For a cheap trip out I thought I would drive the kids across the Pennines to Manchester
I filled up with Petrol in my home town of Rotherham, aimed the car up the M1 and drove over the atmospheric Woodhead Pass and parked up at Glossop station. This town has a frontier feel to it, with its back to the peak district it can only face westwards.
I bought a ticket to Manchester, an all time bargin at £3.90 (with family railcard) and settled down to enjoy the trip. There was a huge, and I mean huge viaduct at the first station, Dinting which felt like we were flying over the town. then we ended up at Hattersley, home of the Moors Murderers. I have to say that this part of the world seems cursed with more than its fair share of serial killers as further along the line in Newton for Hyde was the home of Dr Harold Shipman. Still we made it through unscathed, which was a good thing as the next station, with the beautiful name of Flowery field is the anti social capital of Manchester. Guide Bridge was next, home of Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson. We are now in the sky blue part of the city, with the City of Manchester stadium on the Horizon with the surprisingly huge sculpture "B of Bang" right next to it. Onwards through some very down at heel parts of town, including the very scruffy Ashbury (like Port Vale it isnt a real place) and the very forlorn station of Ardwick which only has one passenger a day. And thence to Piccadilly. (Hint if you ever arrive in Manchester by train the trams are free in the city centre).
On the way back over the Woodhead I was amazed how far Barnsley council penetrated westwards. High on the bleak moors there was a sign welcoming us there. I also decided that, after being raged by a idiot on the M1, that I hate driving.
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