Media City - Salford Quays

Here are some photographs I took recently on a couple of nights in Media City at Salford Quays.

Imperial War Museum North

The Lowry

Manchester Metrolink Tram on the Eccles to Ashton-under-Lyne route via Media City

Manchester Metrolink Tram on the Ashton-under-Lyne to Eccles route via Media City

BBC Studios

Another view of The Lowry

Another view of the BBC Studios

The BBC Studios seem to be particularly grandiose and were funded by the BBC Licence Payer - not least by the over 75s who had their right to a free licence removed by the BBC.

Armistice Day

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' Fields.

This poem was written by a Canadian doctor, Lt Col John McCrae in 1915 shortly after a friend was killed in Ypres, and it was inspired by the sight of thousands of poppies flourishing amidst all the destruction and chaos of the battlefield. The poem inspired an American academic, Moina Michael, to make and sell red silk poppies, some of which were brought to England by a French woman, Anna Guérin. The British Legion (now the Royal British Legion) was formed in 1921 and bought 9 million of these poppies and sold them on 11 November that year, the proceeds being used to help WW1 veterans. The idea mushroomed from there and today millions of pounds are raised each year by the Royal British Legion for veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants.

Today, 11 November 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day in 1918 which brought an end to the First World War. Four years ago, between 17 July and 11 November 2014, to commemorate the start of that War in 1914 the moat at the Tower of London was gradually filled with a total of 888,248 ceramic poppies, each one representing a British or Colonial soldier who died in the First World War. Since then two segments of the display, the 'Weeping Window' and the 'Wave' have been taken on tours of various places in the United Kingdom, and from 8 September to 25 November 2018 the 'Wave' was scheduled to be displayed at the Imperial War Museum North in Trafford, Manchester, adjacent to Salford Quays.

This is a photograph I took of the 'Wave' outside the Imperial War Museum North. 

When you go home

tell them of us

and say

"For your tomorrow,

   we gave our today."

T-55 Tank

This T-55 tank sits outside the Imperial War Museum North on Trafford Wharf Road on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal opposite Media City and The Lowry. The information board in front of the T-55 tells you about it:

It says:

T-55 TANK

The T-55 tank was designed and made by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, 1947-1989. It is the most widely used tank of all time and is still in use around the world today.

It has a crew of four, a commander, driver, gunner and loader. It weighs 34,000kg (33.5 tons), is 2.4m high, 3.27m wide and is 9m in length including the gun.

This gun was captured from Iraqi forces by the Royal Engineers during Operation Telic, in Iraq 2003.

The T-55 was predated by the T-34 and an example is on display inside the museum.

Please do not climb on the vehicle as you may get hurt  The Trustees of the Imperial War Museum will not accept responsibility if you do.