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It's also worth pointing out that Trafford Park, only 3 miles from the centre, was proudly claimed to have been the densest industrial development on the planet
by NeedMoreTea 8y ago
It's also worth pointing out that Trafford Park, only 3 miles from the centre, was proudly claimed to have been the densest industrial development on the planet until the end of the war. It was the primary target of the Manchester blitz, as there was much aircraft (Avro) and tank (Vickers) production, not to forget Ford's old plant producing Merlins, and the ICI plant. Also home to lots of warehouses and food companies including the then fairly new Kellogg's plant. There were bomb sites that lasted into the 80s. The big Royal Ordnance plant in Patricroft (Bridgewater Foundry) hung on until the 90s.
There was a lot of industry packed in between the ship canal and the Bridgewater.
Fancy apartments in Salford Quays were only possible after a lot of decline.
- mauvehaus 8y agoWell count me among the folks who had to go to Wikipedia to figure out what Ford was doing building an engine famously made by Rolls-Royce. Thanks for the bit of history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin#Manchester https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin#Manchester
- gsnedders 8y agoMore generally, this was part of the Shadow Factory Scheme, whereby a number of motor industry plants across the UK were moved to manufacturing aircraft, their components, and their engines from the mid-1930s as Germany rearmed and war was seen as increasing risk. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_shadow_factories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_shadow_factories
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoFord had their UK plant in Trafford Park from around the First War years until the 30s when they completed building a far larger site in Dagenham. They were asked to resurrect it, as they still had the site, for Merlin production as one of the many shadow factories. The location made sense, Ford Merlins usually went into 4 engined Lancasters as Avro and Metrovick had several sites nearby that produced the majority of the type.