WHEN the Great Northern Railway Company warehouse in Manchester's Deansgate was in its heyday, Henry Hargreaves in Bury was just starting his business selling tins baths and bicycles.

Therefore, it's only fitting that Hargreaves' modern day successors Senior Hargreaves continue their engineering tradition.

For the Bury-based ducting giants are currently completing work at Morrison Merlin Ltd's Great Northern retail and leisure complex in Manchester which opens this summer.

This will bring modern standards of amenity and safety to both the old and new elements of the 500,000 sq ft scheme.

Senior Hargreaves, located in Lord Street, are working closely with MITIE Engineering Services (North) of Stockport, the leading heating and ventilation contractor. Under their £800,000 contract, the Bury company has supplied both standard air delivery ductwork and HFD fire-related ductwork for smoke and exhaust removal.

Within the overall £1.7 million package, MITIE have installed open smoke ventilation to the atrium, eight major air handling units, pipework, more than 100 fans for ventilation and smoke removal, along with the control systems.

The Great Northern is being developed by Morrison Merlin Limited, a joint venture formed between Morrison Development Partnerships and Merlin International Properties Plc.

The developers are working in partnership with English Partnerships and Manchester City Council in one of the city's most important regeneration sites adjacent to G-Mex and fronting Deansgate.

Main contractors are Morrison Construction. Architects for the scheme are Leslie Jones and mechanical services were designed by consulting engineers Foremans Ltd. Both companies are based in Manchester.