Newport Peterborough 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 the county of Cambridgeshire in the east of England, the city of Peterborough is around 70 miles to the north of London. The city is surrounded by vast clay deposits which enabled it to become a mass producer of bricks for much of the 20th century. Brick making had been a local craft since the early 19th century but during the 1890's, following successful experimentation with harder clays, a more efficient process emerged which further enhanced the region's brick making trade.

The River Nene, made navigable from the port at Wisbech to Northampton by 1761, passes through the city centre and a green viaduct carries the railway over the river. It was built in 1847 by Lewis Cubitt, who was more famous for his bridges in Australia, India and South America.

The Peterborough Millennium Green Wheel is a 50-mile network of cycleways, footpaths and bridleways which provide safe routes around the city with radiating spokes connecting to the city centre. The project has also created a sculpture trail, which provides functional, landscape artworks along the Green Wheel route and a Living Landmarks project involving the local community in the creation of local landscape features such as mini woodlands, ponds and hedgerows.