A lost Greater Manchester landmark couldn't find a saviour despite being put on the market for just £1.
The Park Road railway warehouse had been a landmark building in Oldham for nearly 150 years. The Grade II listed Victorian warehouse was constructed in 1876 to serve the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge railway.
One of three goods stations located near the now lost Clegg Street railway station, the building's most striking feature was its unusual curved structure. At one time it would have housed most types of goods including livestock.
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Goods sheds played a vital role in the British economy for over 100-years, handling Britain's freight traffic. In the words of Historic England, these buildings "were the hub through which raw materials arrived and finished goods were forwarded to customers."
Clegg Street station closed to passengers in 1959 and to freight in 1968. The railway warehouse itself continued to be used for a number of years before closing in the early 1970s.
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Over the years, the condition of the once handsome building deteriorated, with several proposals raised to save the Victorian gem, although opinions amongst councillors of the day on the architectural and symbolic merit of the building were mixed.
In 1986, the Oldham Advertiser reported on a proposal to demolish the crumbling building to build a massive shopping complex. One councillor suggested taking the building down 'brick-by-brick' and rebuilding it elsewhere, while others said the warehouse was a depressing reminder of the days of the dark satanic mills.
"This is a constant reminder of the sweat and toil of days gone by," said Cllr Fred Yates. Adding it was monstrous and an abomination in the town.
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But, following a public enquiry, plans to demolish the building were rejected due to its architectural and historical interest. In 1987, Oldham Council put the building for sale for just £1, hoping to sell it to a bidder with the best idea of how to redevelop it and bring new business to the town.
By this time, the building was reported to have been in an extremely dilapidated state after years of vandalism and lack of upkeep. And while the £1 price tag was nominal, the cost of redeveloping the crumbling warehouse would have cost millions.
The Oldham Advertiser reported that the following year, a Manchester developer hoped to turn the old warehouse into a proposed 97-bed luxury hotel which would include a shopping area, health centre and its own swimming pool. But these plans also fell through, and in 1992, the building was again sold for £1.
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Another developer purchased the building for the nominal fee, this time with plans to turn the giant warehouse into luxury flats. The Oldham Advertiser reported the £3.6 million redevelopment plan was backed by the government with the building's developer, Wiltshier Partnerships Ltd, given a £1 million grant to help with the conversion.
However a row over costs meant this plan was also scrapped. In 1998 the council joined forces with a private investor and drew up plans to turn the warehouse into a specialist shopping centre, rail museum and children's play space. But that scheme also failed to materialise.
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In 2012, officers from English Heritage and Oldham Council's building control team made an emergency inspection of the Grade II-listed building after parts of the roof and the elevations collapsed. The building was found to be 'in imminent danger' of falling down and was marked for demolition.
Days later, the one time Victorian gem was reduced to rubble by bulldozers. The town’s regeneration chief Cllr Dave Hibbert, said: "It had been falling down and no one was interested in developing it. The demolition opens up the whole area for development and we are looking forward to seeing something come on site."
While it has now been consigned to the history books, many who grew up in Oldham saw the old warehouse as a landmark building in the town. When photos of the Park Road railway warehouse were posted to the Yesteryear Oldham Then & Now Facebook group, people took to the site to share their memories.
One person wrote: "Was an amazing building. I remember seeing it as a kid and needing to know what it was used as. Such a shame it had to go."
Another said: "I walked past it every day and always hoped it would be kept standing. People really wanted to take it on and lots of brilliant plans were put forward but the money needed to keep all the original features was just too much for the developers, I guess". Others said the "beautiful" building would have made fantastic apartments.
What Greater Manchester landmarks do you wish had been saved? Let us know in the comments section below.
