I've just checked the cost of train tickets from Bournemouth to Manchester. Nearly 80 quid for a return. It would actually be cheaper to get the train up to London, then get a 'bargain return' to Leeds, and then go over to Manchester from there. Admittedly, it'd take over six and a half hours, but it'd be 30 quid cheaper. Salisbury to Leeds and across would be the same price and marginally quicker. Salisbury to Manchester would be quite a bit quicker – about five hours – but still ?64. I've heard tell of bargain returns from London to Manchester, which could possibly work out at forty quid, once I get a cheap return from Bournemouth to London on top of that, but when I searched on the web site, that option didn't come up at all even though they said it existed on the front page.
Of course, getting these bargain fares is a tricky business, as you have to book several years in advance, and that means knowing what you're doing several years in advance too. I'm never that bloody organised. A standard five day open return is ?175. Ouch.
Oh well, pfft goes my idea of popping up to Manchester for a weekend to suss the place out. And only the little fishes know what I'd do if I actually got an interview up there. Scav like buggery, I suppose.
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