Trip to Life on Mars

Paul R Taylor

September 06, 2007

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Fans at Victoria Baths.

Fans at Victoria Baths. 1/5 Play Slideshow

FANS of drama series Life on Mars took a nostalgic trip back to Manchester in the 1970s.

Fabulous Ford Cortinas, kipper ties and backdrops such as Victoria Baths, the Northern Quarter and Stockport's Stopford House made the show an international hit.

Fifty fanatical fans of the award-winning series came from around the world for a tour of those filming locations. And to learn that Victoria Baths is the secret star of the show - used for a variety of scenes including an Irish community centre, a criminals' hide out, the scene of a chase sequence, and as a mortuary - as seen in a series of on-location photos which have been released for the first time.

The group of devotees travelled from America's west coast, Finland, Germany and across Britain for the event, which was organised by a website run by the fans themselves.

They took in the city's famous landmarks and other various locations around Manchester visited by time-travelling detective Sam Tyler and his brusque boss DCI Gene Hunt.

Welcome

Organiser Janet Goggins, 35, from Blackburn, said: "We've welcomed people from around the world for this trip.

"The show strikes a chord with so many people for different reasons. For me it is a little bit of nostalgia, I grew up in the 70s, but also the great writing, acting, characterisation and story lines.

"It is very well made. Kudos is renowned for its high production values, it makes Spooks and Hustle as well.

"For others it is the cars or the music. The show has brought male audiences back to drama, which is usually very female centric in this country.

"Gene Hunt is my favourite character. Maybe he's misogynistic but he has a good heart and really cares for his team."

The group then embarked on a walking tour around the city before a party in the evening.

Railway

The trip included a trip on the East Lancs Railway through the tunnel from the show's finale and a visit to Brutalist Stopford House council offices. It was the police station in the series and where the group enjoyed a surprise close encounter with DCI Hunt's Cortina.

He'll return in spin-off show Ashes to Ashes, which is set in 1981 London and is currently filming.

The tour was organised by website forum The Railway Arms , named after the pub in the series, which has 2,000 members including actor John Simm (Sam Tyler). The site was created by recent English Literature graduate Nicola Bourne, 21, who is based in Kent and known online as Yayster

Missing the series? Have your say below.

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Tubby Scruff (06/09/2007 at 09:59)

"misogynistic" eh...?

The Catcher, In the Rye (06/09/2007 at 11:42)

The so called Northern Quarter didn't exist in the 1970s. It was called Swan Street, Oldham Street and Tib street. The Manchester of the 1970s sadly disappeared with the concept of the Arndale. Shame - it was a great place.

Mr Manchester (06/09/2007 at 12:53)

The Northern Quarter is an even better place.

Fashion designers, creative agencies, art galleries and quirky retailers are invigorating the area. The area is growing in popularity with bars, restaurants and residential development - it is becoming the new vibrant area to live-work-play among many age groups -- forming a contemporary extension to the core of the city centre.

The Catcher, In the Rye (06/09/2007 at 13:17)

Mr Manchester: you clearly took that direct from a marketing brochure. The 'Northern Quarter' is a mess. The buildings need money spending on them, the businesses there are attracting all sorts of scum and anti-social behaviour.

The fact is that somebody decided to move the centre of Manchester down to Deansgate - away from Piccadilly. The Northern Quarter is a sop. I say demolish it all and let's have some shiney new building like they have elsewhere in the city - but not like the Arndale.

Now, Mr Manchester, see if you can repsond without being personal or patronising. Your views are always interesting but you mustn't use these sites to vent your frustration at not emigrating to New Zealand when you were younger or more talented.

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (06/09/2007 at 14:13)

As someone who moved to the city in the 70s, Manchester back then was a complete mess in comparison to now, rose-tinted glasses notwithstanding. I find the Northern Quarter to be a generally friendly and fascinating place, personally.

Anyway, I'm glad the Railway Arms bunch enjoyed their excursion. It's incredible to think of the effect that Life on Mars had when people travelled from all over the world for the event.

Mr Manchester (06/09/2007 at 15:54)

I wouldn't dream of patronising you, Catcher. But
'more talented' -- please, try to avoid the use of split infinitives in future.

And getting personal? Me? No chance. You shouldn't mock the afflicted but for you I'll make an exception. I wouldn't dream of getting into a battle of wits with you -- I'd never attack an unarmed man.

Damn it, I fell into your trap again! You're just too good for me...

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (07/09/2007 at 08:55)

That's not a split infinitive, Mr Manchester.

The Right to Reply (07/09/2007 at 10:11)

Great programme, from a great era, 1970'S.

The Catcher, In the Rye (07/09/2007 at 11:07)

Yes you did didn't you.

Split infinitives: "... most experts on language now agree that the split infinitive is sometimes appropriate. Those who use it consciously may see it as a form of hyperbaton, and some major poets have employed this to good effect". [Wikipedia].

It would seem that only clever dick pedants like yourself continue to feel that split infinitives are something with which they will not put.

Do you ever post anything worth reading or do you just troll round making yourself feel better by demonstrating your rather aged grasp of English as she was once once used.

The Catcher, In the Rye (07/09/2007 at 12:19)

Mr Manchester: you wrote "I wouldn't dream of patronising you, Catcher. But 'more talented' -- please, try to avoid the use of split infinitives in future".

When I went to grammar school, starting a sentence with a common conjunction was a no no. Clearly, your knowledge of English isn't as hot as you think. Still, perhaps you work with thickos, in the Country of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King.

Mr Angry, Bury (07/09/2007 at 12:54)

I loved the city in the 70's it was a great era to be a teenager (I was born in 1960) Sadly, I think that ever since it has got less and less interesting. The only effect that all this development has had is to push up prices, drive out local communities and generally turn the place into an increasingly bland and faceless glassy dullness. Most of the new development since the IRA bomb in 96 is very ugly (with the exception of the improved Arndale) The ugliest building in the entire world is the PC world on the corner of Great Ancoats Street and Ashton Old or New Road, cant remember which. It looks like something that a six year old would make out of a construction kit that he can't do properly and just sticks bits on any old how. DEMOLISH IT IMMEDIATELY. In general i feel that regeneration projests are just gravy trains for property developers and local authorities and always put me in mind of the T Dan Smith/John Poulson case in the late 60's

Mr Manchester (07/09/2007 at 13:54)

Catcher: angry - tick, flustered - tick; frothing at the mouth - tick tick.

Happy days, a perfect weekend beckons. Have a good 'un!

Mr Manchester (07/09/2007 at 14:04)

Psst, Catcher: do try and adopt single quotation marks for UK spelling and punctuation (double quotations are primarily US).

Tsk, the folly of grammar schools eh?

marc (07/09/2007 at 14:46)

i really hope they don't mess it up with the second series. i love this show.

ps - The Catcher and Mr M are in luuuuurve ;)

ace, manchester (07/09/2007 at 17:49)

The problem with modern buildings are they go out of fashion so quickly.Within a few years, not like the older victorian buildings that looked quite good 80 years after they were built.What is that monster on pin mill brow "PC world" going to look like in five years time? it looks like somebody didnt have a spirit level when they built it...modern buildings have obsolescent built into them.They have a life of ten years or less .no way to build a stable future.when things change so quickly.

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