the locations featured
https://tfgm.com/projects/stockport-interchange
https://www.willmottdixon.co.uk/projects/stockport-interchange
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/transport-interchange
https://www.l7architects.co.uk/Springmount-Mill
If you’d like to support what I’m doing, you can buy me a coffee (or tea)
http://www.buymeacoffee.com/aidaneyewitness
If you donate, please get in touch so I can thank you personally.
About AidanEyewitness
On the AidanEyewitness channel, I produce snapshots of the ongoing development of Liverpool, Manchester and connected cities, focusing especially on new construction, renovation and adaptation of heritage buildings, modern architecture in general, public transport infrastructure, future construction plans as well as questions of urban identity and the uniqueness of cities. I like to document the construction of buildings, taking images at regular intervals and merge them into timelapse sequences.
I’ve been interested in architecture and city development since I was a child. I was doing projects on Manchester architecture in primary school. From 1997 to 2005 I produced my website Eyewitness in Manchester which documented the reconstruction of the city after the IRA bomb in photos and words.
I’ve contributed photos and writing to books, magazines and newspapers. My AidanEyewitness channel is the latest chapter, I dream of a big audience and lots of success, but there is still a long way to go! Please help me by liking, subscribing, sharing, commenting and providing some financial support, so I can fulfil my dream of producing AidanEyewitness full time.