Wolverhampton Swansea Train

Wolverhampton is a city located in the West Midlands in England and lies to the north west of Birmingham. Also, to the north and east lies the countryside of Staffordshire and Shropshire. The city itself lies on the Midlands Plateau and at 120m above sea level it is the highest city centre in the UK. Unusually, there are no rivers within the city although several rivers rise in the city: the rivers Tame and Penk.

The city grew as a market town which focused on the woollen trade. Following the Industrial Revolution the city became a major industrial centre with coal mining, limestone mining and iron ore mining along with steel, locks, motorcycles and car production. Modern day Wolverhampton has retained some of its engineering heritage, including a large aerospace industry, and also in the service sector.

The city has a number of venues, museums and other public buildings that all lend to its cultural offering to visitors. The Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton's largest theatre which opened in 1894 and has featured the actors Charlie Chaplin and Sean Connery. It was also used by Winston Churchill. The Arena Theatre, which is part of the University of Wolverhampton, is the city's second largest theatre and hosts both amateur and professional performances.

The city of Swansea, located in South Wales, has a sweeping waterfront that leads to Mumbles and then on to the beautiful Gower Peninsular. Visitors to the city will find many attractions ranging from galleries and museums, waterparks and beautiful countryside. The City Centre is a vibrant hub with over 230 shops and a fabulous market that’s home to all sorts of local delicacies. There are loads of places to visit including the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea Museum and the National Waterfront Museum to name but a few. One of Swansea’s museums is Wales’ newest and the other is Wales’ oldest – Dylan Thomas even described it as a “museum that belongs in a museum.” For outdoor activities why not explore some of Swansea’s many parks and gardens – 5 of them (Clyne Gardens, Singleton Botanical Gardens, Victoria Park, Cwmdonkin Park and Brynmill Park) have a Green Flag Award and are great places to go with the family. Venturing slightly further afield, take a trip to Mumbles If you feel the urge for a bit of retail therapy. There is a range of high end shops, independent boutiques and quirky galleries, you can really spoil yourself when you visit Mumbles. You will find everything from designer labels, handmade crafts or surfing gear.