1830 Station and Warehouse

1830 Station

The first stage of restoration work has taken place on the Science and Industry Museum's historic Grade I listed 1830 Station. The globally significant building is the oldest surviving passenger railway station in the world.

The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first steam-powered, inter-city railway designed to transport both passengers and goods. Its Manchester terminus was Liverpool Road Station, now home to the Science and Industry Museum. The railway opened in 1830, sparking a revolution in trade and travel. The station buildings were substantially re-built in the 1970s and 1980s, when the museum first opened. Sadly, since then water ingress has started to cause serious deterioration. 

The restoration is very important for us to conserve this globally significant site. We are working with Manchester-based Buttress Architects, who specialise in restoring listed buildings and historic places. The first £1.9 million phase of work funded by DCMS has given the building a new roof, gutters and rainwater pipes, which will help protect the building, manage the water and dry the building out. This was completed in Spring 2022 and the museum is now planning for further internal repairs alongside the creation of new learning spaces.

Future plans for the 1830 Station include the development of a revolutionary railroad and locomotive experience to tell the railway story. There will also be a dedicated STEM learning space, together with an improved outdoor area linking new connections and entrances between the Science and Industry Museum, The Factory and the developing St John's and Castlefield neighbourhoods, as this vibrant area of the city comes alive together.
 
The restoration work is part of a much wider multi-million-pound development project of the historic site and buildings that Science and Industry Museum inhabits, and it is all part of a plan to create a more sustainable museum.