Trafford Park Railway

An 18 mile series of lines that remained independent when the Grouping took place in 1923.

Trafford Park Estates Company laid down a tramway to be operated by the British Gas Traction Company from 1897. The Trafford Park Estates Company took over operation from 3rd November 1899, and gas traction was used until 1908. An electric tramway on the public roads within the Park started on 14th July 1903.

1905 The company was incorporated.

1905 the Trafford Park Estates Company Electric Tramway of 2.54 miles was taken over by the Corporations of Manchester and Salford

1908 The line is worked by the Manchester Ship Canal Co.

To service the large amount of freight being landed at the canal's docks the Manchester Ship Canal Railway was created to carry goods from nearby industrial estates, including Trafford Park, and connect to the various railway companies near the canal. The MSC Railway, unlike most other railway companies in the UK, was not nationalised in 1948 and became the largest private railway in the UK during the British Railways era. The MSC Railway operated a large fleet of steam locomotives, many being 0-6-0 tank engines, several of which have been preserved:

• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 No. 4002
• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T no. 32 "Gothenburg"

See Also

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