Yes you are correct, the multi storey car park was built with huge escalators that ran up from level 5 to 7 and 9 , I think there was also one descending. Was a great people mover but it took up too much space. It was a major attraction to the local scum bags who took great delight in launching baggage trolleys down them !
If you are really interested in times past, then the airport has a superb archive which can be accessed for research.
My first memory of visiting the airport, was cycling 4 miles from Cheadle and getting blown over by a self parking BOAC 707 on stand 2 (the fence was right next to it.
I also remember sitting down to dinner and looking towards Stockport which had a plume of black smoke rising from it, the British Midland Argonaut had just crashed.