Wet days at Media City ............

 It is a truth universally acknowledged, that no matter how much rain and grey clouds greet a summer event people turn out with umbrellas, woolly jumpers and a steely determination to have fun.*

And so, it was on Saturday when Media City hosted “We Invented the Weekend” which was organised by “Salford CVS (Community and Voluntary Services) bringing together all the things that make our weekends great – music, sport, games, gardening, craft, cooking, shopping and everything in between”.**

It was free and open to all, and despite the weather plenty turned out to take part.

Had we chosen the Sunday instead of the Saturday we would have had the sun, and no doubt lots more participants.

But despite the wet cool day we had fun on the Saturday. 

And given that it had been a while since we had been to The Quays and to Media City there was lots of new things to clock, so a good experience all round.

Location; Media City

Pictures; having fun on a wet day at Media City.

*With apologies to Jane Austen, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife”, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice 1813

*Salford CVS (Community and Voluntary Services) https://www.salfordcvs.co.uk/about-us

The tram that takes you to Salford

To Media City ............ and onto Eccles

Location; traveling to Media City







Picture; the tram to Media City, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Down at Media City ....... no.9

Sunday June 4 at Media City was pretty quiet.

The weather was grey and threatened rain and the there were few people about.  Earlier there would have some whiling away an hour before the big match at Old Trafford and just a few who were marking time before heading off to the concert.

So I had the place to myself and wandered around taking in this relatively new attraction.

Picture; Media City, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Down at Media City ....... no.8

Sunday June 4 at Media City was pretty quiet.

The weather was grey and threatened rain and the there were few people about.

Earlier there would have some whiling away an hour before the big match at Old Trafford and just a few who were marking time before heading off to the concert.

So I had the place to myself and wandered around taking in this relatively new attraction.

Picture; Media City, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Down at Media City ....... no.3

Sunday June 4 2017 at Media City was pretty quiet.

The weather was grey and threatened rain and there were few people about.

Earlier there would have some whiling away an hour before the big match at Old Trafford and just a few who were marking time before heading off to the concert.

So I had the place to myself.
Location; Salford

Picture; Media City, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Down at Media City ....... no.6

Sunday June 4 at Media City was pretty quiet.

The weather was grey and threatened rain and the there were few people about.

Earlier there would have some whiling away an hour before the big match at Old Trafford and just a few who were marking time before heading off to the concert.

So I had the place to myself and wandered around taking in this relatively new attraction.


Picture; Media City, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Down at Media City ....... no.7

Sunday June 4 at Media City was pretty quiet.

The weather was grey and threatened rain and the there were few people about.

 Earlier there would have some whiling away an hour before the big match at Old Trafford and just a few who were marking time before heading off to the concert.

So I had the place to myself and wandered around taking in this relatively new attraction.

Picture; Media City, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Leaving Media City

Now, I am the first to admit, this is not the most remarkable photograph of either a tram, or a tram leaving Media City.

But perhaps in a century or so, if it survives, it will be used by historians and those interested in Salford’s history as a clue to how a once busy place at the heart of docklands looked just a few decades after the ships had gone.

It may also play its part in that debate about how Salford has changed and continues to do so.

For some this “new Salford” is something to regret, and regularly I read comments full of fondness for that “old Salford”, mixed with criticism of what has replaced it.

And there is no denying that there was a tremendous community spirit which was lost when the terraced streets were cleared away, and the glass and steel giants began marching their way across the city.

But that is to forget that many of those terraced houses were no longer fit for purpose, and the presence of a factory, gasworks or timber yard at end of the street presents residents with a shedload of noise and pollution.

Added to which the architecture of much of Salford was not that very different from its neighbour over the river and could be replicated in towns and cities across the country.

Location; Salford

Picture; leaving Media City, 2016, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Down at Media City ........ no. 1

Now the weather and the light were against me but I was determined to take some pictures.

I suppose the foreboding sky will have been a suitable backdrop of the Imperial War Museum North, but that is for tomorrow.

Location; Salford




Picture; looking out from Media City, June 2017 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

In the company of the Salford Bees ..... no. 1 the collection

With a special thank you to Gary Sykes who came across his in Media City and Angiebabe Moore who I think was in Salford.

Apoloies Angie if that is wrong

Location; Salford










Pictures; Manchester Bees, 2018 from Gary Styles and Angiebabe Moore