My Manchester skyline …………….

I spend a lot of time collecting pictures of Manchester’s skyline but have consistently forgotten a delightful collection of small models which turned up in my Christmas stocking one year.

They have sat and continue to sit on the mantel piece in our front room, banished only briefly when they are replaced by the Italian Nativity set for the twelve days of Christmas.

And they remain a favourite of mine, consisting of the Town Hall, Central Ref, the Town Hall Extension, GMex, assorted high rise blocks and what was the Urbis Centre.

Just when Tina bought them for me is now lost, but they will have occupied the prominent spot for at least fifteen years and maybe will soon clock their 20th birthday.

Of course, if today the model maker were to reproduce a contemporary series of buildings these iconic ones might well be pushed out by a heap of very tall and not so elegant ones which in most cases would just be like stick figures.

I am open to suggestions about rearranging them to reflect their true geographical location ..... ours regularly move around at the behest of who ever is dusting them.

And that just leave  me to wonder about all those board games which feature city scenes and how these may change with the passage of time and the rise of the new.

We shall see.

Location; Manchester in our front room

Picture; Manchester skyline, circa 2008, from the collection of Andrew Simpson