Great Northern Warehouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Great Northern Warehouse |
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| General information | |
| Location | Manchester, England |
| Address | 235 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN |
| Coordinates | 53°28′38″N 2°14′57″W / 53.47722°N 2.24917°W |
| Current tenants | Odeon Cinemas, Lifestyle Fitness, All Star Lanes, Manchester 235 casino, NCP Manchester Ltd, Breakout Manchester |
| Construction started | 1885 |
| Completed | 1899 |
| Renovated | 1998 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | A. Ross |
| Structural engineer | W. T. Foxlee |
The Great Northern Warehouse is a famous building in Manchester city centre, England. It used to be a huge storage place for goods transported by the Great Northern Railway trains. Today, it's a fun place with lots of activities.
The building is located where Deansgate and Peter Street meet. In 1974, it was given a special status called Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
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The Great Northern Warehouse: A Historic Hub
The Great Northern Warehouse was built to be super strong and fireproof. It has a steel frame and is shaped like a rectangle. It's about 267 feet long and 217 feet wide. The building stands five storeys (or floors) tall.
It has 27 windows on its long sides and 17 windows on its short ends. All four sides have white brick letters that spell out "Great Northern Railway Company's Goods Warehouse". This shows everyone who owned the building.
A Smart Design for Transport
This amazing warehouse was built right over the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal. This was a clever idea! A special dock was made underneath the building. This allowed goods to be moved easily between canal boats and the warehouse.
They used a complex system with "hydraulic power" to lift and move things. This was like a powerful water-pressure system helping with the heavy lifting. The warehouse could hold 150 train wagons inside. It also had space for 500 more wagons in its nearby sidings.
Building this huge warehouse was a massive project. It changed the area known as Alport Town. Over 800 workers helped build it. They used 25 million bricks and 50,000 tons of concrete. They also used 12,000 tons of steel and 65 miles of rivets!
Why is it So Important?
According to Historic England, the Great Northern Warehouse is very special. It's a "unique survival" of a place where goods could be moved in three ways. It connected the railway, the canal, and the road networks of the Manchester area. This made it a vital hub for trade and transport.
What is it Now?
Today, the Great Northern Warehouse is a lively place for entertainment. It has a cinema where you can watch movies. There's also a casino, many restaurants, and a bowling alley. You can find a bar and a gym inside too. It even has a large multi-storey car park.
