Worcester Preston Train

With Birmingham to the north and Gloucester to the south, the city of Worcester is located in the West Midlands of England. The picturesque city is dominated by its cathedral and by the River Severn that runs though it. The city hosts a number of cultural events each year. The Worcester Festival celebrates a variety of music, theatre and cinema and is held every August. The festival concludes with a firework display on the banks of the River Severn on the Monday of the August Bank Holiday weekend. Now in its 4th year the city also hosts the Worcester Music Festival which includes original music performed mainly by local bands and artists. Performances are free and are held in the many bars, clubs and community buildings in the city, including churches. Another recently formed event is the Worcester Film Festival that was founded in 2012. The festival is focused on placing Worcestershire on the film-making map and encourages local people to get involved in film making. Finally, there is the Victorian themed Christmas Fayre which attracts many visitors each year.

Composer Sir Edward Elgar's father ran a music shop at the end of High Street and a statue of Sir Edward Elgar stands near the original location of that shop. His birthplace is a short way outside Worcester in the village of Broadheath.

Located in the county of Lancashire in the north west of England, the city of Preston was historically a major port and industrial centre. Modern day Preston is a major centre of the British defence aerospace industry with BAE Systems, the UK's principal military aircraft design, development and manufacture supplier, having its Military Aircraft headquarters located in nearby Warton. The former Preston Port, known as Riversway or The Docks, has been the site of an expanding commercial and residential complex since 1988. The Marina, just north of the River Ribble which enters into the east of the Irish Sea, has its own chandlery and coffee shop, training courses and boat sales.

Preston is served by many national bus services. Stagecoach Express, National Express, Eurolines, and Megabus all have a large presence at Preston Bus Station. The Guild Wheel is a public footpath and cycle route, created in 2012 in celebration of the Preston Guild. It is 21 miles in length, and encircles Preston, linking the city to the countryside and surrounding villages.

Preston North End Football Club were one of the founder members of the Football League and the first team to be crowned English football champions. They play at Deepdale Football Ground which was also the original site of the National Football Museum.