Manchester (Part 5: Lots more clocks)

Back now to the city centre for the final part of this rather disjointed look at Manchester's clocks. this is a quick canter through a whole range of locations across the city.

We start with the Crown Court in Minshull Street (there is probably some poor joke in there about getting there in the nick of time, but we won't stoop that low in the comedy stakes - that would just be too trying. And there is no truth (the whole truth and nothing but the truth) in the rumour that it is about to be closed and turned into a hotel - a Jury's Inn).

Next up, the RSA building on New York Street. In many ways a rather absurd clock, being so far up in the air and without many of the usual visual aims to make the time clear.

We of course have to pay a visit to the Town Hall, the triangular masterpiece of Alfred Waterhouse completed in 1877.

The clock tower, looming over the main entrance, is 87 metres tall.

Hancocks, a jewellers on King Street, has this simple but elegant clock.

Debenhams, in Market Street, is a somewhat larger shop, which dates from 1932.

 

This next building is the cathedral.

 

Ah fatso's - feeding the people on Piccadilly. Perhaps the minute hand has got so fat it has fallen off.

Although all is well on the other face.

On now to the St James's Building of 1913 in Oxford Road.

If I had been more organised this would have featured in the same posting as the Palace Hotel, as there it is lurking in the background.

This next clock is a small off-the-shelf model displayed outside a café on Station Approach.

Altogether larger is the 12 foot diameter Potts clock of 1880 to be found on what I will call the G-Mex building, although it now seems to be called the rather boring City Central.

Whatever it is now called, it was once the Central railway station, opened in 1880 and closed in 1967, before eventually being converted into an exhibition space.

I love this next building on Quay Street for the sheer boldness yet simplicity of its clock.

And finally, a cheeky look into the Midland Hotel. The image of the clock is somewhat blurry as it is taken from the other side of the road looking into the foyer. So more of a private clock than a public one, but included because it can be seen from the highway.

 

 

Clapham

Well bits around Clapham Junction, if not all of Clapham.

This first clock is one I've seen a few times from the train leaving Clapham Junction on the route to Richmond and the like.

On foot it is quite hard to find as your geographical perspective goes all squiffy as you step out of the railway station. I walked right past a non-descript modern building by railway, totally failing to spot the obvious clue of the building's name - Time Flats. However from the perspective of Grant Road there is no other clue that there is a massive clock on the other side.

It is only after I'd turned into Plough Road and gone under the railway line that I got a proper sight of the clock.

 

Continuing up Plough Road, a left turn onto St John's Hill brings you back towards the centre of activity, and opens up the following view onto the clock tower on the Debenhams store:

 

But before you get there, turn left into the shop stop shopping arcade which leads into Clapham Junction station. Here I was thanked for shopping even though I never bought anything - this retail therapy thing can be very cheap.

If you look carefully you will see that the clock is mounted on a mirrored wall rather than just floating in space (which in my experience they don't tend to do). The other side of the wall looks rather different, and here the clock promotes Rotary International.

Onwards now to Debenhams at the junction of St Johns Road with Lavender Hill.

The building dates from 1910, and was originally Arding and Hobbs. It certainly makes an impressive site in this busy shopping and socialising area.

Walking up St John's Road brings you past the Marks and Spencer store. As I have remarked many times before, M&S (or, as officially known on this blog, good old M&S) can often be relied on for a nice clock in good condition (and sometimes a good clock in nice condition). And this store is no exception - which is not surprising as I wouldn't be talking about it if it was (I wonder if there is an M&S blog - an unofficial one that is, with someone trying to visit all the M&S shops in the country?).

And if you keep walking in the same direction (which is not easy on a sunny Saturday afternoon as this is a very popular street for pedestrians), St John's Road magically turns into Northcote Road. Which is the home of Marsh & Parsons estate agents.

Feeling energetic? Right, time to turn round, retrace our steps past good old M&S, back to Debenhams, turn right into Lavender Hill (taking care to avoid the mob) and soon you will arrive at Asda (just how many retail giants can I get in one sentence? [if that wasn't a rhetorical question I would have answered "three", but it was so I won't]).

 

Ok seen that. Back to Clapham Junction to get the train home.