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The real Railway Arms [pic: Ian Royston]

The Mars detective

"I actually grew up in the North East and I think I got into spotting TV and film locations from Get Carter. I live and work in Manchester now so when Life in Mars came on, I was jus interested in the locations they'd used. It's such a great series.

Oldham Twist Co. aka Creston's Mill

"I started taking photos simply for my own interest but then I found there were other people interested so I put them on a Photobucket site.

"My first discovery was that of 'Creston's Mill' LonM1:3 which is the Oldham Twist Co. Spinning Mill in Oldham within sight of my son's school.

"Working in Clayton worked out quite well: the canal scene from LonM1:2, football field from LonM1:5 and the "stinger" scene from LonM2:1 are all a short distance from my workplace so popping out at lunchtime for the photographs has been easy.

Sometimes you can drive past a place a few times before you realise how the scene has been shot."

Mars via satellite

MMU's 'Toast Rack' used as Beauvoir HQ

"Sometimes, when a location has proved more difficult to track down, I've turnedÌý the internet:ÌýI've spent ages on Google Earth seeking out specific locations such as Smedley Viaduct, Cheetham Hill from LonM2:1 and Aspin Lane M4, from LonM2:2!

In certain scenes, the street names or a major feature has given the game away and information found in a variety of websites, in particular 'The Railway Arms' (a forum site dedicated to the programme) has been of great help.

Unfortunately sometimes the details are just plain wrong, so I like to verify the locations myself, even famous ones such as MMU's Hollins Building - known to most people as the 'Toast Rack'.

1:1 - West Egerton St [pic: Ian Royston]

East Manchester has provided a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop to most of the action but I will soon have to visit Bolton and Radcliffe to verify some other locations I have in mind.

One problem I've had is that between shooting and viewing some buildings, such as Plum Tree Court at Clarendon Park in Salford (LonM1:1) have been demolished!

"Even though there's been a lot of press coverage of the locations, finding these myself has been hugely rewarding, even though it has been a long quest."