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Waterman Walk, SALFORD, M50 3AU

Before the Manchester Ship Canal was built, the course of the River Irwell was approx. 50-100 yards further north of where the Ship Canal now passes under Trafford Road. This plaque is next to a pedestrian tunnel under Trafford Road, roughly on the line of the old navigation. The plaque indicates the site of the Old Trafford Bridge, opened by the Mayor of Salford, Mr. Alderman F.H. Walmsley on 7th November 1878 (pre-dating the Ship Canal by sixteen years).

Looking across the Trafford Swing Bridge to the Clippers Quay development.

The A5063 through Salford Quays. On the left a large arrow directs traffic into the Exchange Quays area. On the right a development of 614 flats in five blocks are under construction on the site of the former UGC Multiplex Cinema at Clippers Quay. The old cinema which was the first multiplex in Greater Manchester and the second in the UK was opened by Cannon in December 1986. It was later renamed MGM, Virgin then UGC before closing in 2001 and lay derelict until being demolished in 2015 http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25895

The Clippers Quay development alongside the Manchester Ship Canal.

The Grade II Listed https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1356520 Trafford Road Swing Bridge was built by John Butler & Co in 1892. The bridge carries the A5063 road across the Manchester Ship canal. It was designed to carry road traffic over the canal but was able to swing to allow ships to pass into and out of Pomona Docks. The hydraulic operating station was located immediately adjacent on the north bank of the canal. In 1998 it was refurbished and fixed in place as part of a scheme to widen the road crossing to a dual carriageway, with a new bridge built alongside it on the eastern side. Northbound traffic uses the old bridge and southbound traffic the adjacent bridge. On the left 614 flats in five blocks are being developed on the site of the former UGC Multiplex Cinema at Clippers Quay. The old cinema which was the first multiplex in Greater Manchester and the second in the UK was opened by Cannon in December 1986. Later it became MGM, Virgin and then UGC before closing in 2001 and laying derelict until demolished in 2015 http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25895

See also Image The swing bridge across the Manchester Ship Canal gets two listed building descriptions at http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-212979-trafford-road-bridge-stretford and http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-471609-trafford-road-bridge-salford which offer 1892 and 1894 as alternative dates of construction. The white bridge along the canal is the Lowry Footbridge - see http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=14889486 .

The turntable for the Trafford Road Swing Bridge.

The Trafford Road Swing Bridge, which was built by John Butler & Co in 1892, is the largest and by far the widest of the swing bridges constructed for the Manchester Ship Canal. The bridge lies between the main Manchester Docks and Pomona Docks and carries the A5063 road across the Ship canal. It was designed to carry road traffic over the canal but was able to swing to allow ships to pass into and out of Pomona Docks. The hydraulic operating station was located immediately adjacent on the north bank of the canal. As the volume of traffic using the road over the bridge increased, Trafford Road Swing Bridge became inadequate for the traffic conditions in this very busy area. Following the closure of the docks there was no longer any need for the bridge to swing and consequently, in 1998 the Trafford Road Swing Bridge was refurbished and fixed in place as part of a scheme to widen the road crossing to a dual carriageway, with a new bridge built alongside it on the eastern side. http://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/outside/traffordbridge.html Manchester History Net

The Trafford Road Swing Bridge, which was built by John Butler & Co in 1892, is the largest and by far the widest of the swing bridges constructed for the Manchester Ship Canal. The bridge lies between the main Manchester Docks and Pomona Docks and carries the A5063 road across the Ship canal. It was designed to carry road traffic over the canal but was able to swing to allow ships to pass into and out of Pomona Docks. The hydraulic operating station was located immediately adjacent on the north bank of the canal. As the volume of traffic using the road over the bridge increased, Trafford Road Swing Bridge became inadequate for the traffic conditions in this very busy area. Following the closure of the docks there was no longer any need for the bridge to swing and consequently, in 1998 the Trafford Road Swing Bridge was refurbished and fixed in place as part of a scheme to widen the road crossing to a dual carriageway, with a new bridge built alongside it on the eastern side. http://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/outside/traffordbridge.html Manchester History Net