Good rockin' at Fringe's steam train music event

* The Del Sharrons get the train underway from Llangollen station.

There was good rockin' all along the line this evening as Llangollen Railway hosted a Fringe event called Rock 'n' Roll Steam Train.

Revellers turned up from 5pm to be greeted by sounds from the band Del Sharron playing on Llangollen station.

Shortly afterwards, they boarded the train, hauled by a steam engine, which took them to Carrog station where there was a lively set from the country outfit, The Goat Ropers.

On the way back there was dancing in a carriage specially set aside for the purpose.

It was then back aboard for the return leg to Llangollen where once again they were able to groove to tunes from Del Sharron heavily laced with 60s favourites.

* The Goat Ropers play for train passengers at Carrog station.

* Dancing on the train back to Llangollen (picture by Mike Edwards).  

* Dancing breaks out on the platform back at Llangollen station.

Musical theatre workshops for the holidays

Get your Splurge guns ready and brush up your Charleston as we're heading for 1920s Chicago.

Gangsters and molls are wanted for this year's Musical Theatre Workshop, Bugsy Malone, to be held in Llangollen, Wrexham an Oswestry by local dance instructor Julie Thomas.

And to celebrate 10 years of her workshops Julie has chosen one of her favourite children's shows.

The latest two-day workshops will run in the three towns during the summer holidays.

Julie said: "If your boy or girl aged six to 12 years old enjoys performing then book them on to this fantastic event which will culminate in a short performance for family."

* See poster below for further details ...

Search and rescue team called to Llan

North East Wales Search and Rescue has just revealed on its Facebook page how one of its teams were called out to Llangollen last Wednesday.

They say ...

"CALLOUT: On Wednesday 15/7 the team was called to treat and evacuate a young person with a significant lower leg injury following a fall at Dinas Bran Castle, near Llangollen.

Ten of our volunteer team members responded with two Landrovers.

When we arrived on scene a Welsh Ambulance Service crew had already reached the casualty and were providing initial treatment.

The casualty was placed in a vacuum mattress to stabilise the injured leg and then stretched back to the waiting ambulance. We wish the casualty a speedy recovery. The picture shows the team members carrying the casualty down."
 

Railway swings into 1960s weekend

* Railway staff get into the swing of a previous 60s weekend.

Llangollen Railway will be staging its sixth 1960's weekend On July 24-26.

Organisers say there's lots of 60's themed things to enjoy all along the line over the weekend and they are encouraging visitors to join staff in dressing up in outfits from the era.

Dr Beeching's Bar in the Robertson Suite at Llangollen station will be open on Friday evening, Saturday from 12 until late and Sunday.

Eight local real cask ales will be on offer at £3 a pint along with Wrexham lager, wines and cider.

The railway is  running a 1960's-themed pub quiz at around 8.30pm. Entry will be £5 per team with all proceeds going to boiler repairs for Foxcote Manor, the line's flagship steam locomotive.

There will be live music performed on the platform during Saturday afternoon and evening, from 7-10pm.

Entry is free and burgers from the station restaurant barbeque will be available.

Further up the line, Berwyn station café will be open and alighting from the train here provides quick and easy access to the recently reopened Chain Bridge, now resplendent after a full restoration.

The popular and free "rail replacement" vintage bus service will be running between Llangollen and Corwen during the day, also calling at Berwyn and Glyndyfrdwy - where there is a large vintage vehicle rally of 60's era cars and other vehicles.

A café in the station will be serving tea and cakes.

Anyone with a vintage car from the 1960s or older is welcome to bring it along to display and will receive complimentary travel on the railway for the event.

Carrog station tearooms will also be open, which is a good spot to get off the train for a cuppa, cake and a walk around the village with its spectacular views and the Grouse pub.

Throughout the weekend the railway will be running an intensive timetable of vintage trains - with  steam locomotives temporarily weathered to look grimy and unloved, as they were in the 60s as many branch lines, including Llangollen, were closed and steam traction was replaced by diesels and railcars. 

Two diesel locomotives and a railcar will be in use over the weekend to demonstrate the "new order" - though they themselves are all now over 50 years old and have been replaced by more modern electric and multiple unit trains on the railways of Britain.

The historic autotrain will also be used, which sees a pannier tank steam locomotive sandwiched between two coaches. 

* To see video of highlights of the railway's last five events go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cYAi5UMTC0

Fringe opens to packed Town Hall

Llangollen Fringe started last night with comedy from Sara Pascoe and a packed Town Hall really enjoyed the show. 

The festival was officially opened by the Mayor, Cllr Mike Adams, and town crier Chem watched by Bob Jaques and Sara Roberts from the Fringe.

Tonight (Friday) it's Babyhead, Radio 6 Music DJ Don Letts and live music from well-known vintage reggae band Talisman.

Sunday we see Juan Martin making his first appearance in Llangollen for eight years. 

He has been voted as one of the top three guitarists in the world and so we are in for a treat of great flamenco music from the virtuoso performer.

Other events:
* High and Mighty at Castell Dinas Bran - storytelling and music.

* Fringe Acoustica at the Rafa club

* Opening of Art Exhibitions at Y Capel at 2.00pm on Saturday

Vicar's charity cycle marathon

LEJOG –

Land’s End to John O’Groats 2015

Charity Cycle Ride:

25 July - 4 August 2015

 

* The Rev Andrew Sully is getting on his bike.

For ACTION DUCHENNE,

Looking for a cure to

Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy: 

 

www.justgiving.com/andrew-sully1

Llan MP will give her pay rise to charity

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones says she will be donating her latest pay rise to charity.

Her pledge not to pocket the extra 10 per cent comes after the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has announced that MPs' salaries will rise from £67,060 to £74,000.

The pay increase has been approved despite Downing Street and a succession of MPs saying it was "not appropriate".

IPSA chairman Sir Ian Kennedy said that MPs' pay had been a "toxic" issue "which had been ducked for decades".

He said the pay rise would not cost any money because it was being combined with cuts to expenses, pension and severance payments for MPs.

But Ms Jones (pictured left) said: "I have never supported the idea of a substantial pay rise for MPs and during the public consultation, I urged my constituents to write in against.

"Although I welcome the fact that it is now an outside body and not MPs that decides on MPs' pay, I remain unchanged in my views.  I also continue to hold the belief that MPs should not have second jobs.

"I know some people will say that there are many jobs - including senior public sector jobs in our area - where the pay is far greater than for MPs. Other people will point out that some of the MPs pay-rise is in fact the result of changes in pension and other arrangements.

"That's all true, but when so many people in the public and private sectors have only low or sometimes no annual rises and our local Councils in Wrexham and Denbighshire don't even pay everyone the Living Wage, I think there are real issues about the proposed rise.

"For that reason, I will be donating any rise in the remuneration I get to local charities."