It seems like ages since Manchester Local Guides were actually able to meet in person, because of Covid restrictions and Lockdowns – although the group has met online on several occasions, and also kept in touch via the various social media.
However, restrictions were recently reduced nationally, allowing an actual real-life meetup, providing we followed the safety requirements still in force, which we did throughout the meetup.
So we took advantage of it and organised a photowalk MeetUp on Saturday 22nd May.
Although different people from Manchester Local Guides came and went through the afternoon, a good group of us attended.
We started at Bury Metro Station for a wander round the nationally famous Bury Market. Bury Market was voted “Britain’s Favourite Market” in 2019 – the most recent time the vote took place. Coach tours and lots of tourists come here to take advantage of the wide range of stalls selling almost everything from underwear, through toys and tools, through sweets and smells (incense), to both international and local food and drink – and very much more.
Local Guide @Maria68, a Bury resident herself, gave the group some helpful hints and tips about which stalls to visit for the best experience, and where to buy the best food.
You can see some of the wide variety of stalls in the photos that the group took here in this link to our shared photo album.
Following our exploration of the market and a leisurely stroll to Bolton Street Railway Station, the main station on the East Lancashire Heritage Railway, we took the opportunity for more photos of live steam locomotives, and some true salt-of-the-earth railway characters, before we took a return trip on the steam hauled train itself.
The round trip itself takes about 90 minutes, at a leisurely pace, and allowed the group another opportunity for photos alongside sitting with each other and catching up – some of us with a cuppa and a snack.
Again you can see photos of the heritage railway in the same album the same album here.
On the journey we passed the field where the UK-famous advert for Lloyds Bank was filmed, in which a horse runs alongside a steam train.
Finally, those resilient few who lasted the full MeetUp from beginning to end celebrated being together again with a drink at The Trackside Bar – a real ale and general drinks bar with a folksy railway theme on the platform alongside moving trains. A toast to each other and a fitting end to the day.
If you’d like to join Manchester Local Guides for our next online or live meetup, we’d love to have you. We are a group open to anyone – and we would value you coming along. Please leave a message in the comments below and we will contact you to let you know when it happens.
Photo Credits: @Maria68 @AdrianLunsong @deadmanjones
@ZoeOooe @George Devine and myself @PeteMHW Thanks everyone!