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In 1830, Castlefield became the site of world’s first inter-city passenger railway station: Manchester Liverpool Road and during the following decades the area became the central hub for Manchester’s goods transportation network.

Castlefield Viaduct is a disused railway viaduct which was opened in 1892 to carry heavy rail traffic in and out of the Great Northern Warehouse. The viaduct was constructed by Heenan and Froude, the engineers who built the iconic Blackpool Tower. For the next 77 years the viaduct was used to carry heavy rail traffic in and out of the area, until it finally closed in 1969. Since then, the Grade II listed (List Entry Number: 1292315 Link Historic England) viaduct has stood unused for more than 60 years.

Plans by the National Trust to turn it into a 'sky park' were unveiled in June 2021, with the work starting in March 2022. The first phase of the project began in July 2022 with the launch of a temporary urban park on the viaduct, to test ideas and invite visitors to share their ideas for the Viaduct’s future. The longer-term aim is to “transform Castlefield Viaduct into a free-to-access park and meeting place for people and nature. It will be a space that respects the listed structure, celebrates the nature, beauty and history of the viaduct, and complements existing plans for the city” (Link National Trust).