Andrew Simpson: Travels with Timmy Tram and the talking guide book

11’o clock on a sunny morning bound for town on the Cornbrook tram can be a mundane journey.

The towering new residential blocks by Knott Mill, 2024

If you have done it enough times, you can plot the scenery, from the new high-rise developments, to the glimpses of the canal, and watch for the towering new residential blocks by Knott Mill.

But today was different, because as the tram closed in on Castlefield, the driver drew our attention to the new garden in the sky, directing our gaze to the rusty lattice work of metal which was once part of the railway viaduct describing where we could gain access and just what we might see, adding that there were plans to extend it.*

The rusty lattice work of metal, 2024

And then once passed the garden, he explained that after leaving Deansgate Castlefield, we would slow down to accommodate the ramp from railway to road but would have fine views of the historic buildings on either side.

At which point I turned to the woman next to me and expressed the thought that perhaps I wouldn’t alight at St Peter’s Square but travel on in expectation that the talking guidebook would offer up more stories of the route all the way to Victoria and beyond.

Yellow Cornbrook, 2024

Alas he was silent and at Exchange I chose to leave.

Queues form at Cornbrook for the talking tram guidebook, 2024

But I rather think we may be onto something here.

Already Peter Topping and I have begun to think that our new series of books which collectively are entitled “The History of Great Manchester By Tram, The Stories at the Stops” could be enhanced by audio links activated at each stop via your phone connected to our books.**

There is more but I am bound at this stage to keep the plans secret.

Still the first book, Trafford Bar to East Didsbury is in the bookshops and the second following the tram from Cornbrook to Exchange Square is almost ready.

Leaving Cornbrook for town, 2024

Eventually the series will span the entire network, following all eight routes and all 99 stops with stories from me, heaps of old photographs and a collection of original paintings by Peter, which together will make a unique history of Greater Manchester

And like all our books it is designed to be walked, and so with book in hand you can leave the tram at each stop and explore the further reaches of each destination.

It is available from Chorlton Bookshop, and from us at www.pubbooks.co.uk, price £4.99

Leaving me just to say it really did happen and thank you to the unknown driver who lifted the collective feelings of his passengers.