VIDEO | Work starts on £20m Castlefield Viaduct park 

MC Construction has begun converting the 125-year-old abandoned bridge into a public green space for the National Trust. 

The first phase of the project involves transforming half of the 330-metre Castlefield Viaduct into a park and heritage attraction. 

The scheme will see the grade two-listed Manchester bridge brought back into use after more than 50 years, while simultaneously addressing the city centre’s lack of green space. 

“The project really has a compelling draw for people,” said Duncan Laird, head of urban places at the National Trust. 

“They can come up here and really experience nature on the doorstep, but also learn about the heritage and history of a key bit of Manchester.” 

Built in 1892 by Heenan and Froude, the viaduct was constructed to carry heavy rail traffic in and out of the Great Northern Warehouse. It closed in 1969 when Manchester Central Station closed. 

Since then, it has stood unused with National Highways undertaking essential repairs and regular maintenance to keep it safe. 

With MC Construction now on site, Castlefield Viaduct could reopen to the public as early as July. 

“It is a unique project,” said Russ Forshaw group operations director at MC Construction. “I am a proud Mancunian so anything that animates the city and brings people in I am more than up for.” 

While MC has experience delivering complex, heritage schemes, the unique nature of the Castlefield Viaduct job presents a fresh batch of challenges, Forshaw explained. 

“[The viaduct] has been out of use now for 50 years so we need to be mindful of structural loading capacity. There are also quite significant temporary works that need to go into place to actually progress the project.” 

Under plans approved last year, the viaduct park would feature:  

• A welcome kiosk  
• Three cycle loops  
• A secret garden with modular planters and timber platforms  
• A modular events space  
• Interpretation boards informing visitors about the viaduct’s history 
• Two compost toilets. 

The pilot will cost around £1.8m to implement and overall the National Trust estimates it will have to raise around £20m for later phases of the project. 

The scheme is being developed by the National Trust with the support of several stakeholders. These include: 

• National Highways  
• Historical Railways Estate Team 
• Manchester City Council 
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority 
• Transport for Greater Manchester 
• Urban Wilderness 
• Manchester Science and Industry Museum  
• City of Trees  
• Castlefield Forum 

The initial phase will open for 12 months. During this time, visitors will be able to pre-book tours of the viaduct free of charge. 

The National Trust will carry out surveys with visitors and local communities to gather feedback on the scheme that will inform how the project looks in the future. 

“The future is up for grabs,” Laird said. “Over the next 12 months, we want to get as many people up here as possible, and get their views about what they like about the space.”

Ultimately, the National Trust’s aspiration is for both ends of the viaduct to be opened, creating a permanent public park and through-route between Manchester and Salford. 

This project and others like it are part of a concerted effort by the charity to focus on what more it can do in urban areas. 

“The National Trust’s charitable purpose is to deliver benefit to the nation through nature, history and beauty,” Laird explained. 

“We recognise that 85% of the nation lives in towns and cities, so it’s important that we increase our presence within those communities because that means we can directly deliver our charitable purpose more effectively.”