There was the time when Victoria station was one of the most important in Manchester – along with the Great Northern Railway in Deansgate. It was opened in 1844 and named Victoria after Her Majesty’s permission. The Great Northern now houses an entertainment complex, and Victoria’s wacky glamour consists of the “remains of the day”: an impressive (if somewhat obscure) war memorial, ticket offices, the Victoria Good Life shop (which seems to be shut), a cafe and a bar under the roof of the former bookstall, and tiled and rather dim interior. The elaborate green canopy lists the names of popular 19th century destinations, including Blackpool, London, and even Belgium.

The station is very similar to the station that used to exist in Blackpool. Sadly, the memories of the bygone days haunt the room of disrepair and decline. This especially comes to the fore when a certain art teacher brings the children therefore an open lesson in drawing! There are 6 platforms in the station, and these days Victoria is connected with the MEN Arena: you can get to the Arena either from within the station, by following the stairs, or from the street. Like Piccadilly, Victoria is a stop on the metrolink route, no. 2 bus goes past it towards Shudehill or Deansgate, and the station is served by a small taxi rank. There are only two traffic lines, so on certain days or at certain hours the Station Approach gets extremely busy. One thing is for sure; the station is an incredibly important facility in the city of Manchester.