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Then and Now: Ashton Old Road, Openshaw

THEN: Ashton Old Road in 1940

Today, the same area is a shadow of its former self in terms of employment, but it has a proud industrial and commercial history going back to the days when it boasted real economic clout.

In fact, local locomotive works Beyer Peacock, was a world famous name, as was the nearby railway works, known as the Gorton Tank.

Other leading names - Crossley Motors, Vaughan Cranes Ltd, and Joseph Whitworth, who made armaments during the war, also dominated the business landscape.

The white-coloured Grey Mare Hotel building, just edging into view in the older image of Ashton Old Road, also hints at the relative prosperity of the area.

NOW: A shadow of its former self

Popular local historian Jill Cronin, who has written books on east Manchester, said: "It's hard to believe that the area was once home to world names in the locomotive business, and famous for its heavy and light engineering.

"Although there wasn't a lot of money there was always plenty of employment around for people living in the area."

THE archive photograph is part of a collection chronicling the changing face of Manchester during the past 250 years on a computer at Manchester Central Library.

What are your memories of Ashton Old Road and the surrounding area?

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