Patricroft’s industrial powerhouse.
The site of what is now called Nasmyth Business Park was the site of the Bridgewater Foundry, one of the great powerhouses of the Industrial Revolution. Founded in 1836 by engineer James Nasmyth and industrialist Holbrook Gaskell, it became world famous for building steam hammers, locomotives and precision machine tools. Although the original workshops are long gone, the site lives on as Nasmyth Business Park. At its entrance stands one of Nasmyth’s original steam hammers, mounted as a tribute to the engineering brilliance that once defined this place. A nearby mural adds more colour to the story, connecting modern Salford with its proud industrial past.
Why it matters
The Bridgewater Foundry played a key role in the development of Britain’s railways and heavy industry. It was ideally located beside both the Bridgewater Canal and the Liverpool to Manchester Railway, making it perfect for moving heavy goods. At its peak, the foundry employed more than 1,500 people and exported machinery all over the world. James Nasmyth’s invention of the steam hammer in 1839 was a breakthrough in ironworking, allowing engineers to forge massive metal parts with pinpoint accuracy. The foundry’s influence spread far beyond Salford, helping to build railways, engines and machines from Russia to India and across the British Empire
