Autumn gala steams into the railway this weekend

Llangollen Railway will host its annual autumn steam gala this weekend.

The Along South Western Lines Gala will be taking place over three days from Friday-Sunday October 13-15.

Featuring an intensive timetable, visiting locomotives and special attractions along the line, the railway says it has something for all railway enthusiasts and families alike.

With 2017 marking the 50th anniversary since the end of Steam on the Southern Region, this year’s event includes visiting historic steam locomotives from the old Southern Railway as well as the Great Western Railway.They are:

* No. 34053 “Sir Keith Park” – Southern Railways ‘Battle of Britain’, with thanks to Southern Locomotives Ltd and the Severn Valley Railway.

* No.2807 – Great Western Railway ‘Heavy Freight 2800 Class’, with thanks to Cotswold Steam Preservation Ltd.

A selection of our home fleet will help deliver an intensive service for the gala.

Main highlights are due to include autotrains with GWR Pannier No.6430 and a demonstration of parcel loading at Berwyn.

Tourism forum planned for October

* Adventure sports are a major part of the county's tourism offering.

Tourism businesses from the Llangollen area are being invited to a forum outlining the latest developments in their industry this October.

A strong line-up of guest speakers includes Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure Ken Skates AM, Pro Kitesurfing, and Ride North Wales.

The Denbighshire Tourism Forum takes place on Thursday, October 26 at the Oriel House, St Asaph at 10.30am.

The event offers a great opportunity for delegates to network and share experiences, knowledge and ideas.

A variety of information stands will also be present including Business Wales, Clwydian Range Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty, North Wales Tourism, Menter Iaith Sir Ddinbych, Denbighshire Heritage Team, Llangollen and Dee Valley Good Grub Club and many more.

Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire and who is also the Cabinet Lead Member for the Economy, said: “The forum is a great way to meet like-minded people and find out about the latest tourism developments. It’s not only for tourism businesses, it’s a good opportunity for students and anyone with an interest in tourism to hear from those working in the industry sharing their experiences first hand.”

Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure said: “Recent figures show that 2017 is really proving to be another successful year for tourism in Wales.

"Forums like the one in Denbighshire are really important as it gives everyone a platform to come together, share best practice, learn about key projects, and the chance to reflect and contribute to the wider tourism agenda.

"I’m delighted to be invited to meet local businesses and share with you some of the exciting new projects that are happening in the County and the wider North East Wales region as well as across Wales.”

The new Denbighshire Destination Management Plan 2017-20, which co-ordinates all aspects of a destination that contribute to a visitor’s experience will also be launched at the Forum.

The plan has been produced by the Denbighshire Destination Partnership with support from Denbighshire County Council, Visit Wales, private sector businesses and the wider public sector.

* To book a place at the forum please e-mail: tourism@denbighshire.gov.uk, telephone: 01824 706223 or https://denbighshiretourismforumoct2017.eventbrite.co.uk

County helps youngsters prepare for world of work

Denbighshire pupils are to get an extra helping hand to prepare for the world of work.

Denbighshire County Council is gearing up for the start of Ready for Work, which is being delivered with the support of Careers Wales, to provide students with enhanced mentoring support, extra careers advice as well as working with employers to develop workplace skills.

It follows on from the Pathways+ project which saw more than 1,300 students attend careers events as well as mock interview sessions with employers.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire, said: “Getting pupils ready for the world of work is vitally important. Ready for Work will help students understand the expectations and requirements of employers.

“It will also enable pupils and their parents to gain awareness of the huge variety of jobs and career opportunities within Denbighshire.

“As part of our work developing the economy under our Economic and Community Ambition Strategy, we want to make sure the county has a skilled workforce equipped to benefit from jobs and opportunities that arise.”

Ready for Work will aim to embed careers advice activity within the core curriculum delivered by schools and will include partnering businesses with schools so they can provide practical advice.

It will also include the creation of an alumni community scheme to take advantage of the skills and knowledge of former pupils as well as the delivery of bilingual careers events. 

First Welsh pumpkin carving contest to be staged in Llan

* Simon O’Rourke works on a replica of John Lennon at Liverpool’s Pier Head as part of his Beatles tableau in wood.

A man who tours the world using a chainsaw to create stunning sculptures is masterminding the first ever Welsh pumpkin championship.

Simon O’Rourke has carved out an international reputation for himself by turning out a series of wooden masterpieces depicting everything from a life-sized horse to an awe-inspiring tableau of The Beatles.

At Llangollen Food Festival, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary on Saturday and Sunday October 14 and 15, he’ll be presiding over the inaugural Wales-wide competition to fashion spooky Halloween faces from a pumpkin.

After gaining his honours degree, 39-year-old Simon became a tree surgeon simply because he needed a full-time job while establishing his career as an illustrator of children’s books.

He eventually switched to wood carving when he realised how creative he could be with a chainsaw. 

He produces fine pieces of artwork using waste timber or standing stumps using a variety of power and hand tools. These range from classical sculpture of human and animal forms to abstract work and re-creating logos in wood.

Simon’s carving exploits have taken him across the globe to compete in competitions in the USA, Japan, Canada, Holland, Germany, Denmark and the UK.

His recent triumphs in timber have included a life-size replica of a horse which later galloped off on a countrywide tour and a full-sized tableau of The Beatles which he sculpted within 24 hours for a display at Liverpool’s Pier Head over the August bank holiday weekend.

One of his personal favourites of the past few years is the Alice in Wonderland scene he created for a restaurant in Bristol, featuring Alice herself, the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare.

Simon, from Rossett, near Wrexham, said: “I’ll be appearing at Llangollen Food Festival in the run-up to Halloween so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to stage the first ever Welsh Pumpkin Carving Championships.

“Wielding a chainsaw to fashion their traditional jack-o-lanterns or skulls might be asking a little too much of competitors so the tools they’ll be using tools are going to be a bit less demanding.

“Before the championships take place I’ll be giving competitors plenty of hints and tips at my pumpkin carving workshops and showing them how to work with the three or four types of tools I’ll be lending them.

“They’ll be ribbon loop tools which are normally used in clay sculpting. They’re very effective but also safe to handle.

“The competitors can work in whatever way they choose but I’ll be showing them how to sculpt the flesh of the pumpkin rather than simply plunging through the surface with a knife.

“They can do the very traditional jack-o-lantern design but I’ll demonstrate a couple more ways to do it.

“Pumpkins are nice and soft to cut and are readily available at this time of year. I’m hoping to see some really fantastic creations.

“We’re now on the lookout for suitable competitors to start gashing away at those gourds. It’s their big chance to carve out their own artistic reputation using a different type of medium.

“Entrants will pay £5 to take part and they get to take their carved creations home for Halloween. The star prize for the best piece of work will be a Halloween Hamper filled with all kinds of goodies to the value of £25.”

Simon added: “It’ll be great to be back at Llangollen Food Festival, especially as this is the festival’s 20^th anniversary and the inaugural pumpkin carving competition will help make it a landmark occasion in more ways than one.

“Last year I brought along a big wooden dragon called Hemlock I’d carved which has a moving neck and he’ll be coming along with me again this year for people to have their pictures taken alongside.

“Llangollen Food Festival is now one of the UK’s most top food festivals and I’m very much looking forward to going back there.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to sample local produce they wouldn’t normally get to try.

“North Wales has such a rich variety of locally-sourced food and drink and the festival does a fantastic job showcasing it.”   

Phil Davies, a member of the committee at Llangollen Food Festival, said: “Llangollen is now recognised as one of the country’s foremost food festivals and we can’t think of a better way to mark our 20^th anniversary than hosting the very first Welsh Pumpkin Carving Championships.

“Simon, who we are delighted to welcome back to Llangollen, came up with the idea and we were delighted to help him make all the arrangements for what promises to be a challenging and very entertaining feature of the weekend.

"This year is going to be a very special as the festival is celebrating its 20the anniversary and with a record number of around 120 stall-holders promises to be the biggest and best yet. I can't wait."

* To find out more about Llangollen Food Festival and the Welsh Pumpkin Carving Championships go to www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Bid to turn old surgery into dwelling house

* The former health centre in Regent Street is the subject of a planning application.

A planning application has been submitted to the county council to turn the former health centre in Regent Street, Llangollen, into a home.

The application, submitted by an agent in Caernarfon, seeks the proposed change of use of the building to form a single residential dwelling with on-site parking for three cars.

The building has been empty for almost two years since the GP practice moved to the new purpose-built health centre in Mill Street and it became surplus to the requirements of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.  

At the instruction of the health board it was put up for sale with Wingetts estate agents last spring with a guide price of £150,000 and was subsequently described as being sold subject to contract. 

* Details of the application can be seen at:

http://planning.denbighshire.gov.uk/Planning/StreamDocPage/obj.pdf?DocNo=2073457&PageNo=1&content=obj.pdf

Petition for better station access goes to Parliament

* Ken Skates AM and Susan Elan Jones MP with Ysgol Rhiwabon Year 10 pupils (l-r) Kezia Summers, Samuel Brown and Jacob Rutter and Friends of Ruabon volunteer Jo Smith.

Campaigners calling for improved access at Ruabon Station turned out in force ahead of a petition being presented to Parliament. 

Clwyd South AM and MP Ken Skates and Susan Elan Jones joined volunteers from the Friends of Ruabon to show their support last Friday. 

Pupils of Ysgol Rhiwabon also went along to help plant new floral donations from Arriva Trains Wales to help spruce up the station’s appearance. 

Ms Jones said: “The campaign for better access at Ruabon continues and the excellent turn-out today shows the strength of feeling locally.  

“This is an important station connecting people to our wonderful World Heritage Sites and key local destinations such as Wrexham and Chester, so it needs be more accessible. At present, it’s almost impossible for disabled people and those with restricted mobility.” 

Mr Skates said the lack of disabled access was ‘insufficient in the 21st century for such an important station’.

He and local councillor Dana Davies have previously called for money from parking charges to be invested in improving the station’s facilities, but their plea was rejected by Wrexham Council leaders. 

The residents’ petition states that the station ‘is currently inaccessible to a number of potential users’ because the footbridge is the only way of getting between the platforms – and calls on the UK Government to act. 

Mr Skates added: “The many, many people who have signed the petition want and need to be better connected – and that means access for all. I’m delighted Susan is going to present it at Parliament in the coming weeks and will continue to support the campaign however I can on behalf of my constituents and station users.” 

The Labour politicians welcomed the donation of new planters from Arriva Trains Wales and praised the ‘dedicated and tireless’ Friends of Ruabon. 

Berwyn station steams into the top ten

* A Santa Special train from Llangollen Station at Berwyn.

Berwyn rail station has hit the national headlines.

A new book by Simon Jenkins tells the history of Britain’s railways through its 100 best stations.

And an article about the book in the Guardian newspaper features 10 'gems' from grand old York to a Highland outpost.

Included in the list is Berwyn of which the article says: "The gorges of the upper Dee are among the most dramatic in Britain.

"Undaunted, the Llangollen & Corwen Railway, built by Great Western in 1865, wound its way from Llangollen into Snowdonia through a series of hair-raising bends, tunnels and bridges.

"The line closed in 1965, but was reopened by the dogged Llangollen Railway Society in 1981. It well illustrates the debt the Welsh tourist industry owes to Wales’s industrial past.

"Berwyn station, the first halt west from Llangollen, is perched precipitously on a platform between the Dee gorge and the A5.

"It was designed in the 1860s, probably by the doyen of Marches stations, Thomas Penson of Oswestry. The style is the same black-and-white Tudor he employed in rebuilding much of the city of Chester.

"The stationmaster’s house is of three lofty storeys, steeply gabled, with one gable looking out over the gorge.

"This is now available as a holiday let for those with a head for heights (sleeps six, from around £500 a week, one-week minimum, llangollen-railway.co.uk). To stand on the platform, with only the track between oneself and the cliff edge, is to see the upper Dee at its most Alpine."

* See the Guardian article at: https://amp.theguardian.com/travel/2017/oct/01/10-of-the-best-railway-stations-in-britain-uk-simon-jenkins