Auction of historic control tower, guided at up to £100k, offers investment opportunity
An historic road bridge control tower is to be auctioned off next month, with a guide price of between £50,000-£100,000.
Salford’s Trafford Road Bridge Control Tower is a three-storey building that once served as the control centre for the iconic Trafford Road swing bridge and is considered a key part of Manchester’s history. Now disused, and facing an uncertain future, the control tower will be sold to the highest bidder in an online auction hosted by Auction House North West, on September 6.
Trafford Road is one of seven swing bridges that once spanned the Manchester Ship Canal. Regarded as a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, the swing bridge opened in 1894 and played a crucial role in connecting Salford Docks on one side of the Manchester Ship Canal with Trafford Park Industrial Estate on the other.
Designed by John Butler & Co, Trafford Road was the largest, heaviest, and widest among the swing bridges on the Ship Canal. Measuring more than 200 feet in length and weighing a staggering 1,800 tons, the hydraulic-powered bridge enabled ocean-going cargo ships to journey from Liverpool into the heart of Manchester through the Salford and Pomona Docks.
Manchester Docks was the third busiest port in the UK by the end of World War II. However, due to their inability to accommodate larger container vessels in the Ship Canal, the docks experienced a decline in the 1970s and eventually closed for good in 1982.
As horse-drawn carts gave way to cars, the swing bridge was permanently opened to vehicles in 1992, and six years later it was fixed in place as part of the scheme to widen the road to a dual carriageway and improve traffic flow.
Available at public auction for the first time, the Grade II-listed control tower is advertised as an exciting opportunity for any investor looking to take on a unique development project in a dynamic area.
Located in a prominent position in Salford, the building is in the heart of the redeveloped Quays, just a short distance from Greater Manchester’s unique waterfront. Thanks to Salford City Council, the derelict western section of the port has been transformed into a thriving cultural, business, and residential location.
Less than a 15-minute walk from the property are some of North West England’s most popular tourist attractions, including The Imperial War Museum North and The Lowry, a renowned art centre that attracts close to one million visitors every year.
The area is also home to MediaCity, the purpose-built hub for creative and digital businesses.
