Documenting the Station Agent's House for The Landmark Trust

In 1830, the Railway Age began with the launch of Liverpool Road Station, recognised as the first railway terminus specifically designed for inter-city passenger travel. The residence of its original Station Agent has been transformed by the Landmark Trust into an eco-friendly and accessible holiday let in the heart of Manchester. I was fortunate to photograph the building before the restoration, during its renovation and after completion.

Significant renovations in the 1980’s altered much of the station's original charm and interiors, so The Landmark Trust have chosen furnishings that reflect the elegance of the 1930’s and the golden age of steam travel.

In 1828, the site for what would become Liverpool Road Station was chosen by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, under the guidance of Engineer George Stephenson, due to its strategic location. This building served as the home for the first Station Agent, Joseph Green, and was central to the station's development. It was here that many features defining train travel emerged, including waiting areas, signaling systems, ticketing, and the offices of the station agent.

As the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station, Liverpool Road quickly became too small to accommodate the growing popularity of rail travel, leading to its eventual transformation into a goods and freight station by 1844. The station ceased operations in 1975, but its historical importance was recognized, and in 1983, it was repurposed into the Science and Industry Museum, with the Station Agent’s House serving as office space.

In collaboration with the Science & Industry Museum, our restoration project now allows the public to explore the Station Agent’s House for the very first time, marking an important step in the Museum’s initiative to provide visitors access to all aspects of this significant industrial heritage site, which spans seven acres.

Today, this historic Grade I listed building embodies a blend of innovative technology and environmental sustainability, equipped with features to support individuals with limited mobility, including a lift connecting its main floors.

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They asked me to photograph their team at their new location in central Manchester. As always when working with this team, the shoot was full of positive energy and went by in a flash.

Mark Radcliffe for Art Fund

Photography for Art Fund Podcast Recording at the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester

I was very pleased to be asked to contribute still photographs for a forthcoming episode of the Meet Me at the Museum podcast produced by the Art Fund. The episode features broadcaster Mark Radcliffe and musician Paul Langley as they explore the galleries of the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

My role was to photograph the recording session and create a set of images documenting the presenters’ visit to the museum. These photographs accompany the podcast and provide visual material for promotion, editorial use and online publication.

Mark Radcliffe and Paul Langley at the Museum

Mark Radcliffe is widely known for his long career in broadcasting, particularly through programmes on BBC radio devoted to music and culture. I have photographed Mark a couple of times before, once memorably for a Daily Telegraph motoring feature in which he appeared alongside a vintage Volkswagen Beetle at Tatton Park in Cheshire.

On this occasion the setting was rather different. Together with Paul Langley, Radcliffe toured the Science and Industry Museum while recording their discussion for the podcast. The format of the series combines informal conversation with reflections on objects, exhibitions and cultural history within museums across the UK.

Exploring Manchester’s Musical History

During the recording we spent time in the exhibition Use Hearing Protection, which explores the formative years of Factory Records between 1978 and 1982.

Factory Records played a crucial role in shaping Manchester’s musical identity during this period. The label became internationally recognised for its roster of influential artists, including bands associated with the city’s post-punk scene, while also developing a distinctive visual language through collaborations with designers and photographers.

The exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum examines how Factory Records combined music, graphic design, technology and cultural experimentation to create a unique identity for Manchester. Through artefacts, recordings and archival material it tells the story of a label whose influence continues to shape perceptions of the city’s creative history.

Photographing Podcast Production in a Museum Environment

Photographing a podcast recording inside a museum presents its own set of challenges. The aim is to document the interaction between presenters and exhibits without disrupting the recording process or the experience of other visitors.

The images from the session capture Mark Radcliffe and Paul Langley in conversation as they explore the exhibition space, reflecting both the atmosphere of the gallery and the informal tone of the podcast itself. These kinds of photographs help audiences visualise the context of the recording and connect the spoken discussion to the objects and stories within the museum.

Listening to the Podcast

The Meet Me at the Museum podcast series invites well-known figures to explore museums around the UK and share their reactions to exhibitions and collections. The conversations offer a relaxed way to discover museum spaces through the perspectives of artists, musicians and broadcasters.

You can listen to this episode and other recordings from the series through the Art Fund website:
https://www.artfund.org/whats-on/meet-me-at-the-museum

Further information about the exhibition Use Hearing Protection can be found here:
https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/use-hearing-protection