Newport Manchester Train

Newport, in Gwent, is a cathedral city in south east Wales. The city lies on the River Usk close to its confluence with the Severn estuary and is roughly 10 miles to the east of Cardiff, Wales' capital city. Newport has been a port since medieval times when its castle was built by the Normans. The city grew rapidly when the port began to play an important role in exports of coal that had been mined in the eastern valleys of South Wales. Newport remained the largest coal exporting port until Cardiff took over in the 1850's.

Newport's main shopping area is the pedestrianised streets of the city centre which include the High Street, Newport Arcade, Market Arcade, Commercial Street, Skinner Street, Bridge Street, Upper Dock Street, Market Street and John Frost Square. There is also the Kingsway Shopping Centre which is an indoor shopping mall.

Newport Transporter Bridge is one of the few remaining working bridges of its type in the world and featured in the film Tiger Bay. Visitors can travel on the suspended cradle most days and can walk over the top of the steel framework on bank holidays. The only other British example is Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge. Open days are occasionally held to view the renovation of the historically important Newport Ship.

Located in north west England, the city of Manchester lies at the heart of Greater Manchester. Unofficially referred to sometimes as "The Capital of the North", the city is known for its influence on industry and music along with its globally recognised sporting connections. It is home to the UK's second largest airport outside London and is also the England's second most visited city by overseas visitors after London.

Manchester is a very mixed city. Many races and religions have communities in the city and it has a long history of being more tolerant than most cities to people of any background. Manchester's Chinatown around George Street and Faulkner Street has been a feature of Manchester since the late 1970s. Many karaoke bars and restaurants have opened in this district providing late night entertainment for all. You will find people on the streets of Chinatown speaking Chinese to each other and most of the signs are bilingual. It is home to many of Manchester's east-asian restaurants as well as many traders in Chinese food and goods.

The Village, also known as the Gay Village, has built up around Canal Street out of the many cotton warehouses in the area. Many of the city's most famous bars and clubs are to be found here, most of which are as popular with heterosexual party-animals as they are with the gay crowd, mainly due to their very late opening hours (5am or later) and friendly carefree atmosphere.