FMUKCON Manchester - Saturday 5th April 2014

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I havent a clue what anyone is talking about. Players. Transfers. Grand Prix. Fantasy Football. Sun+???

Ah the joys of naivety

I've always just used nationalrail to book train tickets...its not quite reaching the 5th April yet. I do want to save but I am just not so savvy like you guys.

Accomodation-wise I might actually stay in Edale or Gossop and do some astronomy in the dark skies on Saturday night, just a half hour train journey from Manchester :)

However, I am still open to be part of a group if needed. I thought of staying on Friday night too...but I will go with the flow in what most others are doing.

[steve9872]

I want to know what itinerary Diane has up her sleeve for after the meet up so I can plan my train times properly.

[Diane65]

I havent a clue what anyone is talking about. Players. Transfers. Grand Prix. Fantasy Football. Sun+???

Ah the joys of naivety

I've always just used nationalrail to book train tickets...its not quite reaching the 5th April yet. I do want to save but I am just not so savvy like you guys.

Accomodation-wise I might actually stay in Edale or Gossop and do some astronomy in the dark skies on Saturday night, just a half hour train journey from Manchester :)

However, I am still open to be part of a group if needed. I thought of staying on Friday night too...but I will go with the flow in what most others are doing.

An accountant wasting money How do you think I manage so many trips

Edale and Glossop are beautiful areas and lots of places to go on walks - many well established trails around that area and you can't beat a pub lunch after plenty of fresh air and possibly a tea room too

I want to know what itinerary Diane has up her sleeve for after the meet up so I can plan my train times properly.

I was thinking of starting off about 9ish to 9.30ish before the meet up and do a couple of sights maybe even this before the meet up but without the coffee and cakes http://www.manchestercathedral.org/even ... ee-concert as I'm guessing it will finish just before 12 so a brisk walk to the meet up.

After the meet up I was planning on doing another few hours of sights finishing off with either coffee and cakes around 6 or 7ish so people would have time if they were staying in Manchester to go out for a meal or a show or time to get the train home (we'll be near to Piccadilly at around 7 to 7.30pm) but I'm more than happy to stay in Manchester for the evening lots of lovely restaurants (if there are a lot of us who want to eat together I'll look for a good deal for us all - maybe even use our Tesco vouchers ). Everything I plan to do will be free so no-one has to p*y anything extra after their train travel.

What would you all be interested in doing? Museums, Art galleries, a walking tour around the sights, Old Libraries, going over to Media City (that would cost on the Metro £3 return or a lovely walk which takes about 45 minutes through Castlefield, along the canal path and finishing off at Media City , the Lowry and the Imperial War Museum). We could have drinks around Castlefield in the evening, the Gay Village (very safe area), a meal in China town or The Printworks (one of our cinema sights)on one of our deals or our very own steve will be able to show you the ropes at a Casino. Do people want to do a spot of retail therapy? I know a few people have asked about The Trafford Centre which is doable on the Metrolink involving trams and the metrolink bus plus if you are staying for the entire weekend you can get a Weekend Metrolink ticket valid from 6pm on Friday until the end of Sunday for £5.80 so a very good deal indeed! I sound like my Mother calling it the Metrolink as my age group call it the Metro or even the tram and the youngsters call it the Met!

I've got so many ideas up my sleeve but want to give people time to enjoy them rather than me doing my usual frogmarching everyone through Manchester (or wherever we are). It says it all when MrGlass says he is still open to be part of a group if need be (I think he knows me quite well now - I will allow him to do want he wants if hes good).

Please get posting everyone and there are quite a few of us Mancunians around so if someone wants to do something specific that no one else wants too just let us know and we can do a bit of a detour and meet up later eg some go to the football museum and some go to the cathedral as both a couple of minutes apart. It's your day out so we'll make it happen for you. Just say it as it is to me so you have a good day out and I don't bore the pants of you all.

This is for Chelle1973 and Baty as you are staying near to Belle Vue a very different evening out is at the Dogs/Greyhound racing - it's like a blast from the past, it does say £6 entry but there are always offers on in our local papers so if you are interested I'll look out for you. You've even got Status Quo on at the Appollo on the Saturday evening if you're staying for 2 nights (my goodness it would be a blast from the past doing both).

[Diane65]

On another note redspottedhanky don't charge to post the tickets to you but everyone else does. It isn't a big thing to pick them up at the station but it is one less job to do on the day.

[Diane65]

The cheap fares from Leeds and York have just been released they are £6 and £7 each way. I've pm'd Steve9872 and allsinging but putting on here in case anyone else from that direction is coming. The cheaper ones from Durham and Newcastle are on for the journey to Manchester but not the return journey as yet but I'll post and pm Andrews and Preston1990 as soon as they are released. It appears that it will be another week before the Newcastle and Durham early cheap fares are released there is on arriving at 10.17am but I imagine that Andrews will want to be on the 6.10am train (She's a good friend with the same mind set as myself )

[stuartboy]

I'd want to visit Granada Studios Tour - see the real Coronation Street set, ITV Sherlock Holmes set etc. It seems I'm several decades too late!

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I can vouch for Diane as tour guide, she gave me a splendid tour of Greenwhich....

Oh when I say I can be with a group if needed I meant Train-wise because otherwise on the Saturday itself, I just want to be with whereever you take us Diane. Main thing for me is being with many fmukers sharing the day together, be it at a museum, a chocolate store or wherever, I go with the flow.

Diane, if you have plans for us staying late evening, perhaps I shouldnt stay in Edale...although last train to Edale is 10:28pm? Though latest train to Glossop is 11:30pm, maybe I stay there.

I'd want to visit Granada Studios Tour - see the real Coronation Street set, ITV Sherlock Holmes set etc. It seems I'm several decades too late!

Last time I came to Manchester was 20 years ago. I remember visiting Granada Studios which was a theme park with with apart from the TV drama sets, they also had tech rides, etc. One of which was Robocop, a 3D hydraulic ride which was really cool. I expect it will be different now though. In fact, I am not sure if it is a theme park any more, is it?

[stuartboy]

I'd want to visit Granada Studios Tour - see the real Coronation Street set, ITV Sherlock Holmes set etc. It seems I'm several decades too late!

Last time I came to Manchester was 20 years ago. I remember visiting Granada Studios which was a theme park with with apart from the TV drama sets, they also had tech rides, etc. One of which was Robocop, a 3D hydraulic ride which was really cool. I expect it will be different now though. In fact, I am not sure if it is a theme park any more, is it?

No, you're right. I went back there about 10 years ago and the theme park had closed down several years before. I was gutted as I went to Manchester University when it was open, but never managed to p*y a visit. Now I believe even the building is disused, and Corrie has up-cobbles and moved to a new purpose-built place in Salford.

[steve]

Granada Studios has now moved to Media City with a new Corrie set being built there. I have heard that the old set may be reopened in March of this year (maybe they heard some fmukers were coming to town) and that you would be able to go into the houses for the first time.

[Diane65]

Granada Studios has now moved to Media City with a new Corrie set being built there. I have heard that the old set may be reopened in March of this year (maybe they heard some fmukers were coming to town) and that you would be able to go into the houses for the first time.

Thank you so much for coming up with ideas and to Steve for for the information re re opening. I'll give them a call tomorrow and we can get the ball rolling. Just tried now and not open.

MrGlass Glossop is a market town just on the edge of the Peaks whereas Edale is a lot more remote but stunning countryside so not sure which is best for star gazing both delightful for their own reasons. Plus you'll be set up for some beautiful walks on the Sunday. Just been looking up images of both as it's been a long time since I went to either (I actually walk (not as often as I should) about 15 minutes drive away from Glossop but as we walk from my friend's I never venture there) and now I want to do both Sorry to everyone else just went of at a tangent then