Minister reviews progress on Corwen station project

* Ken Skates AM looks at aerial views of the works area taken by Dewi Davies using a drone at the end of August.

Ken Skates AM, Welsh Cabinet Secretary for the Economy and Transport, visited the Corwen station works site and viewed progress with the building of the new platform and signalbox installation.

He was given a briefing on progress in preparation for an opening of the new terminus in 2019.

He said: "Completion of Corwen Central station will be a high boost to the railway and the town opening great opportunities for more visitors in 2019."

Project leader Richard Dixon-Gough said: "We were very grateful for the opportunity to update the Cabinet Secretary with details of the progress being made with the new station and our aim to open it for train services next year."

Library knitters make blankets for the Gambia

* Members of the Nitter Natter group at work on the blankets for the Gambia.

The Nitter Natter group which meets each Wednesday at Cefn Mawr Library has been busy knitting and crocheting blankets for needy children in the Gambia.

For the past year about six ladies have been producing the woollen squares which go to make up the multi-coloured blankets.

They say they would welcome donations of wool.

Guardian diarist walks the Vale of Llangollen

The country diarist from the Guardian newspaper has walked the Vale of Llangollen.

For the full story, see: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/sep/24/vale-of-llangollen-wales-walking-route-william-hazlitt

Successful year for Citizens Advice in the county

Citizens Advice Denbighshire secured £7.4 million worth of benefits and credit gains for its clients across the county in the last financial year.

The various branches also handled £6.6 million of debt during the same 12 months and ensured that 64 clients facing repossession received help in court.

These figures are revealed in the latest annual report from the organisation, which gets financial assistance from town councils across Denbighshire, including Llangollen which put in £1,500 last year to ensure the registered charity can continue its good work.

The report also shows that £1.5 million of backdated benefits was received by clients thanks to Citizens Advice intervention.

Over 350 clients were raised out of fuel poverty and two out of three clients said the organisation’s welfare benefit service improved their quality of life.

During the course of the year Citizens Advice helped 5,990 clients with 9,041 enquiries.

A total of  3,391 clients were seeking help with benefit issues and 80 per cent of debt clients said that following the advice process made a lot of difference to their peace of mind.

Others figures revealed in the annual report are that 27 per 10,000 adults in Denbighshire entered insolvency during 2017 – higher than the England and Wales rate of 21.5.

Two in five clients with council tax arrears also had rent appears, according to the report.

Eighty per cent of the welfare benefit appeal and reviews assisted by Citizens Advice were successful.

Family fun day in the Llan woods

* A woodland skills workshop featured in the family fun day in the woods.

The Woodland Trust is hosting a family fun day in Pen y Coed woods off Pengwern Road.

The Tree to Saw event, which goes on until 3.30pm (Saturday) gives people the chance to take the ancient wood returns tour and finish by sawing and chopping their own unseasoned firewood.

They can also see a range of saws in action and make a bird feeder, planter or wood cookies.

Friends of Pengwern have been selling soup, rolls and cakes at their community centre to raise funds for future events.

Lottery players to win free Llan cinema entry

* Hugh Jackman stars in The Greatest Showman.

It's National Lottery Cinema Day on Sunday September 30 and selected cinemas up and down the UK are offering free entry to those with a valid lotto ticket.

New Dot Cinema Llangollen is holding a special screening  of hit musical The Greatest Showman and invites everyone to come along and enjoy this thrilling movie experience.

Inspired by the imagination of P. T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show  business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zak Efron and Zendaya amongst others, this is a high energy circus-fantasy bursting with power pop.

The film aims to champion the 'misfits' of the era. Its Oscar nominated, Golden Globe winning song "This Is Me" has been described as an anthem for the marginalized, disenfranchised, the bullied and the outcast.

The Greatest Showman is an all-singing, all-dancing feel good hit that inspires repeat viewing, sing-a-long screenings and tribute circus costumes.

The screening takes place on Sunday September 30 at Llangollen Town Hall, Castle Street LL20 8NU.

The Greatest Showman is rated PG. Doors and bar open at 7pm with the film starting at 8pm.

* More information can be found on Facebook, Twitter and at www.newdotcinema.org

Important information: all Lotto tickets purchased for draws between September 26 and 29 qualify for free entry for one adult. Under-16s and those without a valid lottery ticket can pay £6 on the door for entry. Tickets for the screening are only available on the day, from 7pm.

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/