The hall was built for the Oddfellows Friendly Society around 1915.  The Oddfellows is a non-political international fraternity first documented in London in 1730.   The society promotes friendliness, benevolence, charity and philanthropy.  Oddfellows Hall was built in the Edwardian Baroque style and decorative features can be found throughout the building from the terrazzo floor to the ornate tiles to the mosaic on the floor of the entrance, depicting the Oddfellows Society crest.  The building came under ownership of the university in the 1960s with the society relocating twice since.

The building was initially set to be demolished in 1970 and was designated for temporary use in the meantime.  The Manchester Museum of Science and Technology (now know as the Science and Industry Museum) needed temporary premises while its Liverpool Road site was being redeveloped so it moved into the building along with the Methodist Chaplaincy.

After the Methodist Chaplaincy left in 1972, the museum took over the whole site, renaming itself the North Western Museum of Science and Industry and decorated the side of Oddfellows Hall with a huge mural depicting industry.

The museum remained until 1983 and until recently, the building served as university offices and also housed the University Language Centre.

Quadriga were employed to carry out surveys and following this to restore this historic building.

Following its completed restoration by Quadriga, it will now serve as an integral part of the £400 million campus development and is a great example of using heritage buildings within a modern context.

Works included

• Super-heated steam clean of facade
• Terracotta repair and replacement where required
• Re-pointing and repair of brickwork
• Repair, replacement and redecoration of timber windows
• Constructing a new timber cupola frame with copper cladding to the dome
• Tile repair
• Stained glass repair and replacement
• Replacing brass hinges on windows
• Terrazzo floor repair
• Restoration of decorative floor in entrance
• Installation of suspended ceilings
• Installation of a new roof light

This iconic landmark was designed by Woodhouse, Willoughby and Langham and upon its opening in 1906, it was declared “the finest fire station in the world” by Lord Mayor Thewlis. However, the building served not only as a fire station but also as a police station, bank, gas meter testing station, ambulance station and coroner’s court. There were even living quarters within this mammoth complex, home to firefighters and their families along with many memories.

After the fire station closed in 1986, it sadly fell into a state of disrepair but received hope of a new lease of life in 2015 when it was acquired by Allied London.

Extensive sensitive restoration began last year with Quadriga Contracts appointed Principal Contractor working alongside North West based specialist subcontractors.
The iconic terracotta façade has been cleaned using a superheated steam system which sensitively removes dirt and grime without causing damage to the material. Inappropriately harsh cleaning of terracotta can remove the surface glaze which renders the terracotta blocks porous and allows water ingress. The glaze cannot be put back insitu which is why it is vital to use a gentle and appropriate cleaning method.
The hose drying tower which sits on the Fairfield side of the building was cleaned using the method above before repair work was carried out. Replacement terracotta blocks have also been installed where necessary, manufactured offsite by industry experts Darwen Terracotta.

Restoration and repair works are also complete to the roof level terracotta temple on the London Road side of the building. On the corners of the temple are four sculptures; a girl sitting next to a lion to represent strength, a mother cradling her baby to represent nurturing, a woman with a sword and scroll to represent justice and a crowned queen with a cornucopia to represent abundance.

Continuing on the London Road wing of the building, roof covering works are complete with work beginning next on the mansard roof area. The roofing works are being managed by Swindells Roofing, a North West contractor with over 125 years’ experience in the industry. An on-site lead workshop has been established and leadwork for the roofing is crafted here. Chimney stack repairs to this section of roof are complete which included the replacement of some terracotta blocks.

Rainwater goods were disassembled quite early on in the process to allow repair and replacement works to commence. Bespoke patterns have been formed to cast replica rainwater pipe brackets with fleus-de-lis detailing to match the original. This has been carried out by Calibre Metalworks, a local company with specialist experience in conservation.

There are a large number of sash windows around the building and restoration work to them is continuing at a good pace. Windows to the London Road and Whitworth Street elevations are being restored and refitted with the aim of retaining as much of the original as possible. Any damaged, missing or non-original panes of glass are being carefully replaced with heritage glass. The original window fittings and fixtures have been sympathetically cleaned on site and will be reinstated to the original windows.

Heritage restoration always aims to preserve as much of the original building fabric and features as practically possible. London Road Fire Station is an iconic and integral piece of Manchester’s history and as such, it is vital to ensure a lasting legacy to represent the past and foster heritage appreciation in the future.

The conservation of our heritage plays an important part in defining the sense of identity, community and continuity of a place in an ever changing world. It invokes emotions, harbours memories and sparks dialogue and Quadriga are extremely proud to be part of preserving this very special piece of Manchester’s historic landscape.

Quadriga Contracts were commissioned by The Middlewich Heritage Trust to carry out a variety of works.

The project included stabilisation of the well head and shaft, masonry repointing to the pump house and gantry restoration.

The shaft and gantry date back to 1889, with the shaft being one of the last in Cheshire to be hand dug before borehole technology took over.

The pump house roof was removed to allow the gantry to be lifted up and out of the building via crane. However, it was discovered that the original timber gantry was in a worse state than originally thought and was deemed beyond repair.

A new steel gantry was fabricated off site at the local work shop of B & R Fabrications, incorporating pieces of the original where possible.

Whilst the gantry was being designed and built, Quadriga carried out necessary work to the foundations and the head of the shaft. The new gantry was then crane lifted back into the pump house and secured before the roof was reinstated.

A new brine tank to replicate the original was also fabricated off site by B & R Fabrications before being transported back to site and craned lifted into its original position.

Peter Doolan, contracts manager at Quadriga, said: “The project was a challenging one due to the historic status of the building and the unforeseen problems that arose, such as the complete rebuild of the gantry.

“We employ specialist tradesmen in house, and their experience combined with the expertise of other skilled trades was a key factor in overcoming these obstacles.  It’s been a learning curve for us and we will carry forward valuable insight from the project. Murgatroyd’s Brine Pump has been restored back to its former glory and we’re very proud of the work completed.”

Funding from Historic England, the Association for Industrial Archaeology and Heritage Lottery Fund as well as from Middlewich Town Council, Middlewich Heritage Society and donations from the public totalled £238,000.

This funding and the restoration work carried out has ensured the monument’s survival with views to make the site more accessible to the public as a heritage resource.

Lindsay Law, commercial director at Quadriga, said: “We are delighted to have worked on such an important part of Cheshire’s heritage and history.  Work like this means future generations are able to enjoy and appreciate their local heritage and understand its context within the wider landscape.”

Allied London has signed a contract with Quadriga to deliver the opening phase of redevelopment at the grade two star-listed building in Manchester.

Quadriga have agreed a deal to deliver external and internal restoration works at the building, which has been clad in scaffolding for more than a year.

A second phase, including a hotel, workspace, and leisure space, will follow the first phase; a contractor has yet to be appointed for this part of the works. Allied London’s chief executive Michael Ingall confirmed the contract with Quadriga had been agreed via Twitter, with the company managing a series of specialist trades to work on the restoration.

Quadriga is an historic buildings restoration specialist, with a prolific history of work in the North West. Projects the company has delivered include restorations of Allied London’s Bonded Warehouse in Manchester; the Tower Building in Liverpool; the Salford Royal Hospital; and Chester’s famous Bridge Street.

See the full article  here

It was commissioned by King Edward VII in 1910 in memory of his mother, Queen Victoria and was designed by Sir Aston Webb, who also designed the facades of Buckingham Palace and the Victoria and Albert Museum. A latin inscription along the top of the arch reads “ANNO DECIMO EDWARDI SEPTIMI REGIS VICTORIÆ REGINÆ CIVES GRATISSIMI MDCCCCX” which translated reads “In the tenth year of King Edward VII, to Queen Victoria, from most grateful citizens, 1910”.

The building takes its name from the nearby Royal Naval Headquarters and originally housed offices and residencies for the leaders of the Royal Navy with several British government offices based there later. Admiralty Arch is now in the process of being transformed into a luxury hotel and private members’ club.

Quadriga were employed after the corner of the building at Spring Gardens was hit by a vehicle causing damage to the stone. Scaffolding was erected on the corner before the stone balustrade was dismantled and balusters were rebuilt using Lithomex stone repair mortar and replaced where necessary. Due to individual stones weighing between 80 and 250kg, a scaffold running beam and chain tackle was used to lift them.

The building remained fully occupied during the works and disruption to the public was kept to a minimum.

The corner of the building now looks as it did before the vehicle impact and it’s been a brilliant opportunity to work on one of the country’s most famous landmarks.

“When we dream, anything is possible…” – Jaume Plensa

Last Friday 31st May 2019 marked the 10 year anniversary of Dream, a sculpture and piece of public art at Sutton Manor Colliery, St Helens by artist Jaume Plensa. The sculpture has a prominent location beside the M62 motorway towards Liverpool.
Erected on the site of an old coal mine back in 2009, St Helens Council and local residents, including 15 former miners from the colliery were involved in the consultation process through which the Dream was chosen. The people of Sutton Manor wanted a monument to the former colliery which had been at the heart of the community for many years.

The sculpture depicts the head of a young woman, eyes closed in a meditative dream-like state. It was constructed of 90 moulded and cast unique concrete shapes with Spanish dolomite used as an aggregate. This provides a brilliant white finish which sparkles on sunny days and creates a stunning visual impact; a stark contrast to the dark coal pit which still lies below.

Dream Facts & Figures

• Dream is 20 metres high, however its foundation piles go almost twice that height down underground
• The sculpture weights around 373 tonnes
• It overlooks junction 7 on the M62 and lies midway between Manchester and Liverpool
• On average, 100,000 vehicles pass Dream daily, equating to more than 35 million vehicles each year
• A total of 6,160 man-hours were spent on site, during the construction of Dream and more than 5,500 cups of tea and coffee were drunk
• The total cost of the project was £1.88 million

Our role

Quadriga were employed to sympathetically clean the Dream before its ten year anniversary. Work began on 13th May and lasted two weeks, ensuring the sculpture was in perfect condition for the celebrations.

The Dream was cleaned using a super-heated steam system which effectively removes dirt and any vegetation without risking any damage to the surface. Graffiti and mould to the base of the sculpture were removed using appropriate cleaning agents before an anti-graffiti coating was applied, ensuring that paint cannot bond to the surface in the future.

Areas of damaged concrete were repaired and joints were repointed where water seepage had been identified. All joints to the base of the statue were also repointed.

The work was completed in time for the 10th anniversary celebrations and we think you’ll agree that the Dream has been transformed.

We received some brilliant feedback from Gary Conley, Cultural Coordinator at St Helens Council:

“I am really pleased with the job and the results so far. In the areas completed so far, she looks like she did 10 years ago at the original build. The lads on site are doing a great job and are conscientiously working hard. They were very welcoming to me when I introduced myself.”

Celebrations began at 7pm last Friday with a yoga workshop held under the statue, preluding a dance troupe, singers and a poetry reading. The stunning finale of the Decade of Dream event was the illumination of the sculpture, echoing the St Helens motto: Ex Terra Lucem (from the ground comes light).

Photo credit: Dave Gillespie

We’re honoured to have been a part in restoring this iconic piece of art, not only for its 10th birthday but also for future generations to visit and enjoy.

The hall was built for the Oddfellows Friendly Society around 1915.  The Oddfellows is a non-political international fraternity first documented in London in 1730.   The society promotes friendliness, benevolence, charity and philanthropy.

In the UK in the 18^th century, larger trades were organised into guilds, but smaller trades did not have equivalent financial or social security.  One theory is that people with miscellaneous ‘odd trades’ banded together to form the ‘odd fellows’ hence the unusual name.

Quadriga have been employed to carry out a range of restoration work including, repair of timber windows and cleaning and repair of the external terracotta façade.

In 1851, future Mayor of Manchester James Watts purchased the building and commissioned architect A. W. N. Pugin to redesign the interior. Augustus Pugin is remembered for his integral role in Gothic Revival architecture and he famously designed the interiors of the Palace of Westminster.

Over the next few weeks, Quadriga’s work to the hall will include a sympathetic masonry clean, stone re-pointing and indents and repair and redecoration of timber windows.  We’ll share a case study on the project once it is complete.

in 2017 the building was acquired by a developer just a day before it was due to be put up for auction with a starting price of  just £1.

Temple Mill

Throughout the First World War centenary, 2014-2018, there has been an increasing focus on ensuring war memorials across the country are protected and conserved, to continue the commemoration of those remembered on the memorials.  Many war memorials are now Grade I or Grade II* or Grade II listed meaning they are legally protected. Protection is also given for any monument that is attached to a scheduled monument.

Deterioration of war memorials is often a result of weathering, structural movement or human intervention. Any restoration works should be carefully considered to ensure that the causes of deterioration are removed or reduced, ensuring that historical significance is preserved for the future.

There are a number of methods that can be used to restore memorials including; cleaning, structural repair, replacement, re-pointing, re-lettering and consolidation.

Quadriga are champions in the conservation, preservation, restoration and strengthening of memorials and monuments. Quadriga have worked on many war memorials over the years, such as;

WW1 Memorial at Victoria Train Station, Manchester

The bronze memorial was erected in 1922 and is made up of seven panels with names of the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway men who gave their lives in the great war. The memorial is set below a map of the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway network and features St George slaying the dragon on the right and a winged St Michael on the left.

Due to the deterioration of the memorial, Quadriga undertook a full clean of the bronze and following this a wax coating was applied and the bronze mechanically buffered. 2 bronze bollards and lances were also replaced, this was done by developing moulds from the original plinths and then casting in bronze.