Second steam star signed up for railway gala

* Pannier Tank engine No. 7714 will be a star of the railway's Autumn Steam Gala.

Llangollen Railway has signed up a second venerable guest engine for its popular Autumn Steam Gala.

Already booked to appear at the three-day event, which runs over the weekend of October 12, 13 and 14, was the former Royal Train engine BR Ivatt 2MT No. 46521, courtesy of the Great Central Railway.

But organisers have now also managed to secure an appearance by the pannier tank engine No. 7714 away from its usual home at the Severn Valley heritage railway. 

Built for the Great Western Railway, these pannier tanks were regularly used on local freight and passenger workings.

No.7714 is an old friend of Llangollen Railway, having been based at Birkenhead from 1937 until 1958 before moving briefly to Wrexham's Rhosddu shed prior to withdrawal.

This interesting old engine will be starring alongside another visiting 'local loco', Ivatt No. 46521.

A one-time hauler of the Royal Train, this locomotive spent almost its entire working life in Wales and was allocated to Oswestry, Brecon and Machynlleth steam sheds during its career.

No. 46521 was also regular sight around Barmouth during the 1950s and 1960s, working trains along the Cambrian Coast route and the regular shuttle service up the Mawddach estuary to Dolgellau.

Llangollen Railway’s ‘Along Cambrian Lines 2‘ gala will be a celebration of the much-loved trains heading for the seaside during the 1950s and early 1960s.

The visiting locomotives will be supported by members of the Llangollen’s home fleet, recreating many of the authentic sights and sounds of the era.

Attractions for the weekend include:

* Interactive activities for all the family, including ‘Make your own Luggage Labels‘.

*  A display of entries for the railway’s 2018 ‘Steam Trains to the Seaside‘ children’s poster competition.

·         Intensive timetable over all three days.

·         Full line and local services to-ing and fro-ing.

*         Demonstration goods and parcel loading at Berwyn station

A special exhibition telling the story of some of the viaducts, road bridges and station buildings along the line will be running in the Henry Robertson suite at Llangollen Station throughout the gala weekend.

The full working timetable will be available free of charge to holders of travel tickets for the event from all the booking offices at the railway while stocks last.

* For more details and to book tickets, go to: llangollen-railway.co.uk/event/autumn-steam-gala-12th-14th-october/ 

Outdoor event planned for this Saturday

Shuttle times:

Collection Market Street Car Park	Drop off Corner Tan y Coed and Brooke Street	Collection Corner Tan y Coed and Brooke Street	Drop off Market Street Car Park
10.45am	11 am	11.15am	11.30am
11.45am	12 pm	12.15pm	12.30pm
12.45 pm	1pm	1.15pm	1.30pm
1.45pm	2pm	2.15pm	2.30pm
2.45pm	3pm	3.15pm	3.30pm

Information for Gas Safety Week

During the current Gas Safety Week, Wales & West Utilities has given some timely safety information to users ...

After the long hot summer this year we’re now focusing on preparing for winter – and we’re urging everyone in the communities we serve to take just five simple steps to make sure winter doesn’t catch them out:

1.       Get gas appliances safety checked by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer – this should be done every year.

2.       Keep your eye on your appliances: Flames on your cooker and boiler should be crisp and blue, and no sooty black marks on or around any gas appliances.

3.       Make sure you have an audible carbon monoxide (CO) alarm: it might save your life and save you from the debilitating side effects of CO poisoning.

4.       Know the signs of CO poisoning: a headache is the most common but also dizziness, feeling sick, tiredness & confusion, stomach pain and shortness of breath.  The symptoms are flu-like without the high temperature – but very high levels can kill almost instantly.

5.       Save the National Gas Emergency Number 0800 111 999 in your phone so you can call it immediately if you smell gas or suspect the presence of CO.

To keep people informed we’ve launched a social media campaign raising awareness of gas safety and letting people know how they can prepare for winter. We’d really appreciate if you would consider sharing this information on your social media channels, so your followers have even more opportunity to see these vital safety messages.

Some tweets that you may want to use are below:

1.       Its @GasSafetyWeek 2018 #GSW18 and @wwutilities are reminding you to get your gas appliances checked by a @GasSafeRegister engineer before winter.

2.       To mark Gas Safety Week #GSW18 @wwutilities are reminding you to save the National Gas Emergency number in your phone: 0800 111 999. It could save your life!

3.       Do you know the symptoms of CO poisoning? @GasSafetyWeek is a great chance to remind yourself how to stay safe from the ‘silent killer’ http://wwutilities.co.uk/services/safe-warm/carbon-monoxide/ @wwutilities #GSW18

Museum talk on the coming of the railway to Llan

Project engineer Peter Dickinson from Llangollen Railway will be giving a talk in the town's museum on Wednesday September 26.

Entitled Thunder & Smoke and starting at 7.30pm, it will be looking at the coming of the railway to Llangollen during the Victorian era and will include many unpublished/unseen images from his own collection.

Concert for pancreatic cancer at Town Hall

A concert in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK  will be held in Llangollen Town Hall on Saturday  October 6, at 7 pm.

The 30-strong James Lambert Singers from Wrexham, conducted by Mair Evans, are 

giving an evening of their well-loved and entertaining light music.

This charity supports research into pancreatic cancer, which kills most of 10,000 patients a year within six months.

Until now no treatment has been effective but the current research, funded by PCUK, has produced results which has at last given hope for effective treatment in the near future.

* Tickets for the concert are available, from £7, from Philip Hughes on 07774 850677.

Fire chief answers questions about mountain blaze

* The fire rages on Llantysilio Mountain. 

The army makes a charge if it is called in to help fight mountain fires like the one which raged for weeks above Llangollen recently.

This was revealed by the fire chief when questioned on the issue by Denbighshire county councillor Mabon ap Gwynfor (pictured right) at the recent full council meeting in Ruthin.

A film released by Cllr ap Gwynfor’s Plaid Cymru party shows the member for Llandrillo quizzing Chief Fire Officer Simon Smith about the Llantysilio Mountain blaze.

He asks: “In Saddleworth the army was called in after three days. In this instance the army weren’t called in for assistance. Why was this the case? Who would make the call? And do you think that in future the army might be called in circumstances like this?”

Mr Smith replies: “A decision to bring in the army would be made if we felt that we did not have the resources or the manpower to adequately deal with the incident ourselves.

“Going back to the previous question, the army charge – they don’t do it for nothing, and I would need to be convinced that there was a sound economic set against the operational argument before we would do that.

“Clearly, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, in terms of Saddleworth Moor, took a different decision and that decision would be, first of all, the decision to ask would be one that would be taken jointly with the key stakeholders including the police, NRW (Natural Resources Wales) etc and then it would be very much a decision by the senior people in the army whether or not they could provide that resource.”  

Cllr ap Gwynfor said later: “At the full council meeting the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority were in front of us asking for money.

“I therefore had an opportunity to ask them about the Llantysilio Mountain incident.

“The question that many were asking was why weren't the army called in, like they were on Saddleworth Moor.

“I asked the Chief Fire Officer why weren't the army called in, and my understanding of the response was that it was because the army would have charged them!

“I thought they were there to provide a service during civil emergencies.

“I've sent the Ministry of Defence some Freedom of Information requests.”

* To see the film, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/PlaidCymruDeClwydSouth/videos/2271053899785324/

Bosses: Meet potential employees at Glyndŵr

Businesses from across the region are being offered the chance to meet potential employees at Wrexham Glyndŵr University’s annual Careers Fair.

The fair, on October 18, has already more than 50 exhibitors, but a few last-minute places are still available. The popular yearly event, organised by the University’s award-winning Careers service attracts both students and graduates from the University, as well as members of the public and other visitors.

Running from 10am to 2pm at the university’s Sports Centre, employers have used the day to meet future employees, promote causal vacancies or graduate jobs, or find interns or volunteers.

Exhibitors attending this year include attending this year include Art and Business Cymru, Chetwood Financial Limited, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, the Co Op, NHS Wales, Flintshire and Denbighshire County Councils, HMP Berwyn, Nidec, North Wales Police, Wockhardt, Kronospan and Theatr Clwyd. Any company or organisation who wants to join them on the day will get tea or coffee, snacks and a light lunch for up to two people as well as floor space, Trestle Table and chairs. A CV review service is also available at the event.

Student Employability Advisor Angela Corbett (pictured) said: “At Wrexham Glyndŵr University, our award-winning Careers service strives to ensure all our students leave ready for their chosen career – and that they can get relevant experience during their studies, whether that is paid work or finding a suitable internship or volunteering opportunity.

“Events such as the Careers Fair help them – and they also help leading players in our local industries find skilled workers and boost our region’s economy.

“Employers large and small have found the right person for their business after taking part – and there’s still time to apply for a place.”

Anyone interested in attending can email Angela Corbett on ang.corbett@glyndwr.ac.uk or phone 01978 293240.

Find out more about Wrexham Glyndŵr University’s Careers team and their work here: https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/Studentsupport/Careers/