Day 95, Hyde Park demolition

A distant view of the colossal fortress that were Hyde Park Flats.  Here they are with a large bite taken out of the middle during demolition in 1990/1991.

The lower sections of the flats have been modernised and covered in cladding.  Google maps mistakenly show the lower area as Park Hill.  Park Hill is visible in the picture but is much further to the right but at around the same level, and is not modernised.

The top floor of Hyde Park was never accessible, at least not on any of my visits, and the people I knew that lived there didn't recall that floor being open.  The top floor was to be divided into three areas of sheltered gardens, 'Cricket Inn Garden', 'St. John's Garden' and 'Bernard Green'.  Some of these were to contain children's play areas, sand pits, paddling pools and other playground equipment.  It was possible to walk up to this top floor but not possible to gain access without doing some climbing and risking falling off to an inevitable death - each entrance was well secured with a robust gate and lock.  The garden/play areas looked pretty grim and gloomy.  It wouldn't be surprising if some did choose to risk life and limb and climb in, it wasn't unknown for people to have stuff pinched off their balconies, this would necessitate climbing across the outside of the building.

Just visible at middle left is the Royal Victoria Holiday Inn.  This was originally the Victoria Hotel adjacent to Victoria Station. The station closed to passengers on 5 January 1970 apart from briefly re-opening in 1972 when the Midland Station was closed for signalling work.  Up until the early 1980s trains between Manchester and Sheffield would be diverted by this route if there was line work taking place.  The diversion would usually be on a Sunday, I went through the station many times on that route.

Netherthorpe Road/Hoyle Street can just be seen at bottom right, pre-widening for the tram.  Quite a lot of the landscape on the left has changed because of alterations made for the tram and due to further development for the ring road.  I expect the view from up there is quite different now.