If you’re looking to make some unique and lasting memories with the kids this summer, you probably can’t get much better than this.
Back by popular demand, iconic heritage railway service the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has announced that everyone’s favourite blue engine, Thomas the Tank Engine, will return to its tracks in just a couple of months time.
The Day Out With Thomas experience is back for four dates in August and October.
Billed as “a train ride like no other”, families will be able to hop on board the replica of the cult-classic blue train character for a 45-minute round trip through Burrs Country Park and Summerseat in Bury.
The journey begins at Bury Train Staion, where guests will be greeted by The Fat Controller, before Thomas makes a final stop at the beautiful Ramsbottom station.
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That’s not all though, as the Day Out With Thomas experience also continues offboard too, with performances from Sodor’s cheeky station sweepers Rusty and Dusty at Bury Transport Museum, as well as Thomas-themed activities in the ‘Imagination Station’, and other socially-distanced entertainment events, such as magic shows and more.
Speaking ahead of Thomas’ return this summer, Mike Kelly – Chairman of East Lancashire Railway – said: “It’s an understatement to say we are more than delighted that Thomas & Friends will be returning to the ELR in August and October.
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“I remember sitting down with my children and now grandchildren to read Thomas & Friends stories and watch them on TV, as Thomas the Tank Engine is such an iconic and much-loved childhood character – for both children and their parents alike, so Thomas’ return always brings so much joy to visitors of all ages and our volunteers who can get involved.
“After more than a year of lockdowns, we’re really pleased to be able to offer young people and their families a unique experience they can enjoy together.”
Mr Kelly also assured that “safety measures are firmly in place” to allow visitors a “grand day out with peace of mind”.
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East Lancashire Railway has proudly been awarded a ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard and consumer mark by VisitBritain, with qualifying businesses must having demonstrated that they are adhering to the respective government and public health guidance, have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment, and have all required processes in place.
Day Out With Thomas will take place on Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 August, before returning to ELR in October.
Kings of Leon at Co-op Live – tickets, support acts, stage times, setlist and more
Danny Jones
Another big name rocks up for another big night at the Co-op Live arena this week as Kings of Leon’s latest tour brings them to Manchester on Wednesday, 10 July.
The Tennessee band have long felt like the underdogs of the alternative, indie and Southern rock scene, especially back in their early days when few artists straddled all those genres at the same time, but now they’re probably one of the best-known bands on the planet, and rightly so.
Don’t get us wrong, we all know these lads have had some massive tunes over the years (none bigger than that one, of course) not to mention so many huge festival and arena notches on their belt, but it never feels like they quite get the legendary status that many fans feel they deserve – us included.
Co-op Live certainly seem to get it, anyway, as you don’t secure a spot at the biggest indoor entertainment venue in Europe without being a big-name act and with thousands set to pour into the arena, here’s everything you need to know about Kings of Leon’s massive Manchester gig.
Are there tickets left for Kings of Leon in Manchester?
Now, if you were looking to grab a last-minute ticket to see Kings of Leon in Manchester, you’re in luck because there just so happens to be a few spots left and they’re in the best bit: standing.
Yes, while the Co-op Live seating has all been taken up, if your knees are still working/you prefer to be in the mixer anyway, there are standing KoL tickets still up for grabs.
Naturally, with a concert of this size, they’re not the cheapest; general admission will set you back £79.70 including fees if you want to snap them up, but we’d be quick about it as they won’t last long. You can grab yours HERE.
Support acts
If you’ve already sorted a ticket, you’re getting pretty good bang for your buck too; when you’re a name as big as Kings of Leon, you can command some serious pull when it comes to who you want to support you on tour.
For the Can We Please Have Fun tour, for instance, Manchester will be treated to fellow indie veterans The Vaccines, known for hits like ‘If You Wanna’, ‘Norgaard’, ‘Wetsuit’, ‘Wreckin’ Bar’ and many more.
The kings might have another decade on these lads in terms of staying power but The Vaccines still sell out big venues all over the UK and Europe in their own right (plus they literally just smashed Glasto), so we’re buzzing that they’ll be sharing the stage with the Nashville veterans on the same night.
Now, speaking of the stage, we can only give you a rough idea of the set times given that the final details haven’t been fully confirmed yet, but if you’re a regular gig-goer we’re sure you can have a pretty good guess and what the running order looks like.
As per the Co-op Live’s schedule, doors are set to open from 6:30pm with the show set to start at 7:30pm, meaning you’ll likely have an hour of Vaccines tunes to enjoy and then a 30-minute break for you to go and get another drink or a snack, nip to the loo, grab some merch and so on.
We’re expecting Kings of Leon to take the stage in Manchester at around 9pm and since the arena’s curfew is 11pm, you can expect a two-hour show or a running time very close to that at least.
The Can We Please Have Fun tour setlist
As for what you’ll be hearing, while we’ve seen some variation in the Kings of Leon’s 2024 setlist in Europe thus far, it is pretty consistent throughout for the majority, so we shouldn’t be too far off here.
The one trend we have noticed is that the four-piece sometimes switches up their opener, with ‘Set It Off’ and new track ‘Rainbow Ball’ having both been in the mix but, by and large, they mostly stick with the first track on their ninth studio album, ‘Ballerina Radio’.
Here’s how the rest of it looks judging by their most recent shows in the UK and according to Setlist.fm:
How to get to Co-op Live – travel info, parking etc.
Tram
Now, as for how you’ll get to shows at Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
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Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
If you want to take another new and improved arm of Manchester’s public transport system, not only is there a whole host of routes that drop you off close to the venue.
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
A nice bonus to make life easier for those heading to Kings of Leon in Manchester this week.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
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Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly. Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the boke all through an easy-to-use app.
There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road. For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park – historic beauty spot to be transformed into garden paradise
Daisy Jackson
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will return later this month, transforming the historic estate into a paradise for gardeners, horticulturalists and people who enjoy a great summer’s day out.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the show will include unique gardens where you can get heaps of inspiration, flowers galore, talks and tips from experts, activities for children, great boutique shopping, an array of street food and loads more.
Already one of the most beautiful locations in the North West, Tatton Park will be bursting with colour and life for the RHS Flower Show.
Perfect for already-keen gardeners, people who are just getting started on their horticultural journey, or those who just want one of the most stunning summer days out in the region, there’ll be loads happening between 17 and 21 July.
Visitors can partake in activities like flower arranging workshops, as well as enjoying live entertainment, great food, and loads more.
Special gardens this year will include My Name’5 Doddie, designed by Pip Probert, which will honour the late Doddie Weir and raise viral awareness for MND.
The garden will incorporate the colours of the player’s own private tartan, sculptures representing players in a line out, rugby goal posts and a water feature based on the tartan flower brooch used by the charity.
New for this year will be the RHS Career Changer of the Year, a category at the flower show that will celebrate those who’ve found a new path in horticulture.
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is back for 2024
Last year’s Best Show Garden winners Carolyn Hardern and Jon Jarvis will be back this summer with The 1804 Garden, continuing their campaign to support construction workers, this time focusing on how a garden can be designed to mitigate against the risks of melanoma caused by excessive sun exposure.
There’ll be a little taste of the Andes via the Peak District at RHS Tatton Park too, as Tom Saunders showcases The Orchid Garden in the Terrace Gardens, inspired by his travels to South America.
Sophie Godber’s Big Picture Garden highlights conscious consumerism, using objects sourced from a 19th century farmstead to demonstrate how building a new garden doesn’t need to cost the earth.
Meanwhile Hilary Newhall’s The Secret Garden: For Us, By Us raises awareness of autistic adults and the challenges they encounter.
The beautiful Long Borders will return, offering smaller spaces for designers and gardeners of any experience to show off their talents.
One such garden will be Barbie Says, ‘Women Can Be Anything They Want.’ (On the Shoulders of Giants), which will build on themes of women being given the right to vote and is filled with flowers that share girls’ names.
A couple celebrate their anniversary relaxing by the Woodland Stage band stand at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2019.Visitors shopping on trade stands at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2022.Visitors pose for photos with the floral RHS letters at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show 2021.Visitors look at the Young Designer ‘On Tropic’ Garden with fans in the hot weather at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show. Young Designer Garden, 361.
Other themes touched upon include the Cheshire rail network, LGBTQ+ rights, the Manchester skyline and an edible family garden.
Sarah Poll, RHS Head of Shows Development, said: “What a fantastic line-up for the 25th anniversary of the wonderful RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.
“From gardens addressing illnesses such as MND to sustainability, arts and crafts, orchids and even Barbie – we’re delighted to showcase the best of cutting-edge design and thought provoking gardens.
“We’ve also got a superb range of food and drinks, live entertainment and shopping opportunities so everyone, young or old, families or individuals can come and enjoy a great day out.”
The next time that RHS Flower Show Tatton Park will be on the site will be in 2027, as part of a roster of changes to the show’s schedule announced by the RHS earlier this year – so you really don’t want to miss this one.
The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park is taking place between 17 and 21 July 2024. You can book your tickets here.