Living in Weatherfield

My new home - MediaCityUK in Salford

In September I headed off to university in Manchester; a brand new life on the other side of the country. The thought of living away from home was daunting for me - hailing from quiet little County Durham in the North East where really nothing much happens, everyone talks to one another and life is just generally canny, I just didn't know if I'd fit in. I was wrong.

Luckily for me, half of my friends from sixth form college also moved down with me to the exact same uni. What are the chances? Secondly, a good proportion of people I've met at uni are also from the North East, meaning that Manchester really is home from home. Although there is a general lack of Greggs stores and a whole lot of Southerners who think they're "in the North" (anywhere below Middlesbrough is the South), it's pretty much fantastic.

I can't believe I've reached the third paragraph without mentioning the most important thing about moving to the North West. I am now on Coronation Street's doorstep! I live in Salford, the city where "Weatherfield" is, and my uni campus is at MediaCity, meaning I see those famous chimney tops and the façade of Victoria Court across the quays on a daily basis.

I've met Pat Phel...Connor McIntyre, not once, but twice. And he's a legend.

Out and about in town, I can see why articles like this one are very true, because despite the tram crashes, yearly arson attacks, murders, rapes, car crashes and robberies, Weatherfield has nothing on Salford's crime rate. The shopping centre is rife on a nighttime, and sometimes quite frightening, and you see some eye-opening sights.

There's the dodgy types like Callum and his gang hanging around in the dark alleyways behind the derelict working mens clubs, the brassy Carla Connor types stocking up on wine then driving off in their posh cars back to the swanky quayside, and even a woman who is a double of Beth Tinker working in Savers. She is an icon.

Across my morning commute I pass the ACTUAL Coronation Street, home of Salford Lads Club and
the location of this legendary LP cover (though sadly the terraced street in the background behind wor Rita is no longer). Everything is just far too exciting for this Corrie fan, and I'm loving it.

You can follow me on Twitter if you want, I'm @MichaelAdamsUk

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Facts about the Rovers Return

Here's a few interesting facts about the Rovers Return and the new set, according to the ITV website

The current set is the fifth version of Coronation Street.

The new Street set is a bit bigger, closer to real life dimensions. The previous set was about a third smaller than normal streets would be. This new set also has the light standards set back a bit and the kerbs dropped to make it easier for the production staff and cameras to move around.

The tree in front of Audrey's Salon has been replanted. ITV says "The tree outside Audrey's salon is an Alnus Icana, delivered from Holland it weighs six tonnes and stands 40 feet high. It is around 25 years old and is one of the largest trees ever planted in the UK"

About a quarter of the bricks used were reclaimed from Salford de-constructions and most of the cobbles are reclaimed as well.

Both Streetcars and Underworld sets will no longer be housed in the large indoor studios, they will be behind the doors on the outdoor sets. (I hope they have installed heating. That was one of the complaints when Underworld was in the same place in the old set so they finally moved it indoors).

And yes, the Rovers has a second upstairs window and not before time. With living areas and kitchens and bedrooms for all and sundry up there, it wasn't very realistic looking. It still doesn't seem like the building is big enough to house everything and everyone but that's television for you. At least we're back downstairs in the pub living quarters instead of in the upstairs pseudo flat we saw when Steve and Becky were married. 

There's a good book now out by Tim Randall about the Rovers Return. Read our book review of it here. It's a great Christmas gift for any Corrie fan!

Photo from the ITV Corrie website.

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First Photos from the new Corrie set

Today's the day that the new outdoor set at MediaCity is being presented to the media. Our Flaming Nora and Sunny Jim are there and will report back tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a few photos gleaned from @itvcorrie 's twitter feed.  There is also a gallery on the website of Manchester Evening News here.

As you can see, they've replanted a tree in front of Audrey's Salon. This is apparently a 40 foot tree and the largest ever to be replanted in the U.K.

The new Rovers has a second window upstairs. Makes it look somewhat less of a Tardis when you hear about all the bedrooms and living arrangements in there.

They've used reclaimed cobbles to pave the Street and they do look suitably old and worn.

Tony Warren approves and says they're all his favourite houses.

This one is from the MEN and it shows a detail from the Rovers' window with the new required food rating notice in accordance to a new UK law.

Here's a tweet from @itvcorrie on the new Mawdsley Street as well.

See our Fab Photo for an aerial view taken during construction

There's also loads of great links on the MEN site all about the Coronation Street set over the years over here.

ITV have updated their website with more photos and a time lapse video of the construction site and it's got a good montage video and if you aren't in the UK, you can see the montage video via the Manchester Evening News site through this blog post.

Here's a video tour from the Mirror's website. And unless I'm very much mistaken, the couple walking down the street from Audrey's salon, she in a purple coat and he in red, is our very own Flaming Nora and Sunny Jim.

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The new Coronation Street set in all its glory

Well, here it is, the frame of the future Coronation Street, which has gone up really fast over the last month. Thanks to 'manc' from the Skyscraper city forum for the picture.

Click through the link to see a picture of the whole of the new ITV compound.

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New Corrie Set: March 2012 Update

Big changes this month, the whole site is now starting to take place, the shell of the ITV building now looks complete and you can see the start of the set contruction. As usual the pictures are taken by Mark Whitfield, and there are lots more in depth pictures over on his site.

Click to enlarge

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Corrie's new studios - an insider update

The new Corrie studio block.  Picture: Copyright M Llewellin

Yes, work continues apace at the site of the new Coronation Street studios.  This morning I got the chance to take a closer look as the steelwork for the main studio and office block is going up (right).

In the main MediaCity area, where the famous Blue Peter garden is now situated, there are signs now appearing directing visitors towards the Coronation Street set - not that visitors will be admitted of course, or indeed, catch a glimpse of the street set which will be hidden by the studio block.

It's quite fitting that the studios should move to this site.  When Granada TV was looking for its first home, back in the '50s, the owners chose a site near here.  But as the car was taking Mr Bernstein back to the station in Manchester they passed an empty site in Quay Street and he decided that was an even better location for his studios.



The new signage.  Copyright: M Llewellin

These pictures were taken on my last walking tour so a thank you to everyone who's been on one over the past few years but I've now decided to hang up my flat cap.  This year will also be my last as guide for the Canadian groups such as those with Kemptville Travel.  Again, thank you to everyone who's travelled Weatherfield with me over the years!

http://www.kemptvilletravel.com/


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