The Mark Brittain Warehouse Fire Of October 1975 - An Anniversary Celebration? No. Just Examine The Newspaper Archives.

The end of the Mark Brittain Warehouse. The fire engines dwarfed the miniature terrace back then and the production team tried their best to disguise the fact. Edna Gee, wife of Fred-Face, worked at the Warehouse with Ivy Tilsley - whose husband was then called Jack.

Rebecca has written to us!

I've been surprised to read on the Coronation Street Wiki that the fire at the Mark Brittain warehouse in 1975, in which Edna Gee died, was intended as a celebration of the show's 15th anniversary. I didn't hear that at the time and soaps didn't usually celebrate with disasters back then. Is it true? And if so, why was it in early October, two months before the anniversary?

It wasn't true, Rebecca. We remember the Street's fifteenth anniversary very well and it was not linked to that. Indeed, as you say, it was two months in the past by then. After all, roasting somebody alive would not have pleased viewers as an anniversary celebration in those days. In fact, I think it would have seemed bizarre and grotesque. Nowadays, folks would adore it. The story seems to have to come from ex-archivist Daran Little, who was a little lad back then. He probably just made a throw-away comment and you know how today's netty types run with these things.

After all, if it was so - and disasters were really 'in' for anniversaries back then, think of the disasters they could have had for their 20th and 25th and 30th anniversaries.

You will find no publicity from 1975 verifying the claim - just examine the newspaper archives (it was pointed out, however, that the Street was low in the ratings and could 'do with some kind of boost'), and the more than two month gap makes the claim an absurdity. Soaps didn't 'celebrate' with disasters back then.

'Liverpool Echo', 1 October, 1975.

Having said that, we've a lot of time for Daran Little. Even if he does make the odd cock-up. His East Street thingie with Gail making her mark on the EastEnders café is a true delight. For that reason alone, we'd walk over hot coals for the lad. Probably.

Back On The Street Disasters Poll - Andy Makes A Boo-Boo...

1965 and 1967 - Consternation Street.

I'm very sorry, luvs, but I've made a cock-up with this blog's first poll! I meant it to run for a month, but somehow managed to set it to end on 30 July! I've only just noticed it was closed. I thought it was odd that there had been no votes at all since the 30th!

Anyway, the Poll has been re-opened, and will run until 30 August, so please vote - I've re-posted the original explanatory blog article below.

Ta very much and ta-ra for now!

Each of Corrie's first three decades seemed to have it in for our cherished Weatherfield back Street. The apparently hippy-trippy, peace loving '60s demolished a house and then attempted to demolish the entire Street - with a train; the pissed off Punky '70s sent a raging fire and an out-of-control lorry to the Street; and the turbulent, technological and hugely shoulder-padded 1980s tried to destroy the Street's central meeting place by fire.

In detail: 1965 saw No 7 come crashing down, and in 1967 the whole Street almost followed suit when a train hurtled off the viaduct.

1975 and 1979 - EEK Street!

The 1970s were just as unkind - the Street was threatened by a huge fire at the warehouse in 1975, and then, in 1979, a lorry crashed into the Rovers Return.

1986 - Conflagration Street.

The 1980s gave absolutely nothing to report on the major structural catastrophes front until 1986, when the Rovers went up in smoke.

Which Street-shattering catastrophe gripped you the most? Was it the shuddersome moment when No 7, former home of Harry, Concepta, Lucille and Christopher Hewitt, came roaring down?

The awesome drama of the train crash, no mean feat to create on an exterior set which was built in the studios?

Or what about the warehouse blaze - with the whole Street evacuated and Edna Gee meeting a terrible end?

Memories of the horrifying Rovers lorry crash still linger - "TRACY! TRACY!"

And as for the Rovers fire - courtesy of Jack "Duck Egg" Duckworth and the wonky old electrical wiring in the pub, well, what can we say? The Street's legendary meeting place temporarily bit the dust in highly dramatic style and would never be the same again...

So, eyes right to our Poll and click on the Street-threatening drama which most sent you screeching to the edge of your seat...