A huge rail sale has gone live with thousands of train journeys around the UK slashed in price by up to 50%.
Almost all UK train operators are taking part in the sale, which falls around the 200th anniversary of UK Rail.
There are more discounted tickets available than ever before, from short jaunts to neighbouring cities like Leeds and Sheffield to further-flung trips like Edinburgh and London.
It’s hoped that this huge rail sale will encourage more people to travel by train, and comes as the Government continues its overhaul of the railways.
Millions of train tickets are available at half the price, between 14 January and 20 January.
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The sale applies to select advance and off-peak fares on travel between 17 January and 31 March 2025.
These offers won’t last long, and only apply to a limited number of tickets, so you’ll want to move fast to snap up a bargain.
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It’s reported that last year’s rail sale saved passengers £5.8 million in total.
Secretary of State, Heidi Alexander, said: “I’m launching the biggest ever rail sale so more passengers can get big discounts on train tickets to visit destinations across the country.
“Whether you’re planning a getaway or wanting to visit friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions on all sorts of journeys.
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Train tickets slashed by up to 50% in huge Rail Sale across the UK. Credit: Unsplash, Fraser Cottrell
“Make the most of this sale, get your tickets while you can!”
The 2025 rail sale comes on the 200th anniversary of the first steam-powered passenger train with celebrations expected throughout the year as part of Railway 200.
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said: “This year, as we celebrate 200 years of railways in the UK, we’re reminded that rail travel is about much more than simply getting from A to B – it’s about bringing people, communities and opportunities together.
“Over 2 centuries, rail has become a vital part of the UK, shaping the economy and lives of millions.
“The year’s rail sale will offer over 2 million discounted advance fares starting on 14 January 2025, which is a great way to save on your travel and celebrate 200 years of railway connections.”
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Next step – making that train between Manchester and London a bit more affordable every day of the year…
7 serene spas in the North West where you can swim, soak, and switch off
Daisy Jackson
Whether you’re planning a romantic overnight escape, a catch-up with friends, or simply craving a few hours of uninterrupted peace, the North West is home to some of the UK’s most impressive spas.
From sprawling countryside retreats with outdoor thermal gardens and swim-up bars, to stylish city sanctuaries hidden in the heart of Manchester, there’s a spa to suit every kind of relaxation.
We’ve rounded up some of the very best spas across the North West and just beyond, each offering something a little different, whether that’s lakeside hot tubs, award-winning wellness facilities, luxurious spa suites, or unique experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
So switch your phone to silent, grab your robe, and prepare to discover the spa breaks that are truly worth checking into.
1. Manor House
The new ‘secret garden’ pool at Manor HouseCosy relaxation pods at Manor House, a top North West spa
If you like your wellness with a side of whimsy, Manor House is the spa break you need to get on your wishlist.
This beautiful garden spa is like a maze of flowers and hedges that hide all sorts of hot tubs, saunas, swimming pools (and TWO swim-up bars), relaxation pods, steam rooms, and more.
There’s a cold plunge pool with spring flowers wrapped around it, a lawn for sunbathing if you’re lucky, and a traditional Finnish sauna overlooking it all, plus a sunken, circular hydrotherapy pool, a cosy summer house with noise-cancelling headphones you can plug in to, a gently heated panoramic laconium, hammocks, squishy sunbeds, swing seats, and so much more.
There’s even a new sauna that looks like a potting shed, so you can sit like a content little garden gnome while all your worries and tensions melt away.
Spa visits from £79, overnight packages from £279 – find out more HERE.
2. Carden Park, Cheshire
The indoor pool at Carden Park looks out over the spa gardensCarden Park’s award-winning North West spa garden
A heated outdoor pool, thermal pods, hot tubs, saunas, an all-weather champagne bar, fire pit, indoor pool, treatment rooms, relaxation rooms, Finnish sauna, bio sauna, salt steam room, aroma steam room, two restaurants, bars, golf, sculpture park, tennis courts, lake deep breath…
That’s just a taster of all the facilities on offer at Carden Park, a spa hotel in Cheshire that’s been named the best in the UK at the AA awards.
The rooms within the hotel have undergone a refurb in recent years and are now just as beautiful as those award-winning spa facilities, while the on-site restaurant The Vines has scooped a third AA Rosette.
Spa experiences start from £89 per person, with overnight packages from £170. See more HERE.
3. Ye Olde Bell Hotel & Spa, Nottinghamshire
Ye Olde Bell’s amazing mineral coal saunaThe outdoor pool at Ye Olde Bell spa
This gorgeous spa hotel has an amazing indoor-outdoor pool, with loads of massage jets and other features to relax with, plus heated outdoor loungers, different saunas and steam rooms, foot spas, and more.
At Ye Olde Bell, can even experience every season inside, with an artificial snowstorm to cool down after a sauna session, and an indoor beach to relax on.
A highlight is the medieval-looking stone bath, where mineral coals are lowered into a water bath by a mechanised iron bucket, releasing bursts of steam, and there’s a wooden fan you crank yourself to push the heat back down.
The rooms vary from traditional countryside hotel rooms to cosy lodges.
Spa days start from £90, while spa breaks with an overnight stay begin at £160. See more HERE.
4. The Gilpin, Lake District
A private hot tub at The Gilpin spa suitesA different hydrotherapy pool at The Lake House at The Gilpin
This Lake District spa hotel is pretty special, with a couple of spa options to suit every taste.
Up at the main hotel, you could book yourself a stay in one of the luxurious and modern spa suites, which come with their own sauna, steam room, treatment space, hot tub, and rainfall showers INSIDE your suite, as well as a private hot tub on the decking outside.
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Or you can head down to the fairytale lakeside setting of The Lake House, where wood-fired hot tubs sit on the waterside and have beautiful views down the valley.
You can read more about a stay at The Gilpin HERE.
The spa at King Street Townhouse in ManchesterThe spa at King Street Townhouse in Manchester
It’s hard to believe this serene spa is right in the heart of Manchester city centre, tucked down just metres from the rat race.
King Street Townhouse’s exceptional spa is the perfect place to relax and unwind, with facilities like a steam room, sauna and relaxation room, plus plenty of treatment options.
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There’s a menu of exclusive ESPA treatments have been designed to ‘melt away stress and restore your glow’.
Some packages even include a scoop of ice cream after your massage, which is a nice touch.
Spa visits start from £100, – there are also memberships available. Click HERE to find out more.
6. Moddershall Oaks, Staffordshire
Moddershall Oaks spa. Credit: Supplied
A little further afield but worth the drive for the big relax at the end of it, Moddershall Oaks is a luxury country retreat with first-class indoor and outdoor spa facilities.
Spa treatments take place in the cosy former farmhouse, while the spa itself is surrounded by woodland and centred around a 25 sq metre heated outdoor pool.
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The outdoor spa also includes a relaxation lounge, kelo sauna, drench bucket and a private spa pool, while inside you’ll find an indoor swimming pool, a steam room, a hydrotherapy pool, an experience shower, and reflexology footbaths.
There’s even a sleep lounge where you devices are banned, so you can proper switch off and have a snooze.
There are loads of spa packages available starting from £120, plus overnights from £260. See more HERE.
On arrival, the theme of Mottram Hall is grand – you drive past 270 acres of landscaped gardens, check in inside the Grade II-listed manor house, then head across to the luxurious £15m Champneys spa.
The spa facilities at Mottram Hall include a 20 metre swimming pool, a hydropool, thermal suites, and a cold room, plus an outdoor hydropool so you can soak beneath the stars or in the sunshine.
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And if you like a more comprehensive wellness day, they’ve got a fantastic gym, a golf course, and a padel court too.
Spa visits start from £59; spa breaks with an overnight stay and meals from £220 per person.
Trams to be suspended as tracks are replaced on a section of one of the world’s busiest light-rail routes
Emily Sergeant
Trams are set to be suspended this month as work to replace the tracks on a section of one of the busiest light-rail routes is carried out.
As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way this month, essential track replacement work is set to be be carried out in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come, and this includes a section of track which is considered to be one of the busiest light-rail routes in the world.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that it will replace around 1.6km of track – some parts of which are more than 30 years old – at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, as well as working on a separate section on the Eccles line at the same time.
The track between Trafford Bar and St Peter’s Square, in particular, is one of the busiest sections of light-rail in the world, as one tram passes through every 30 seconds for 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
As the nature of the work required where the Eccles and Altrincham lines meet at Cornbrook is considered to be so ‘complex’, it will be the first time a type of specialist lifting equipment has been used in the UK.
Tracks are set to be replaced on a section of one of the world’s busiest light-rail routes / Credit: The Manc Group | TfGM
More than 3,000 tonnes of new rail and 800 new concrete sleepers will be fitted as part of the scheme, with a team of 70 engineers working across three sites throughout the summer to get the work done as ‘quickly and efficiently’ as possible.
Once installed, the track will be carefully adjusted and tested to ensure it meets strict safety standards and trams travel smoothly and efficiently along it.
While the work is being done, no trams will run on the Eccles, Trafford Centre, and Altrincham lines.
Services on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood, while services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
As is to be expected, there will be some disruption on the affected lines – with replacement buses due to run between each required stop, accompanied by special event bus services running for the cricket at Old Trafford on 26 and 31 July.
“The work at Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield is taking place on one of the busiest stretches of tram track in the country,” explained Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM. “Some sections are more than 30 years old, with 40-tonne trams running every 30 seconds at peak times – that level wear and tear takes its toll, which is why this work is so important.
“It’s one of the most complex parts of the network to access, requiring a carefully planned approach to carry out the work safely and efficiently.
“We’re sorry for the disruption. We know it can be annoying, and while these essential upgrades take place we will do everything we can to keep people moving.”
Normal services are due to resume from Monday 3 August, but until then, everything you need to know is on the Bee Network website here.
Daisy Jackson -
14th January 2025 
