Barton Power Station

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 16:38 GMT

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 16:46 GMT

Barton Swing Bridge near the Trafford Centre

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 16:47 GMT

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 16:54 GMT

Barton Bridge was completed on the 17th July, 1761. It was built by James Brindley, and shows the bridge looking downstream and the road bridge is behind. The old bridge was removed for the opening of Manchester Ship Canal, c1894.

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 16:57 GMT

The picture shows a paddle steamer. c1900, which was twin funnelled and used for pleasure trips to Liverpool. The aqueduct is on the right hand side and the road bridge on the left hand side.

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 16:59 GMT

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 17:09 GMT

The construction of the Manchester Ship Canal resulted in the need to replace the famous stone aqueduct at Barton, which had been constructed as part of the Bridgewater Canal in the eighteenth century. The old stone road bridge was also removed and replaced. Here the old road bridge is partially dismantled with a temporary wooden structure connecting the two river banks. A stretch of temporary railway line can be seen on the left, laid to ferry materials around the construction site.

Dave: 2nd Jan 2007 - 17:11 GMT

joey: 3rd Jan 2007 - 03:02 GMT

wow. a lot of hits and no comments. extreme before and after. i enjoyed my visit.

Andrew Smith: 3rd Jan 2007 - 23:22 GMT

Dave - Thanks for posting these. How long ago was the power station demolished?

I travel over the road swing bridge to work, then through Trafford Park and passed Old Trafford. Am I right in thinking the Bridgewater canal swingbridge is one of the few places in the world where a waterway passes over another waterway (& in Eccles!) + not forgetting Barton airport, which was Britain's first municipal airport (technically also in Eccles, though I count anywhere this side of Brookhouse as Irlam).

Local history is ace, everyone should get into it! (at least I think people should try and have a little pride &/or interest in their local history, cos, mostly, no one else will, & you look at things a bit differently as you walk around the place).

Dave: 4th Jan 2007 - 11:41 GMT

I remember it being demolished and the chimneys being blown up hundreds Watched it,it would of been around 27 years a ago.Unless some one else could give a better date ?

Yes your right it is one of a few places where a canal passes over a canal and i think it is also one of the wonders of the world not in the top seven though.

John: 4th Jan 2007 - 14:25 GMT

Here today gone tomorrow how things change so quickly if you look where the above pictures are taken and see them now.
B&q the Trafford Centre,JJb its hard to look back and try to imagine what it looked like before the land was swallowed up.

Dave: 4th Jan 2007 - 16:11 GMT

Andy - Found a bit of information on Barton Power Station

Barton Power Station was constructed in the 1920s and was one of the most advanced power stations of the time, receiving coal from barges on the Bridgewater Canal. The Power Station closed in March of 1974, and was demolished at the end of the 1970s.
I Have been told it was blown up around 78-79.

And in case anyone ask,s Fred Dibnah did not blow it up he lost the contract.

Andrew Smith: 4th Jan 2007 - 16:55 GMT

Cheers Dave, I was very young in the late 70's but do have hazy memories of the power station.

Dave: 5th Jan 2007 - 00:27 GMT

I can,t belive how many hits this site has had many thanks but pls leave comments good or bad.
Thanks Dave

Bob: 5th Jan 2007 - 01:04 GMT

Well done Dave getting so many hits also great photos of your area i wish i had photos of the area i lived in i have so many memories of where i used to live.I might try and do a post of my own.

Great Site citynoise

Bob

Jack: 5th Jan 2007 - 01:15 GMT

Dont know the place put i now have a little more info than i did more write up Dave its letting you down

Gerry: 8th Feb 2007 - 21:05 GMT

I came across this item when I was looking for a picture of Barton Power Station for "my memoirs". I worked there in 1968 when it was still running. Previously I had worked at Trafford Power Station-- thanks!

Dave: 11th Feb 2007 - 14:51 GMT

Thanks Gerry
Where was Trafford Power Station and what's there now ?
Also do you have any photo's ?
Thanks Dave

Gerry: 16th Feb 2007 - 16:34 GMT

Hello Dave,
Trafford Power Station was on the Bridgewater Canal, roughly where M/C United's car park is now.I have a streetmap and a photo. How do I copy them to here?- I have them in " My pictures" I've tried the 'Upload Photos' but nothing happens. Help!

anon (localhost): 17th Feb 2007 - 16:40 GMT

Hi Gerry
If you press the upload photos which i guess you did.
Then a page will open that reads upload photo,s.
Then press Browse.
Then find the Picture you what to upload in (your)My pictures.
Then press upload.
If the photo is less than 600 pixels wide it will upload.
If it says unable to upload because more than 600 pixels.
You will have to make the picture smaller to change the pixel size(there might be an easier way but this is the way i do it).
You will need a software ie paintshop pro or any other software you have that changes or adjusts Photos.
I hope this helps if you cant do it send the photo to me at bestseller@ntlworld.com and i will adjust the photo if i can and put it on the site.

Dave

Dave: 17th Feb 2007 - 19:57 GMT

Hi Gerry
I missed a little bit at the end
If your photo does upload you will notice some numbers in Type your comment here
Leave them there and if you want to type comments about your photo then do so under them numbers(the letters and numbers is your photo so dont touch)
Once you have done that then press post your comment
Then your page will refresh and show what ever you posted
Hope this helps you Gerry
Dave

Tom: 18th Mar 2007 - 14:13 GMT

Good article! I thought you might like to have a look at the gallery on www.urmston.net, there are plenty more pictures in there.

Meanwhile, heres some piccies for you

Tom: 18th Mar 2007 - 16:03 GMT

Tom: 18th Mar 2007 - 16:05 GMT

The second image is Carrington Power Station, just 2-3 miles from Barton power station, demolished in the 1990's.

Irlam Ferry crosses the Ship canal and is roughly between the 2 stations, it is currently not in use.

This image is Trafford Park, 1902, on the boundary between Stretford and Davyhulme.

Mike Woolf: 15th Apr 2007 - 22:13 GMT

I grew up in the '50s in Boscombe Avenue in Barton. I remember the Power Station very vividly. You could see it across the MSC and I distincly remember the fading camouflage paint on both chimnies from the second world war.Thanks - an interesting read.

dave young: 6th May 2007 - 18:03 GMT

my grandad worked at the power station yeas ago i will ask him all about it an let you all no

Dave: 29th May 2007 - 19:05 GMT

Many thanks for your post Mike & Dave
If your grandad has any photo's of the area could you please scan and upload them ?
Thanks again

Mike: 3rd Jun 2007 - 08:27 GMT

I know its a long shot. But I have been searching for any info on my grandad whom i never met and died in Australia in 1990. He worked at Barton Power Station for many years. His name was Edwin (Ted) Birchall. If anyone knows the name, I would be very grateful. mjtivey at blueyonder dot co dot uk

Tony: 22nd Jun 2007 - 20:20 GMT

Cheers for the fantastic work on the site.
It's areal eye-opener to show my family (some of whom are new to the area) where I was born and what it used to look like before B & Q and the Trafford Centre.
Thanks again for the memories!

Ellie: 1st Jul 2007 - 13:02 GMT

thank you very much for this fantastic work and web page !

Steve Lonsdale: 25th Jul 2007 - 19:47 GMT

just been on your web site brings back good memories lived at adamson rd (behind the rock hotel) from 1958 until 1981 i remember fishing under the hump back bridge that led into the power station and the demolition

sandie: 5th Aug 2007 - 09:41 GMT

hi there!

this is fantastic, thank you Dave and others who have added photos. i started life out in Trafford Park (third street!) and most of my folks all worked at Trafford Carpets, formerly Textilose (spelling?). I just wondered if anyone had any photos of the old mill?

many thanks

sandie

Mark: 1st Oct 2007 - 17:36 GMT

Thanks for posting the photos of Barton power station; they have assisted me enormously with my research. I'm a legal academic in the field of environmental law and am putting the final touches to a paper on the control of emissions from coal fired power stations. Barton was the focus of litigation shortly after it opened which culminated in a major House of Lords judgment reported in 1930 (Manchester Corporation v Farnworth). The crops of a local farmer were damaged by sulphur emissions (in other words acid rain). When first built the plant had several short chimneys connected to individual boilers. Their Lordships decided that the plant should have been buit with tall chimneys in order to disperse the pollution. However, it was successfuly argued on behalf of the Corporation that it would be too expensive and impractical to reconfigure the plant with tall chimneys. An injunction against the pollution was granted but suspended pending investigation of alternative means of dealing with the sulphur emissions. It is fascinating to discover that tall chimneys appeared after all; depsite the earlier protestations about cost. I'd be interested to know when these chimneys appeared. Of course, in the long run the dispersal method turned out not to be the best method of dealing with sulphur emissions - as our Swedish neighbours would agree. It has taken many decades for plants to be fitted with flue gas desulphurization plant (FGD).

Babs: 17th Oct 2007 - 17:03 GMT

To sandie 5th Aug 2007 09-41 GMT RE TEXILOSE. Carpet Place. Mosley Rd
I also started out in 2nd street Trafford park. Worked at the factory for nearly 10yrs. Mother worked 18yrs, brother & sister also there 20yrs.This is a great site. I can remember most of the park from about 50's. Love to hear of any Trafford "Parkonians"

john taylor: 20th Dec 2007 - 20:51 GMT

along with my father,i worked for t.w.ward(dismantlers)of sheffield on the power station at barton ,i can't remember exactly how long it took to clear the site and drop the the two enormous chimneys but when i look back it feels like an age.We actually drilled the legs of the chimneys with a compressed air drill dug into the shoulder whilst in a basket ,hard work!There was much controversy at the time from the church who were worried about the vibration of the chimneys hitting the ground and shaking the belltower,i do remember the bells ringing straight after but i think it was intentional.nice to see pics,can't wait to show my dad..

Cazz B: 13th Jan 2008 - 15:26 GMT

Very informative, I like old photos especially when I'm not from the area, but can anyone tell me who now owns the land that the power station once stood on (and it's not B&Q who currently occupy the site)

Roger Barton: 13th Jan 2008 - 16:57 GMT

I lived near & attended Salford Grammar School in the early '60s and made regular trips to Barton Swing Bridge & Barton Lock on my pushbike. I remember being chased off the bridge whilst it was opening. Barton power station had an open day and me and a mate were shown round, just the two of us and one guide. There was an oil refinery there too if I remember correctly.

I was among the crowd that walked over Barton high-level bridge when it opened.

Marney: 29th Jan 2008 - 01:16 GMT

Love the old photos. Wish I could visit these places in person. Bit far for me, in Cincinnati.

Thanks. I was especially stricken by the photo with the railroad tracks which look like they are sitting atop the water. Cool!

anon (host86-155-148-49.range86-155.btcentralplus.com): 11th Feb 2008 - 19:57 GMT

to tom, re Tom: 18th Mar 2007 - 16:03 GMT
I am the photographer of the middle image, my work is held under copyright to me as this is my living, you have no permission posting this image, please remove it from the site and your machine to avoid a fee.
Cheers
Ian Glover

Alan Taylor: 27th Feb 2008 - 16:31 GMT

Dear Ian Clover,
I don't think any harm to your income was intended, or if the posting had in fact damaged your income, although I do agree with your sentiments on copyright, which everyone can read at www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html and should respect, but on this occasion if the site owner placed a notice with that picture clearly stating you own and retain the copyright and that for the benefit of this bulletin board you will allow it to remain.
You never know it may fetch punters your way for your other works, a form of free advertising in a way.
Lets work together on this and keep things friendly for the benefit of all, hopefully you will agree and the site owner being the only person with the capabilities to adjust/amend/delete will I am sure co-operate and I am sure if explained to "Tom" who I do not know, will give you the required assurance that no harm was intended and that he will refrain from posting any other pictures that you own copyright.
Alan [my first posting because I have only just found this site]

Alison Lawford: 18th May 2008 - 04:14 GMT

Hi Dave: Thanks for the Pictures. I walked over the swingbridge on a sunday morning, passing the Barton power station in the 60s. I now live in NSW Australia. My brother still lives over there. We were last in 2003.

Dave Moore: 17th Jun 2008 - 14:31 GMT

Stumbled on the site while attempting to get images of King Street in Stretford from the 60's and 70's. Excellent images. Brought back memories from when I worked near to Barton Bridge (Manchester Oil Refinery) in the mid sixties. Also remember the power station from when I used to walk to Old Trafford from the Seven Ways in Stretford. If anyone can remember any of the traders around Stretford and Urmston during the 50's and 60's I would love to hear from them.

Sheila Vaudrey: 17th Jun 2008 - 15:29 GMT

Thanks for the photo's legal or otherwise. I remember standing on Barton Lane, to watch the chimneys fall, you should have seen the clouds of dust. also Another first for our area, Trafford Park was the first industrial estate in the world.

Jamie: 17th Jun 2008 - 21:02 GMT

eh, she's right you know. According to wikipedia Trafford Park was the first ever planned industrial estate

Nigel Blair: 10th Aug 2008 - 12:45 GMT

Pictures brought back very happy memories of staying on my uncles boat that was moored on the canal behind the power station in the early 70s. Great site, keep up the good work.

Heather: 26th Sep 2008 - 19:38 GMT

I've thoroughly enjoyed the photos and information here. Fellow Barton and Trafford folk might like to know that the Grade 1 listed All Saint's Church (just over Barton Bridge, opposite B&Q) is trying to raise £212,532 for an epic restoration project. This beautiful E.W. Pugin creation, completed in 1868, is one of the few sites not now owed by Peel Holdings. Let's hope we can keep it that way!