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Bridgewater Canal Warehouse (Altrincham, Greater Manchester, Oct, 2019) | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Bridgewater Canal Warehouse (Altrincham, Greater Manchester, Oct, 2019)

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urbanchemist

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Woke up early Sunday morning in a warehouse sort of mood but it was raining, making the local one I had in mind too difficult.
Then I remembered the canal warehouse in Altrincham - I’d done a long range recce of this about six months ago, and it looked like it might be doable without too much of a climb.
It’s been reported on here once before, in 2007 https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threa...-warehouse-altrincham-cheshire-31-01-07.8482/, and there didn’t seem to be much inside.
Nevertheless, I still liked the look of the place.
Entrance did indeed prove straightforward even in the dark and rain - climb up, shine in the torch and duck as a hoard of pigeons swarm out.

History. The warehouse, which is listed, was built in 1833 to a square plan, with extensions added to either end sometime after 1954.
The building is called ‘works’ or ‘bridge works’ on later maps. Like the Bankhall one in Liverpool it was designed so that barges could enter from the canal and be unloaded inside.
A 2004 planning application for conversion into apartments seems to have lapsed.

An aerial photo from 1926 and a map from 1936 showing the warehouse surrounded by other factories.

48859961557_a4f96aa0a4_b.jpg


Front view showing extensions to the original Georgian-style block with the yellow cornice - a shed-like extension attached on the right, and a three storey addition on the left with a one-and-a-half height ground floor and loading bay.
The original building had two loading bays on the right with the projecting hoist canopies still visible.

48859412213_35d0076f24_b.jpg


View of part of the original building from within the shed-like extension on the right.

48859764186_ca7fd63d58_b.jpg


Ground floor of the extension at the other end, and one of the original windows which now look into it.

48859961452_6fb54a51dc_b.jpg



48859412048_a19897189f_b.jpg


Moving upwards the rest of the place is just empty warehouse spaces, with water dripping through the floors where part of the main roof has collapsed.

48859411988_72a8a00abf_b.jpg



48859961232_d562329ab7_b.jpg



48859411973_0a0e104a53_b.jpg



48859411763_d7c3f807c3_b.jpg



48859961047_9ee5fc0a19_b.jpg


Top floor of the taller extension - the cornice of the original building can be seen running along the right wall.

48859411603_e4be3acf13_b.jpg


Collapsed roof on the top floor of the main building.

48859960872_2136eb1053_b.jpg



48859411413_f5d749828c_b.jpg


A lightweight lift and a hoist over one of the loading bays, both electrically powered.

48859960797_016c6ceff5_b.jpg



48859763541_9dcfcd1982_b.jpg


An uninspiring early morning view of Altrincham in the rain.

48859411223_e569f03e2b_b.jpg


Views from across the canal showing the double height arched opening, now bricked up, where the barges went in.

48859960632_54d842c9a2_b.jpg



48859960467_24c181b279_b.jpg
 

HerbyDumpling

28DL Member
28DL Member
Excellent piece of work. This Heritage Grade II building is worth saving but the owner is, as yet, not wanting to play ball. Your report has given us some good ammunition to get English Heritage involved so we can go for a compulsory purchase, Thank you. P.S. Good Camera.
 

HerbyDumpling

28DL Member
28DL Member
Thank you Urban Chemist.
Your work has been extremely useful in helping us to document the plight of this unique heritage asset.
https://altrinchamandbowdoncs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/BheathCanWhseReport-min.pdf
If you ever have any more photographs of the Canal Warehouse then please let us have them through the Altrincham & Bowdon Civic Society email or website provided you can do it in an anonymous and safe way. If we ever get this building saved and restored please call in and we can have a coffee and chat. The developer owning the warehouse has so far refused to talk to Trafford's Conservation team.
Best wishes and always please be safe when entering similar buildings as the floors inside look dangerously weak.
 

urbanchemist

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Thank you Urban Chemist.
Your work has been extremely useful in helping us to document the plight of this unique heritage asset.
https://altrinchamandbowdoncs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/BheathCanWhseReport-min.pdf
If you ever have any more photographs of the Canal Warehouse then please let us have them through the Altrincham & Bowdon Civic Society email or website provided you can do it in an anonymous and safe way. If we ever get this building saved and restored please call in and we can have a coffee and chat. The developer owning the warehouse has so far refused to talk to Trafford's Conservation team.
Best wishes and always please be safe when entering similar buildings as the floors inside look dangerously weak.
Actually the timbers on the lower floors don't seem too bad at the moment.
I've added a few more photos to my flickr album (number 162) although they don't add much.
 

albow12

28DL Member
28DL Member
Woke up early Sunday morning in a warehouse sort of mood but it was raining, making the local one I had in mind too difficult.
Then I remembered the canal warehouse in Altrincham - I’d done a long range recce of this about six months ago, and it looked like it might be doable without too much of a climb.
It’s been reported on here once before, in 2007 Report - - Bridgewater canal company warehouse, Altrincham, Cheshire - (31/01/07) | Industrial Sites, and there didn’t seem to be much inside.
Nevertheless, I still liked the look of the place.
Entrance did indeed prove straightforward even in the dark and rain - climb up, shine in the torch and duck as a hoard of pigeons swarm out.

History. The warehouse, which is listed, was built in 1833 to a square plan, with extensions added to either end sometime after 1954.
The building is called ‘works’ or ‘bridge works’ on later maps. Like the Bankhall one in Liverpool it was designed so that barges could enter from the canal and be unloaded inside.
A 2004 planning application for conversion into apartments seems to have lapsed.

An aerial photo from 1926 and a map from 1936 showing the warehouse surrounded by other factories.

48859961557_a4f96aa0a4_b.jpg


Front view showing extensions to the original Georgian-style block with the yellow cornice - a shed-like extension attached on the right, and a three storey addition on the left with a one-and-a-half height ground floor and loading bay.
The original building had two loading bays on the right with the projecting hoist canopies still visible.

48859412213_35d0076f24_b.jpg


View of part of the original building from within the shed-like extension on the right.

48859764186_ca7fd63d58_b.jpg


Ground floor of the extension at the other end, and one of the original windows which now look into it.

48859961452_6fb54a51dc_b.jpg



48859412048_a19897189f_b.jpg


Moving upwards the rest of the place is just empty warehouse spaces, with water dripping through the floors where part of the main roof has collapsed.

48859411988_72a8a00abf_b.jpg



48859961232_d562329ab7_b.jpg



48859411973_0a0e104a53_b.jpg



48859411763_d7c3f807c3_b.jpg



48859961047_9ee5fc0a19_b.jpg


Top floor of the taller extension - the cornice of the original building can be seen running along the right wall.

48859411603_e4be3acf13_b.jpg


Collapsed roof on the top floor of the main building.

48859960872_2136eb1053_b.jpg



48859411413_f5d749828c_b.jpg


A lightweight lift and a hoist over one of the loading bays, both electrically powered.

48859960797_016c6ceff5_b.jpg



48859763541_9dcfcd1982_b.jpg


An uninspiring early morning view of Altrincham in the rain.

48859411223_e569f03e2b_b.jpg


Views from across the canal showing the double height arched opening, now bricked up, where the barges went in.

48859960632_54d842c9a2_b.jpg



48859960467_24c181b279_b.jpg

It is a fantastic building and needs saving.
I am very very interested in the building's history and also its survival.
Id like to help. Im only just up the canal. Very close. I went to see the building yesterday and can confirm it is still standing :)

Please get in touch anyone who wants to utilise my skills and passion for this to add to your fantastic work already done.

* I am a media professional of 14 years. I specialise in digital marketing, design, animation, motion graphics and visual effects/compositing.
The latter is very handy to help in covisualising and presenting the building as it would like to be. As the community needs.
I am already drawing up many ideas to share and would love the chance to meet up with other passionate people to discuss the issues and barriers in obtaining this building as a community project.
It is a hope to find others of shared intention and drive to really make this a reality.

Cheers
Al

[email protected]
 

albow12

28DL Member
28DL Member
Thank you Urban Chemist.
Your work has been extremely useful in helping us to document the plight of this unique heritage asset.
https://altrinchamandbowdoncs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/BheathCanWhseReport-min.pdf
If you ever have any more photographs of the Canal Warehouse then please let us have them through the Altrincham & Bowdon Civic Society email or website provided you can do it in an anonymous and safe way. If we ever get this building saved and restored please call in and we can have a coffee and chat. The developer owning the warehouse has so far refused to talk to Trafford's Conservation team.
Best wishes and always please be safe when entering similar buildings as the floors inside look dangerously weak.

Thank you for your work here.
Please see my message in the thread and get in touch.
Such an exciting prospect.
Thanks
Al

[email protected]
 

lust_x383

28DL Member
28DL Member
Great post! I went to have a look earlier this morning, i can confim it is still standing. I was wondering how you got in as i also wanted to get a little look.
 

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