Viral train enthusiast and internet personality turned Gucci model, Channel 4 and now one-time Metrolink driver, Francis Bourgeois, was given the honour of driving a tram through Manchester city centre this past week.
Teaming up with the Bee Network as Greater Manchester’s brilliant public transport network continues to reinvigorate itself and better connect locals across all 10 boroughs, Francis Bourgeois decided to swap railways with tramlines for a change and help operate a real-life Manc route.
After a day out in the city, exploring Manchester and driving trams at the depot with Transport for Greater Manchester, Bourgeois got a feel for the driver’s seat before pulling into Victoria Station on the Bee Network tram to see none other than his mate Niall Horan at the AO Arena.
The Bee Network is genuinely the easiest way for most Mancs to get to the AO for any gig or event as the Victoria, Rochdale, Bury and Shaw lines pull right into the station.
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From there, guests and gig-goers have to walk no more than a few metres up the stairs into the integrated arena entrance. It literally could not be easier and it’s also the most environmentally friendly way of travelling.
As a cultural landmark here in 0161, the Bee Network and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) are buzzing to be strengthening their partnership with the AO Arena more than ever this year.
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Better still, we are absolutely here for cool little collaborations like this — especially when it means we get to bump into people such as Francis out in the wild, who we also got to see on our way to see Niall Horan ourselves.
It was only a matter of time before we saw Francis Bourgeois in control of some kind of locomotive, we’re just glad it ended up being a Manchester tram.
As the unofficial train guy of the internet (rivalled only by Bob Mortimer’s funny online character, maybe), we couldn’t think of a better person to help big up the Bee Network.
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As part of our trip to see the ‘Slow Hands’ singer, we also went to try out the AO Arena’s brand-new on-site bar and restaurant, The Mezz, and wow were we impressed.
Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork
Daisy Jackson
Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.
The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.
Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.
He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.
The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”
In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.
This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”
Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…
“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”
Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”
Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”
Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”
Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Danny Jones -
11th March 2024 
