IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Trafford Wharf Road, MANCHESTER, M17 1HA

Still in use in 1990. A pair of Tangye "Archer" engines built 1893 and used until closure in 2002. Current condition unknown. Could be under water.

Opened 1893 and drained by steam to the end. The engines are in a deep hole beneath the "ship's engine room" type structure. The tank is the feed tank/heater. The boiler house is behind. It would be nice to know what has become of this site.

Oil burning Scotch type boiler that was used to provide steam for the dock draining pumps. When seen it was all in full working order.

Then operated by Lengthline Ltd. I'm stood on one of the dock gates. The building with chimneys is the boiler house for the two steam drainage pumps. This site closed in 2002 and I'm not sure of its current status.

The docks had been closed for about two years and were beginning to look sorry for themselves. The chimneys are decidedly leaning. The writing on the blue companionway cover states pump room and from there step steps led down to the two steam pumping engines that were below ground. By then they may have been under water. Recent aerial views suggest this area has been cleared and converted to secure parking for lorries and buses. In the background is the hydraulic accumulator tower at Mode Wheel Locks.

Through the fence with a telephoto. The drunken chimneys are on the boiler house for the steam drainage pumps. They are below the water level and i hope they are not flooded.

The dry docks were on the Manchester Ship Canal and were drained from 1893 until closure in 2002 by these two Tangye Archer steam pumping engines with centrifugal pumps. I was once privileged to see them in full cry and they really batted round. The aerial photograph shows that the area where they were has been obliterated. As they were underground they have either been buried or scrapped. A lees likely alternative is that the chamber has been flooded and a lid put over it. That's a great shame. I suppose there is an outside chance they were removed for preservation but I've heard no rumours.

The Dry Docks were now closed and beginning to deteriorate. The chimneys on the boiler house were leaning. This is a view of the bunded area containing oil tanks for the boiler house. The horizontal cylindrical white tank is quite clearly a converted former Lancashire boiler. I seem to recall that on the other side of the blue wall there was a steam engine cylinder block casting but this was sat in a sticky oily mess and we did not venture closer. Wish I had at least taken its picture.

These Dry Docks opened in 1894 and finally closed in 2007, becoming a wet dock. The leaning chimneys are on the boiler house that fed steam to the dewatering pumps right up to the end of operations. The pumps were in an underground chamber and by 2009 they may have been flooded. By 2020 the aerial views show that the boiler house has gone and the fate of the pumps is not known. The other tall tower is on the opposite side of the Manchester Ship Canal as it enters the docks and was the hydraulic accumulator tower for Mode Wheel Locks.

Photographed from one set of gates The Mersey ferry Royal Daffodil was revceiving some attention.