Transport Archive: the Learning Zone

Mean Machines of the Manchester Ship Canal

Digging the Manchester Ship Canal required the design and construction of some monstrous machines. Follow the links below to find out all about:

• European Machines
• Floating Dredgers
• Steam Navvies

GCR Contractor's Locomotives

The life and work of the pocket powerhouses behind the construction of the Great Central Railway, including those built by:

• Manning Wardle
• Hunslet
• Hudswell Clarke & Co.

Five amazing aircraft

Click on the images or names below to see more:

The Bristol Bullfinch

The Bristol Beaufighter

The Bristol Britannia

The Bristol Sycamore

Concorde

Ship Canal Swing Bridges

Building the Manchester Ship Canal presented an interesting problem: how to fit a giant ship under a bridge. The answer? Simply swing the bridge out of the way!

Click the links below for four examples:

The Bristol Brabazon

The Bristol Brabazon was at the cutting edge of aviation technology. Indeed some might say it stepped too far over the edge! This story from the Aviation Archive finds out why.

Visit the story to find out how the Brabazon pushed back the boundaries of:

• Aircraft construction
• Cabin pressurisation
• Engine design

Barton Road Swing Bridge

Trafford Road Swing Bridge

Moore Lane Bridge

Old Quay Bridge, Runcorn

Four Great Central Locomotives

There are currently over 200 pictures of locomotives in the Railway Archive.
Follow the links below for four of the best: