Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It is opposite Salford Quays on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal. It is 3.4 miles (5.5 km) southwest of Manchester city centre and 1.3 miles (2.1 km) north of Stretford. From about 1200 until the late 19th century, it was the home of the de Trafford family. They sold it to financier Ernest Terah Hooley in 1896. It is 4.7 square miles (12 km2). It was the first planned industrial estate in the world. It is still the largest in Europe.
In the Second World War it was where the Avro Manchester and Avro Lancaster heavy bombers, and the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines used to power the Spitfire, Hurricane, Mosquito and the Lancaster were made. It was bombed by the Luftwaffe, particularly during the Manchester Blitz of December 1940.
In 1945 about 75,000 people worked there. In 2023 about 35,000 worked there.[1]
The Imperial War Museum North opened on 5 July 2002. It is in Trafford Wharf, on the southern edge of the ship canal looking over towards Salford Quays.
Manchester Metrolink's Trafford Park Line from Pomona to the Trafford Centre opened in March 2020. It goes through the park.[2]
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