We now move into Manchester City Centre as “Manchester Metrolink Then & Now” continues.
Today Piccadilly Gardens is an important hub of the Manchester Metrolink network with an island platform serving trams running to Piccadilly and onto Ashton with services going to Altrincham, Bury and Eccles in the opposite direction. Alongside is Piccadilly Gardens bus station which allows interchange between the two transport modes if desired.
This first photo was taken in 1990 and shows the bus station on the left. Its not just the changes to the bus station and the addition of Metrolink that have hit this scene since either with much development on the left and significant changes to Piccadilly Gardens which probably isn’t very garden-y anymore.
22nd August 2023 and 3102 is seen just arriving at Piccadilly Gardens having crossed Portland Street with a Piccadilly to Bury service. The current bus station is on the left and a lot of redevelopment has taken place in the vicinity with just a few trees seen on the right to give a clue of the garden part of the location. (Both Photographs by Keith Chadbourne)