It doesn’t get more Manchester than Oasis and canals, and when you bring the two together… well, that’s pretty unbeatable. One unique landmark in Manchester that does this in a subtle yet effective way is the modern, metal bridge that connects the two sides of the canal bank at the entrance of New Islington Marina in Ancoats – lovingly referred to as the Cast No Shadow bridge.
As the name would suggest, the bridge has the title of Oasis’ 1995 hit Cast No Shadow emblazoned in white on its underside, in such a way that when the weather’s right, the lyrics reflect onto the water of the New Islington branch of the Rochdale Canal, the correct way round to read.
Instagram post via @stephenbphotography
The New Islington footbridge was conceived as part of a regeneration project near Murrays Mill in Ancoats which is one of the largest remaining mill buildings in Manchester and forms an impressive red brick backdrop to the site. The bridge concept was the result of a RIBA competition run by Urban Splash in 2008, aiming to connect three footpaths coming in from different directions and at differing levels.
The successful solution achieved this by using a unique curved boomerang shape to connect the three access points. To reflect Manchester’s urban culture the words ‘Cast No Shadow’ were stencilled to the underside of the bridge; the title of the Oasis song written by Noel Gallagher for the album ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?‘.
Unfortunately, the original bridge construction was never opened to the public, but the subsequent takeover by CTS Bridges sought to re-use the existing steel cladding panels which incorporated a laser cut motif to represent woven fabric – a nod to Manchester’s industrial and textile-heavy past.
The large boomerang shape of the bridge meant it had to be transported to site in three sections and welded adjacent to the final bridge setting – adjacent access roads limited crane size to a 500 tonne capacity crane. The combination of a large, heavy structure and restricted lifting capability created a challenging installation, but the installation was completed in 2010 – servicing the then-new New Islington Marina.
In a poignant and emotional tidbit, Noel Gallagher admitted that Cast No Shadow was written in dedication to his mate, and fellow Greater Manchester music legend, Richard Ashcroft. The Verve frontman had seemingly been struggling with the competitiveness of the music industry, with Oasis having supported his band as far back as 1993, and seeing the subsequent Gallagher-led takeover of Britpop.
The humanity and inherent Northern-ness of Cast No Shadow really shows that camaraderie between Noel and Richard, and to have those iconic words on a piece of Manchester’s infrastructure is a truly unique and meaningful thing.
Never without a light side, Ashcroft said about the song: “I can’t work out if he means I’m a witch, vampire or just incredibly emaciated and thin cos, you know, I haven’t really got enough body mass to cast a shadow?”… but given he is currently supporting Oasis’ iconic reunion gigs, it seems the two are still thick as thieves.
📍 You can find the Cast No Shadow bridge at Murrays Mills, 50 Bengal Street, Ancoats, M4 5BA.