(08 Apr 2016, 12:19 am)GMitchelhill wrote Manchester is a difficult area to do, and almost impossible to do in a day without a car (actually it's also just as difficult as you have to decided North or South). Best thing to do is group the areas you want to focus on.
Usually I aim for Central Manchester (plus Eccles, Trafford Centre, Middleton and Salford) then either North East (Bury / Rochdale / Oldham), North West (Bolton / Wigan / Leigh), South West (Altringham, Wythenshawe, Airport), South East (Stockport, Hyde, Ashton). If you do areas that are close together you can easily link them all up.
Though years ago, it used to be a lot difficult because there was so more choice with vehicles in Manchester, but I mainly focused on Southern Manchester as that was where all the bus wars were.
I'm actually planning a trip to Manchester within the next few months (with Half Pint and Ray Parnaby), prob June time, you of course are welcome to join us. Means you can go to Manchester without worrying about the times of buses / train home. Just a contribution towards fuel. What I'm thinking that we could do is get a Metrolink and Bus day ticket, and try out the vantage.
Thanks for the offer. Get back to me closer to the time when I should know my availability and what funds I have to determine whether I can go.
I was researching places last night but a lack of knowledge and confidence put an end to that, not best in large cities in Manchester, I know some bits of Central Manchester as I've been a few times before for gigs.
(08 Apr 2016, 7:24 am)LeeCalder wrote When I went to Manchester on Monday, it was a case of parking in Rochdale and buying a tram/bus day ticket which allows travel on ALL bus and train services after 0930.
We travelled with Rosso to Bury, First to Bolton and then again First to Leigh.
Once we got to Leigh we used the shambles of a service that was Vantage to Bolton. On the way back it was a simple case of First Bus 135 to Bury then Rosso to Rochdale.
Plenty of opportunity for photos throughout the day for photos, especially with so many high frequency services.
Annoyingly it is a Sunday when I'm doing most of the bus stuff so there is a bit less to see then. My fear and lack of knowledge let me down and I am on my own whilst you had other people on your trip, I am a bit fearful going new places on my own especially suburban areas like Manchester, I'm not so bad with the likes of heading to Penrith or probably the likes of Skipton.