<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/manchester-trammay15.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2614" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/manchester-trammay15-200x150.jpg" alt="manchester-tram(may15)" width="200" height="150" /></a>When I was a student, 45 years ago, I stayed in Manchester for a long weekend with my brother who was at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Salford" target="_blank">Salford University</a> (Electrical Engineering) so our trip was really something new for us both. We took the <a href="http://www.tpexpress.co.uk/" target="_blank">TransPennine Express</a> (not) from Barnetby, North Lincs, into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Piccadilly_station" target="_blank">Manchester Piccadilly</a>. Cities are, from our perspective, the same all over the world - frenetic, noisy and over populated but some people love that.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/jane-mediacitymay2015.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2618" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/jane-mediacitymay2015-300x225.jpg" alt="jane-mediacity(may2015)" width="300" height="225" /></a>After visiting the Whitworth Gallery we decided to catch a bus to Salford Quays, the home of the <a href="http://www.thelowry.com/ls-lowry/microsite/home/" target="_blank">Lowry Gallery</a> and all the main TV channels. What we didn't know at the time was the bus was going to be late and the Lowry Gallery closed at 5pm. As it turned out we managed to get there with 10 minutes to spare and the friendly gallery staff allowed us to wander around, but a bit of a whistle-stop tour.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/tramway-shadowsmay15.jpg"><img class=" size-thumbnail wp-image-2615 alignleft" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/tramway-shadowsmay15-150x200.jpg" alt="tramway-shadows(may15)" width="150" height="200" /></a>This area is very much like Canary Wharf, based in the heartland of Salford Docks with the BBC and ITV presence dominating the skyline alongside Salford University.

Jane persuaded me to catch a <a href="http://www.metrolink.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">tram back to Manchester</a> city centre. I was reluctant - the bus was free with our bus passes but the tram would cost us over £5. What does that tell you about me? As always Jane sees interest in everything and took this photo of our shadows as we waited on the platform for the tram.

After a fast food dinner (SpuduLike), before we knew it we were on the train back across the Pennines at a snail's pace. The £80 billion HS2 project for a fast link between London and Manchester that would cut journey times by 20 minutes is  wasted when all they need to do is buy a stronger elastic band and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_TransPennine_Express" target="_blank">TransPennine Express</a> would get above walking pace. I believe the journey from Lincolnshire to Manchester should be faster by train than by car but no, either way the journeys take two hours.