Museum for Ship Canal?

Proposals for a Manchester Ship Canal Museum are being considered by Trafford Council.

Ship Canal owners Peel Holdings have put forward plans to convert an Argos distribution warehouse close to the Trafford Centre into a new museum to tell the story of the canal and the 16,000 navvies who built it.

The proposed museum, in Barton Dock Road, would feature items used by the navvies during the construction of the canal between 1885 and 1894. Some of the steam powered machinery, such as excavators and cranes, has survived and could be included in the displays.

The plans are to be considered by Trafford council, whose Planning department is recommending approval. The museum would occupy the whole of the 31,000 square metre building. The proposal includes increasing the parking space to accommodate 750 cars. 16 bus routes stop outside the building and the Trafford Centre bus station is a short distance away. The application can be viewed online by entering H/70328 here.

Eastham Lock, Manchester Ship Canal