cafe
Rapha Clubhouse Manchester
Manchester's cycling culture hub offering specialty coffee, kit, and a community space for riding enthusiasts.
5 km · about 10 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Trafford Park
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Trafford Park
Trafford Park works well as a base: 5 minutes from Urmston, 29km from Snake Pass (A57).
Trafford Park is in England, United Kingdom, with about 3,100 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Urmston, about 4 km away.
Trafford Park is an area of the metropolitan borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, opposite Salford Quays on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, 3.4 miles (5.5 km) southwest of Manchester city centre and 1.3 miles (2.1 km) north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the ancestralRead more
home of the Trafford family, who sold it to the financier Ernest Terah Hooley in 1896. Occupying an area of 4.7 square miles (12 km2), it was the first planned industrial estate in the world, and remained the largest in Europe over a century later.
Trafford Park is almost entirely surrounded by water; the Bridgewater Canal forms its southeastern and southwestern boundaries, and the Manchester Ship Canal, which opened in 1894, its northeastern and northwestern boundaries. Hooley's plan was to develop the Ship Canal frontage, but the canal was slow to generate the predicted volume of traffic, so in the early days the park was largely used for leisure activities such as golf, polo and boating. British Westinghouse was the first major company to move in, and by 1903 it was employing about half of the 12,000 workers then employed in the park, which became one of the most important engineering facilities in Britain.
Trafford Park was a major supplier of materiel in the First and Second World Wars, producing such equipment as the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines used to power the Spitfire and the Lancaster. At its peak in 1945, 75,000 workers were employed in the park. Employment began to decline in the 1960s as companies closed in favour of newer, more efficient plants elsewhere. By 1967 employment had fallen to 50,000, and the decline continued throughout the 1970s. The new generation of container ships was too large for the Manchester Ship Canal, which led to a further decline in Trafford Park's fortunes. The workforce had fallen to 15,000 by 1976, and by the 1980s industry had almost disappeared from the park.
The Trafford Park Urban Development Corporation, formed in 1987, reversed the estate's decline. In the 11 years of its existence the park attracted 1,000 companies, generating 28,299 new jobs and £1.759 billion of private-sector investment. As of 2025 there are 1,400 companies within the park, employing 40,000 people.
Where to Stay in Trafford Park
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Explore the Area
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Trafford Park?
Within an hour or so of Trafford Park: Rapha Clubhouse Manchester (5 km), Lyme Park (Pemberley, 1995 Pride and Prejudice) (22 km), Kinder Downfall (27 km), Snake Pass (A57) (29 km).
Are there any good drives near Trafford Park?
The nearest famous roads are Snake Pass, Holme Moss and Woodhead Pass.
Where is Trafford Park?
Trafford Park is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Urmston.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 3,060
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.4688, -2.3119
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Trafford Park
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
film location
Lyme Park (Pemberley, 1995 Pride and Prejudice)
The lake at Lyme Park is where Colin Firth's Mr Darcy emerges from the water in the BBC serial.
22 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
Kinder Downfall
The Peak's highest waterfall at 30m, famously blown back up the cliff as spray in a westerly wind.
27 km · about 30 min drive
famous road
Snake Pass (A57)
The Woodhead-era Telford road over the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower reservoirs, with fast curves and frequent winter closures.
29 km · about 35 min drive
famous road
Snake Pass
A twisting road through the Peak District connecting Sheffield and Manchester, beloved by motorcyclists and driving enthusiasts.
30 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Snake Pass Summit
The highest point on the A57 crossing the Pennines, with moorland views stretching across the Dark Peak landscape.
30 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Kinder Scout
The Peak District's highest ground at 636m, site of the 1932 Mass Trespass that led to Britain's national parks and right to roam.
31 km · about 35 min drive
mountain pass
Woodhead Pass
The A628 trans-Pennine route over bleak moorland past the Woodhead reservoirs, frequently closed by snow and high winds.
31 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Trafford Park
9 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- 29 kmSnake Pass (A57)The Woodhead-era Telford road over the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower reservoirs, with fast curves and frequent winter closures.
- 30 kmSnake PassA twisting road through the Peak District connecting Sheffield and Manchester, beloved by motorcyclists and driving enthusiasts.
- 30 kmSnake Pass SummitThe highest point on the A57 crossing the Pennines, with moorland views stretching across the Dark Peak landscape.
- 31 kmKinder ScoutThe Peak District's highest ground at 636m, site of the 1932 Mass Trespass that led to Britain's national parks and right to roam.
- 31 kmWoodhead PassThe A628 trans-Pennine route over bleak moorland past the Woodhead reservoirs, frequently closed by snow and high winds.
- 31 kmHolme MossA 524 m Pennine pass on the A6024 topped by a landmark transmitter mast, a celebrated cycling climb used in the 2014 Tour de France.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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