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Pollard Street, MANCHESTER, M4 7AS

Looking along Merrill Street towards the city centre. Most of the area's old industrial buildings have been replaced by residential units, including the new apartment block being built ahead in Pollard Street.

The rails have now been laid in Merrill Street for the Manchester Metrolink extension to Droylsden, and Ashton-under-Lyne. The overhead power lines have also been installed, but the works are currently still fenced off. This photograph was taken through the fencing, at the junction of Merrill Street and Carruthers Street. A year earlier (May 2010) the rails had still to be laid:- Image

A lot of old industrial buildings survive in Pollard Street. The building on the left, nearest the camera, is Ancoats Works, according to the name above the entrance. The barrier across the road relates to a temporary closure to traffic of the section in the foreground, due to construction of a Manchester Metrolink extension. Image

Door Leading to Old Ancoats Works

Merrill Street, which is part of the A662 road, lies on the route of Metrolink's new tramway to Droylsden, which is due to open around Spring 2012. Funding has now been granted to extend it further from Droylsden to Ashton-under-Lyne, but that section will open later. The route passes through Merrill Street, where the trams will run in the street with other traffic. The other section where this will happen is along a length of Ashton New Road. When photographed in early May 2010, most of Merrill Street was closed to allow construction of the track. Preparatory work was being done, but the rails had not been laid in this section. Image

Ahead behind the barriers work was being undertaken relating to the extension of the Manchester Metrolink tramway system. On the right is the derelict Bank of England public house. Image Image

Typical Ancoats industrial street. Beyond the former Ancoats Works (originally an engineering works) is the seven-storey Hope Mills http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3593256 .

Former engineering works (later cabinet making) on Pollard Street.

This derelict pub was known as The Bank of England. A lot of new trendy looking apartment blocks have been built nearby, and this area is now sometimes known as New Islington. In front of the pub preparatory work was going on in respect of the laying of rails for an extension to the Manchester Metrolink. Next to the old pub are some Victorian looking industrial buildings, which have managed to survive so far. Image Image