Fine dining and finesse are in abundance on our flagship dining experience, combining first-class food with superior service.

£58.00 per head for 2021 - Adult only

The prices shown above include the meal (includes VAT) + train fare (no VAT payable)

 Relish and savour some of the original tastes of Spain. Asombrosa!

What’s Included?

    A beautiful 2 and ¾ hour steam train ride through the Irwell Valley
    A four course meal followed by tea or coffee and after dinner chocolates

 The Italian Night departs Bury Bolton Street Station at 7:30pm and return at approximately 10:15pm.

Put your taste buds to the test with an evening of wine tasting, served alongside a fine four course menu on board our beautiful Pullman style dining carriages.

£79.50 per head for 2021 - Adults only

The prices shown above include the meal (includes VAT) + train fare (no VAT payable)

What’s included?

    A beautiful 3 hour steam train ride through the Irwell Valley
    An expert led wine tasting evening with Kwoff Wines
    A four course meal with wine followed by tea or coffee after dinner mints

Wine Tasting Dinners run on selected Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year. The evening starts at Bury Bolton Street Station at 7:30pm and finishes at approximately 10:15pm.

From the celebrated team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger comes this artistic masterpiece. Roger Livesey brilliantly portrays a British officer, Clive Candy, through the trials and tribulations of three wars, three loves and a lifelong friendship across enemy lines. Starring Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr and Anton Wallbrook.

COURT AND SPARK – the Joni Mitchell Songbook will take you on a musical journey that will probably mirror your own journey through life, from Ladies of the Canyon, Clouds, For the Roses, Blue and Court and Spark, to the cool, evocative sounds of Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Mingus and Turbulent Indigo.

Doors: 19:30
No support
First set: 20:00 - 21:00
20 min interval
Second set: 21:20 - 22:20

Take This Test (to find out if you’re a good person)
 
So, you give to charity, you lent your friend quite a lot of money and you always smile at passers-by, but are you a good person, deep down?
 
Our moderator Clare is almost certain that you are, and she’s ready to guide you through this online experience, which will (fingers-crossed) give you a certificate to prove it! She’s sure you’ll find it a fun and rewarding experience, whether you’re on your own, or with a few close friends or colleagues.
 
Featuring candid testimony and confessions from people across the country, you’ll need your moral compass engaged to separate what’s OK and what’s…well…not.
 
Take This Test is a new interactive digital piece from TalkShow which starts by prodding at the absurdity of personality tests, from Buzzfeed-style clickbait to psychometrics, before taking us somewhere else entirely, all to explore our sense of morality, and if anything can really be described as good, or bad.

To take part you will need a laptop or desktop connected to the internet.

Under expert tuition you’ll be given an introduction to our Class 31 diesel locomotive and safety briefing before taking to the loco to learn the skills involved.  Then, you’ll take the controls and drive the locomotive yourself, hauling a rake of passenger coaches.  You’ll also act as secondman on one of the journeys.

Light refreshments will be provided.

At the end of your time with us you’ll receive a commemorative certificate and gift pack of information about the railway.  You’ll also receive a year’s membership to the Avon Valley Railway.

Please note, this is a half day experience.

Saturday 9 October, 6pm
Central Library

‘How did we get here? Where might we go?’ Is the future ‘a screen onto which we project our fantasies and terrors’? What can the past tell us about the future? Are we all doomed? And what’s gender got to do with it? Jeanette Winterson’s latest book 12 Bytes considers our relationship with AI, how it might develop and what we need to know. In Notes from an Apocalypse Mark O’Connell (To Be a Machine) spends time with preppers, rewilders and people who want to colonise Mars. Join us for what’s sure to be a fascinating discussion about what humanity might do next. Jeanette is the author of 10 novels for adults, as well as children’s books, screenplays and non-fiction, including the bestselling memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Mark’s first book To Be a Machine won the Wellcome Book Prize in 2018. Presented in partnership with Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester and hosted by writer Kate Feld.
 

Tickets £12/£10


Advance tickets for this event are now available for MLF Get Closer Members to buy. Memberships start at £20 per year - for full details of membership benefits and buying options click HERE.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 3 September at 10am.

This live show will celebrate 100 episodes of Rick’s podcast, ‘The Rick Shiels Golf Show’, and will be a chance for the audience to engage with the show, ask questions and watch all the usually features live! The show will include popular segments such as Dear Rick, Nightmare Golf Shot, Stupid Golf Rules, Change My Mind and much more, alongside conversations with special guests still to be announced.

Launching in November 2019, The Rick Shiels Golf Show Podcast is delivered every Tuesday across Apple, Amazon and Spotify, and has quickly amassed a loyal, international following. This is the podcast for golfers, without being too ‘golfy’… If you’ve come for in-depth analysis of the PGA Tour and the latest strokes gained stats, you’re in the wrong place! This is the chat you have with your mates at the golf club. It touches on some of the game’s most topical points (World Handicap System, new club releases, etc.) while also questioning what the best high street pizza chain is.

Hosted by the world’s most-watched golf creator, PGA Professional Rick Shiels, and producer Guy Charnock, The Rick Shiels Golf Show Podcast is the leading golf podcast in 20 Countries.

Since launching in 2011, Rick Shiels has become one of the most recognized faces in golf broadcast, reaching a global audience on a daily basis. A PGA Golf Professional from the North West of England, Rick launched a YouTube channel in 2011 whilst coaching at Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester. It didn’t take long for the channel to take off and before long Rick was splitting his time between coaching and making videos! 

In 2019 Rick became the world’s most subscribed and most watched golf YouTube channel, and in Summer 2020 became the first golf focused channel to surpass the 1 million subscriber milestone. The continued growth, as well as unrivalled levels of interaction and engagement across his social platforms, are testament to Rick’s open, honest and personable delivery, and make him one of the most influential figures in golf media.

Put your taste buds to the test with an evening of gin tasting, served alongside a fine four course menu on board our beautiful Pullman style dining carriages.

£79.50 per head for 2021 - Adults only

The prices shown above include the meal (includes VAT) + train fare (no VAT payable)

What’s included?

    A beautiful 3 hour steam train ride through the Irwell Valley
    An expert led gin tasting evening with Kwoff Wines
    A four course meal with gins followed by tea or coffee after dinner mints

Gin Tasting Dinners run on selected Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year. The evening starts at Bury Bolton Street Station at 7:30pm and finishes at approximately 10:15pm.

Paul Zerdin

Hands Free

www.paulzerdin.com //@paulzerdin

Back by popular demand, Paul Zerdin and everyone’s favourite puppets are heading your way with a brand new UK tour in Autumn 2021.

Sam, Albert, Baby, Roger the bodyguard and an urban fox have all survived 2020 locked down with Paul… well nearly. They can’t wait to see you, so get ready to be involved. As well as his hilarious characters ‘Hands Free’ features Paul giving us a glimpse into his own world showing us what it’s like to be able to throw your voice in everyday situations where anything and everything can talk back!

Don’t miss out on your chance to see the winner of America’s Got Talent, the star of London’s Palladium Panto and without doubt one of Britain’s finest entertainers at a theatre near you.

"The best ventriloquist Britain has discovered for many years..."  The Stage

“If you think the words‘ brilliant’ and ‘ventriloquist’ have no place in the same sentence, go and see Paul Zerdin for some brutal re-education” Evening Standard

“Technically immaculate, it’s what he does with his slick talent that really sets him apart. His relationship with the characters has all the dramatic tension of a real life double act” The Guardian

When the Levee Breaks, Going to California, Kashmir, Misty Mountain Hop and lots more. It might get loud and expect the unexpected! "The most authentic sounding Zep tribute in the UK". (Classic Rock magazine)

Stage Times:

Doors: 19:30
20:00 - 21:10 | 20 min break | 21:30 - 22:40

One of the UK’s most popular live concert experiences, The Story of Guitar Heroes has garnered critical acclaim both at home and abroad for its incredible homage to some of the most influential and iconic guitarists from the past 50 years of popular music.

Featuring some of the UK’s most talented musicians, the show includes classic hits from guitar legends Jimmy Page, Hank Marvin, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Slash and many more!

Using state-of-the-art video projection the show journeys through five decades, from 1950s Rock & Roll through to the most creative and inspirational guitar heroes of the modern era.

The Story of Guitar Heroes continues to attract ever-growing audiences of men, women and children of all ages. Renowned for its versatile world-class musicianship, the show recreates the unique sounds of each guitar legend with incredible accuracy, utilising no less than 30 different authentic guitars!

“Every lick is expertly played by highly experienced, gifted musicians”

“Amazing show, amazing musicians!”

Join us as we end the week the best way we know how, with a steam train hauled Sunday Roast!
 
£49.90 per adult and £39.90 per child (5-12 years) for 2021

The prices shown above include the meal (includes VAT) + train fare (no VAT payable)

This traditional, train hauled, three course meal through beautiful Lancashire countryside is a great way to bring all the family together.

What’s Included?

    A beautiful 2 and ½ hour steam train ride through the Irwell Valley
    A traditional three course meal followed by tea or coffee after dinner mints

Lancastrian Lunches run on Sundays from January to November. The diners depart Bury Bolton Street Station at 13:00pm and return at approximately 15:25pm.

M6 Theatre Company presents
MAVIS SPARKLE
Written by Gilly Baskeyfield & Dot Wood
Directed by Gilly Baskeyfield

Over the past year we’ve learnt how important key workers are and Mavis Sparkle is no exception! A cleaner with an extraordinary story to tell, Mavis is on a journey north to see nature’s biggest light show with her own eyes.

With a cleaning trolley full of secrets and surprises, and a little help from Spike the hedgehog, Mavis moves ever closer to making her dream come true.

Featuring a heart-warming mix of illusion, animation and captivating performance, this life-affirming production inspires us all to be brave, dust away doubts and reach for the stars!

For ages 4+ and anyone who ever had a dream.
 
“Enchanting…a treasure trove of delights”
The Stage

“A delightful family show” British Theatre Guide

“Endlessly entertaining” ThreeWeeks

Sunday 10 October, 2pm
Central Library

‘Later I saw that change came as change always comes, from a chain of events with a long history, too long to see from back to front, till it come.’ In The Mermaid of Black Conch, Monique Roffey’s Costa Book of the Year winner, the life of David, one of the island’s fishermen, is disrupted when he saves Aycayia, a mermaid, from her captors. While in Ingrid Persaud’s Love After Love, Betty Ramdin invites Mr Chetan to lodge with her and her son Solo following the death of her husband/Solo’s father. The creation of a new, unconventional, family changes all of their lives. Two award-winning Caribbean novelists join us to discuss determined women, magical writing, family and place. Monique Roffey is the author of seven books including The White Woman on the Green Bicycle, which was shortlisted for The Women’s Prize. Ingrid has won both the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and the BBC National Short Story Award. Hosted by writer Kate Feld.

Tickets £12/£10 

Advance tickets for this event are now available for MLF Get Closer Members to buy. Memberships start at £20 per year - for full details of membership benefits and buying options click HERE.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 3 September at 10am.

Sunday 10 October, 2pm
Manchester Museum

‘I had to keep walking through the world.’ In Summer 2019, journalist Anita Sethi was subjected to a race hate crime while on a train. In the aftermath, her desire to be in nature led to a decision to walk the Pennine Way, an act she writes about in her debut book I Belong Here: A Journey Along the Backbone of Britain. While asserting her right to be in the world and take up space as a brown woman, she transforms a cruel, ugly act into one of healing, kindness and compassion, considering on the way the meanings of home and belonging. Anita is a writer and broadcaster from Manchester. Her career highlights include going birdwatching with Margaret Atwood in the UK’s oldest nature reserve. Presented in partnership with Manchester Museum.

Tickets £8/£6


Advance tickets for this event are now available for MLF Get Closer Members to buy. Memberships start at £20 per year - for full details of membership benefits and buying options click HERE.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 3 September at 10am.

Sunday 10 October, 4pm
Manchester Museum

Three superb female poets whose work considers the body and women’s lives come together for a special showcase. Mona Arshi’s superb second collection Dear Big Gods explores ideas of God, nature, grief, women and hope. She will read some recent poems and an extract from her forthcoming, debut novel Somebody Loves You. Award winner Alycia Pirmohamed’s latest excellent pamphlet Hinge considers ideas about the body, belonging, heritage, nature, dual identity, home and borders. While Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe’s inventive debut collection Auguries of a Minor God explores women’s stories, bodies, love, lust and the lives of a family of refugees as they settle in the UK. Mona Arshi won the Forward Prize for best first collection with Small Hands. Alycia Pirmohamed is a Canadian-born poet based in the UK. She was the winner of the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award in 2020. Nidhi Zak / Aria Eipe is a poet, pacifist and fabulist. Born in India, she grew up across the Middle East, Europe and North America before calling Ireland home. She is the recipient of a Next Generation Artist Award.

Presented in partnership with Manchester Poetry Library and Manchester Museum.

Tickets £8/£6

Advance tickets for this event are now available for MLF Get Closer Members to buy. Memberships start at £20 per year - for full details of membership benefits and buying options click HERE.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 3 September at 10am.

Sunday 10 October, 4.30pm
Central Library

A fig tree with a tale to tell; a grieving teenage girl who wants to know her family’s story; two sets of lovers hiding from society. In her enchanting new novel, The Island of Missing Trees, Elif Shafak considers how the story of humans and the natural world are entwined. Set in London and the island of Cyprus, Elif explores roots, trauma and how understanding ourselves and our history can be healing. Elif is a British-Turkish novelist, feminist and activist and we’re delighted to welcome her back to MLF. The author of 19 books, translated into 54 languages, Elif’s previous novel 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and The Forty Rules of Love was chosen by the BBC as one of 100 Novels That Shaped Our World. Elif will be in conversation with Ellah P Wakatama.

Tickets £10/£8

Advance tickets for this event are now available for MLF Get Closer Members to buy. Memberships start at £20 per year - for full details of membership benefits and buying options click HERE.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 3 September at 10am.