Manchester send students out from Manchester for clinical firms also. We have 4 base teaching hospitals, one of which you are attached to for the full 3 years. One of the bases is in Preston and students "sent" there usually move to Preston for the remainder of the course - the alternative is a 60 mile daily round-trip commute for 3 years!
From your base hospital we can also be sent out to DGHs for a firm (usually 7 weeks, 4 weeks in 5th year). These tend to be in towns like Bolton, Wigan, Blackburn, Crewe. You get free onsite accommodation for the duration of the placement.
I thought this was pretty normal among medical schools...