Where to live for Leeds and Manchester

[DIKateFleming]

There’s a chance that we’ll be working in Leeds and Manchester. I’m trying to work out where would be a good place to live, budget not an issue, needs to be handy for trains and roads. But would also like “naice” area, with nice cafes, shops etc. Huddersfield seems to be perfect in terms of location, and Greenhead 6th form seems to be a draw, but I’m not sure what it’s like. I knew it 20 years ago when it wasn’t that nice. I’ve also looked at Todmerdon but the train seems to take ages, and Hebden Bridge just floods too often.

Just live in Leeds or Manchester near the stations you need - both really nice cities

I'd work out which of the locations would mean the least possible amount of time spent on the M62 and go with that one.

There are trams from Mcr to as far east as Rochdale. I think Shaw/Milnrow/Newhey are on the line. Nice countryside out there and some nice houses as far as I remember, but no idea what it’s like to live there.

Good M62 connections though.

HD8 area of Huddersfield is ideal for M1 and only about 15 mins to M62. Lots of lovely villages around here plus direct trains into Huddersfield and Sheffield. Beautiful surrounding countryside and great schools.

Thanks, will investigate Sheffield, that could work, and handy for other routes, and have a look at north Manchester and Stalybridge

You'd have to live in Milnrow though.

Nobody deserves that.

Rawtenstall is really nice but it's far too far on the train to Leeds. Heptonstall is amazing but you might get snowed in, and it's hard to buy there. Likewise, don't think there are any houses to even buy in Tod atm - gone mad that place - everything selling the same day. Marsden might be the perfect place for trains, though - 30 mins each way. What about Marsden?

I'd live in one of the two cities too. I have lived in North Manchester then South Manchester and commuted daily to Leeds. I drove but another 3 members of my team commuted from Manchester by train.

@WillBillHal

HD8 area of Huddersfield is ideal for M1 and only about 15 mins to M62. Lots of lovely villages around here plus direct trains into Huddersfield and Sheffield. Beautiful surrounding countryside and great schools.

I live in HD8 and pre-Covid travelled into Leeds several times a week. I drove. Occasionally - once every couple of months maybe, I had to go into Manchester, which was a toss up between crowded trains or M62 tailbacks. The reality of pre-Covid cross Pennine travel isn’t brilliant. How it will pan out post Covid remains to be seen, but the Pennine toad and rail routes are notoriously bad. Living in between Leeds and Manchester looks better on paper than in practice. Train from Slaithwaite and Marsden (adjoining towns, same train line) are possibly exceptions, both are nice towns.

What about Marsden?

No.... because only the slow trains (not Trans Pennine Express) stop there. It's the arse-end of nowhere, and a tortuous eight mile drive to the nearest M62 junction.

Holmfirth is beautiful and has a nearby station to huddersfield and from there to either city

Huge amount of flood defences being put in to protect Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd at the moment. Flooding should be less of an issue (hopefully) in future. Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Todmorden (cheaper to Manchester by train from here than HB) all have nice areas, good cafes and restaurants, independent cinema, local theatres and music venues, plus lovely countryside, good schools, etc. Rentals insanely in demand though and property sells quickly. I know Heptonstall quite well, it's only a mile from Hebden Bridge and whilst the road up can briefly be impassible during snow, it gets cleared and gritted fairly promptly.
You can commute directly to Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, York, Preston and several other places from Hebden Bridge without changing trains. This is one of the main reasons it's so popular. Easy access to motorway from Sowerby Bridge direction too.

Isn't Marsden on the railway line between Leeds and Manchester? Beautiful spot.

Saddleworth?
It's near the M62 plus it's not far to a tram stop into Manchester and greenfield has a train station.

Ramsbottom or Bury

The main problem, and it’s a biggie, is the utter fucking shitshow that is Northern Rail. If that worked properly most of the options suggested would work really well. I’m in N.Mcr (Mills Hill) and I don’t get the train into town because it’s so unreliable- it’s either drive and pay for parking, or cycle in. I’m looking at moving to Shaw in the next couple of years - housing is reasonable, it’s not far from M62 and M60, and it’s on the tram. Just waiting for a house with a drive and bit of a garden that isn’t a bloody bungalow to turn up.

Yup. Northern Fail as it's not fondly known.

Rawtenstall, ramsbottom, Hebden Bridge, Todmordon.
I think Clitheroe is a bit far out from both, 1.5 hour train to Manchester or 2 hour drive minimum in rush hour, no direct train to Leeds and you’d have to drive through Skipton most likely to get there.

Holmfirth also

As someone who lives in Oldham I would love to afford to live in some of these places haha, even Milnrow! I work in Manchester and have family in Sheffield. Pre-covid I drove into Manchester every day, it would be about 30 mins in the morning (arriving at 6am though) and 1.5hrs back. Takes 1hr 15 mins to Sheffield from here not at peak time, can be upto 1hr 45mins/2hrs at peak time. Would probably take longer to Leeds by car.

I can't speak about the train because I dont use it but there is good tram links into Manchester from Greater Manchester. The difficulty would be getting to Leeds. As others have said the train links between the two aren't great.

We live 10 mins or so away from Uppermill and Greenfield which are both nice, also there is Delph/Diggle/Denshaw/Dobcross around there too.

Ramsbottom is lovely, but has no train or tram at all (unless you count the East Lancs railway ).

Will you have to travel at rush hour, which is more like rush 2-3 hours between 7.30 and 9.30 and 4 and 6/7 ish or can you flex, as your commuting journey will be much much easier if you can avoid peak times, could easily save 1-2 hours a day.

Trains can be awful, as can roads. How crucial will the getting to the office be because major crashes are a reasonably frequent occurrence as is 'closed due to snow or high winds' in winter. If your employer will be sympathetic to short notice changes to days in the office that will help enormously.

What sort of property are you wanting? Unless you're desperate for a garden I'd be considering looking at a city centre flat in the city where the partner with the longest working hours/least flexible employer and if the one with the shortest hours/most flexible employer get the fast train between cities each day. Then you get all your amenities and never have to drive on the M62.

I would choose a non flooding bit around Hebden, personally.

@GillBungalow

I'd work out which of the locations would mean the least possible amount of time spent on the M62 and go with that one.

100% this.

The M62 is hideous. Have the people suggesting that you live in Huddersfield ever joined the queue for the Ainley Top junction, in either direction?

As for suggesting Horsforth...it’s a massive drag to get to the motorway and the train into Leeds comes from Harrogate, so is rammed before it even gets to Horsforth station.

@tanguero

As you said 'Huddersfield, perfect location'. Marsh, Edgerton, Lindley areas of Hudds, give you access to J 23, 24, of M62, and a frequent bus route to the station. These are all solid - if rather dull - middle class areas with associated schools etc. (I live there, and did a Hudds to York train commute for years).

On the Leeds/Manchester lines, your two best stations for frequent trains are Hudds & Stalybridge - so have a serious look at Stayly two.

Some of the suggestions on hear are idiotic - if you are travelling by train (they are rammed) from Hudds, then surely you want to be as near to that station as poss. Why would you burden yourself, with an additonal commute (Halifax, Meltham, Holmfirth etc.) to get to the station ?

I live in the area mentioned here and I really like it. Good schools and DD is starting at Greenhead in September and it’s easy to walk there. Admittedly Hudds town centre is run down but they are revamping it and have stated by demolishing the multi storey. Due to the uni there’s lots going on arts wise and there are some good restaurants. Our village is seen as quite posh and there are nationally renowned restaurants there. PM me if you like

We’ve just moved to Marsden from Saddleworth. It’s definitely not in the middle of nowhere! Trains can be a challenge at times but not enough to put us off living here. Marsden is a lovely village right between Manchester and Leeds. Close to cities but very much in the countryside. Best of both worlds.