Sun shines without paws on dog show

SCORES of proud owners brought along their animals to a pet dog show staged at Llangollen Cricket Club in Tower Road on a sunny Sunday afternoon yesterday.

Organised in conjuction with Angel Watch Rescue and Rehome, the event featured a number of classes including Best Rescue, Best Condition, Waggiest Tail, Best Trick and Best Biscuit Catcher.

There were also a number of stalls and sideshows and the event was held in aid of the cricket club.   

* Judging goes ahead in one of the classes.

* A golden Labrador is walked around the parade ring.   

* A pat dog makes an appearance at the show.

County residents urged to support Tour of Britain

Denbighshire residents are urged to support the Tour of Britain as it races through the county for the second year running.

The race, taking place on Monday, 8 September, enters Denbighshire on the A541 at the county boundary with Flintshire and will go through Trefnant towards Henllan before turning right to join the Lower Denbigh Road near the location known locally as the 'S' bends.

The race will then travel to the junction on the outskirts of St Asph before turning right onto Glascoed Road, through the St Asaph Business Park and then head towards the county boundary with Conwy county.

The race is expected to arrive in Denbighshire shortly after 1pm and is expected to have left the county by 2pm. These timings are approximates and people wanting to support the race are being asked to allow plenty of time to arrive at their location.

There will be rolling road closures which mean that roads will be closed  a short time before the first cyclists are due. Roads will be open as soon as the main group of cyclists have passed through.

Councillor Huw Jones, Cabinet Lead Member with responsibility for major events and leisure, said: "We a\re delighted that the race is coming back to North Wales and to Denbighshire. The support last year was tremendous and we hope to emulate that kind of support this year and give the cyclists a warm welcome.

"Cycling events are becoming ever more popular and Denbighshire has demonstrated that it is a great location for large events of this nature.  The support of crowds is extremely important so I would ask you to get out on the route and get involved in the excitement and buzz of this great event."

* For further information about the race, please visit: www.tourofbritain.co.uk

Valley Girls WI next meets on September 2

Valley Girls WI has its first meeting back after the summer holidays next week.

It will be held in the Hand Hotel, Llangollen, on Tuesday, September 2, starting at 8pm and the subject of the meeting will be cocktail mixing.  It's free for WI members visitors and newcomers £4.

The branch also now has its own dedicated website at www.valleygirlswi.co.uk and a community Facebook page - search under Valley Girls WI.

Spokeswoman Gail Ellson said: "Both of these sites have details about our events."

* Members of Valley Girls WI on a recent evening walk.

Work starts on police station facelift

Today (Friday 29^th August) sees the start of an extensive refurbishment of Llangollen Police Station.

 

The Police Station, itself a listed building, has been the base of policing in the town for many years, but the time has come for it to be brought up to modern standards.

 

Work will take place on both the interior and exterior of the building and is scheduled for completion in April 2015

 

District Inspector Gareth Jones explains “We’re pleased to have secured the funding to make this investment in Llangollen Police Station, making it fit to serve this historic town for many years to come.

 

“With the support of Llangollen Town Council, we have been able to maintain a base in the town with officers being based in the Town Hall whilst the works are completed.

 

He added: “We look forward to it re-opening and will be holding an open day for people to come and see the results.”

 

 

 

Steam stars head for railway's gala weekend

* Black Five No.45337 departing Llangollen station.

Llangollen Railway's popular gala event this weekend marks the end of summer and sees a visiting locomotive making a return to Wales.

 

The Ivatt Class 2 mixed traffic engine, No.46521, was once allocated to Machynlleth shed and was hauling trains on the Cambrian Coast line and round to Dolgellau in the 1960s.

 

During that period it also pulled the Royal Train on a visit to the Cambrian Coast. 

 

At the gala event, on Friday and Saturday, it will be joined by three members of the Llangollen home-based fleet, with the British Rail Standard Tank engine No.80072 and the Black Five No.45337 making a welcome return to service and the Great Western Heavy Freight engine No.3802.

 

They will be joined by one of the British Rail Class 26 heritage diesel locomotives No.D5310 as the railway sets out to imitate railway operations down the line to Barmouth on the Western Region before Dr Beeching took his axe to the network in 1964.

 

The special timetable, entitled "Along Western Lines" for the gala, will see trains departing Llangollen at frequent intervals throughout each day, from 0900 onwards, for the run along the Dee Valley to Carrog and through to Plas Bonwm on the extension of the line.

 

A demonstration freight train is included in the sequence of departures and on Saturday an evening service will operate.

 

During the gala there will be a photographic and railwayana display in the tearoom at Berwyn station covering the course of the railway between Ruabon and Barmouth.

 

This will include maps, original engineering drawings and historical paperwork, as well as a photographic record of the stations along the line.

 

For thirsty rail fans there will be a real ale bar in the Henry Robertson suite at Llangollen station, as well as real ale served on trains.

 

George Jones for Llangollen Railway said: "We have another spectacular occasion when visitors will see how the railway might have operated at full capacity in the years prior to the infamous Dr Beeching's Report 'The Reshaping of British Railways.”

 

On an historic note, he added: "This year is when we mark the 50th anniversary, in December, of the last through train running between Ruabon and Barmouth due to flooding which washed away the track near Llandderfel. 

 

“Only the sections between Ruabon and Llangollen and Barmouth and Bala retained shuttle train services prior to formal closure of the line in January 1965.

 

"No one thought then that the railway at Llangollen would make a comeback, but it has, and it will shortly achieve its aim of reconnecting to Corwen once the extension work is completed and the line has passed its official inspection."

 

Details of the timetable and fares are to be found on the Railway's website at:

http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/event/steam-gala/

 

Llan's EE mobile phone signal goes down

People using Orange/EE network are currently experiencing problems with their mobile phone signal.

Among those affected is llanblogger, and a landline call to the EE customer services earlier this afternoon confirmed the blackout is due to problems with a mast in Cefn Mawr initially reported to them at 8.15am today.

We were also informed that, due to the nature of the fault, EE could give no estimate on when the signal might be restored.

People using Tesco could also be affected as its network is shared with EE.

If you are also affected by this problem, please let us know by emailing: llanblogger@gmail.com

Work starts on A483/A55 junction next month

Work is due to start next month on the £5.3 million to relieve a traffic “pinch point” at the junction of the A483 and A55 near Chester.

According to the Highways Agency which is overseeing the work, the aim is to cure existing problems with congestion at the junction that results in significant queues and delays at peak times. 

The scheme will also address some of the safety issues and accidents associated with the congestion and existing configuration, says the agency.

Works is due to be carried out between September and next March. However, there has already been pre-works on the A55 junction 38 bridge deck between the eastbound entry slip and the westbound exit slip. 

Work so far at weekends has caused major congestion, particularly  on the Chester-bound carriageway of the A483 and led to calls by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas for more warning to be given to motorists of likely hold-ups.

The agency says in a statement: “The scheme will provide additional lane capacity but will also ensure the existing carriageway is better utilised, which will improve traffic flows and reduce delays. 

“The scheme will also offer significant safety benefits. A new footbridge for shared use by cyclists and pedestrians will be constructed adjacent to the west bridge. The estimated cost is £5.3 million.”

Works include:

·        Widening of existing carriageway in key areas

·        Additional signals on A55/A483

·        New traffic signals A483/Rough Hill

·        Conversion of Pulford roundabout into a signalised junction

·        Reassignment of existing carriageways/lanes

·        Installation of new pedestrian/cyclist footbridge just west of the roundabout

More information will be posted on the project page at http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/A55A483-Improvements.

If you have any queries about this project you should contact the Highways Agency Information Line by emailing ha_​info@​highways.​gsi.​gov.​uk, or calling 0300 123 5000.