Llan railway starts midweek running

Take the railcar for a ramble in the Dee Valley - use the intermediate stations to alight and re-join the train after a walk in the countryside or visit to a local pub.

Enjoy the delights of the Station Cafe at Carrog or Llangollen take a walk along the canal and catch the train at Berwyn or get off at Berwyn and walk gently back to Llangollen along the beautiful canal path.

Site survey for 'pocket park' near Llan goes ahead

* Activity on the site near the former civic amenity site spotted last week.

A site survey is being carried out on land which is the subject of a planning application for a "pocket park" on one of the main gateways to Llangollen.

The county council-owned land off the A539 was the area's civic amenity site until its closure in the late 1990s.

In 2017 the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Team on behalf of the Our Picturesque Landscape Partnership applied for permission to create the park.

According to the original application, which is still under consideration, this would see paths, tracks and parking for 36 cars.

Late last week activity was spotted on the site by llanblogger. A small digger was operating and a man in high-viz jacket appeared to be taking land samples. A car was parked nearby.

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: "We are in the process of carrying out a topographical survey and soil sampling to get a better understanding of the site.

"The planning application for the site is still being considered."

According to the original development brief, the park plan includes landscaping, tree planting, wildflower meadows and hedgerow planting with the aim of increasing the biodiversity and ecological value of the site.

Work was also to be done to eradicate the small stand of Japanese knotweed said to be present on site.

Paths, tracks and parking for 36 cars would be landscaped and screened to minimise any visual impact on the surrounding landscape and immediate site neighbours.

Improved site access/egress was a key part of the proposals. Adjacent landowners and the county’s highways department had been consulted.

Access to the site would be available for pedestrians and cyclists along pavement from Llangollen to the west and the canal to the east, a bus stop is also located adjacent to the site, providing easy access to the site to users by an alternative means to the car.

The planning brief said: “The proposed new park would be developed along with community groups and other interested parties over a number of years and as this will take time, the ethos for this initial phase was to create a welcoming site for people to enjoy both in its own right but also as a gateway to the wider area.

“The plan has been developed as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund – Landscape Partnership Scheme bid and as part of this process consultation with stakeholders and communities has been ongoing.

“The site is seen as a key gateway into Llangollen and the wider Dee Valley, it will provide a new access point for the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, promoting wider exploration of the area and a longer stay.”

X-Trail comes fourth in gladiatorial SUV contest

* The facelifted Nissan X-Trail.

Nissan X-Trail road test by Steve Rogers

First thought when I looked at the front of the Nissan X-Trail was the film Gladiator.

Yes, strange one that but the facelifted X-Trail has got that aggressive, ready for combat look about it. It was the thick, gleaming chrome draped across its nose which brought to mind Russell Crowe kitted out in his shiny battle armour before leading his Roman legion against the barbarians.

Probably best to move on, this is getting a bit too deep.

X-Trail is a proper, rugged SUV and has been around longer than the majority of its rivals. Nissan has done its best to keep pace with the hordes of newcomers and it is the changes to the front that have made the most impact. The dominant V grille and spikey new headlights make this a mean machine.

All of which has turned X-Trail into a longer Qashqai but able to offer seven seats and that is no bad thing.

To be honest my expectations were not that high having driven three of its closest competitors in as many months. They are all new so bang up to date on design and everything else that goes in making a top SUV. Kia Sorento is the most practical seven seater, Skoda Kodiaq the best to drive, and the Peugeot 5008 is just brilliant at everything. Could the Nissan get close?

It is a big ask, too big actually, but that doesn't put X-Trail out of the running. As I have said before margins are fine when choosing a car and a lot of people are happy with the Nissan. It is damn good value against those mentioned and the one I would choose for serious off roading.

It is set up for a comfortable ride which means the suspension will protect occupants against our many poor road surfaces. The downside is body control becomes a tad ragged when pushed through bends, but if that is your bag buy a sports car.

X-Trail is a big SUV and that means lots of space for legs and luggage. Mine was the five seater so the boot is sizeable and very practical with out of site storage in a section used for a third row of seats, and reversible rubber/fabric floor mat.

The facelift brought some interior upgrades but a full makeover is needed to bring it up to the standard of the front runners. Compared to Kodiaq and 5008 the X-Trail's cabin is looking dated but the fittings are solid and there were no rattles or creaks.

There is a choice of petrol and diesel engines and my guess is the majority would favour the 173bhp 2-litre turbo diesel. Good choice if refinement and extra grunt is needed but for me the 1.6 diesel does the job admirably. There is nothing to fear here when it comes to performance and its economy will raise eyebrows.

Okay, the power band is narrow and it sounds harsh as the revs mount, but I never felt short changed when overtaking and noise levels are perfectly acceptable when cruising. The best bit is a smidgen over 50mpg after a week and 470 miles. That is a terrific return for such a big four wheel drive car.

My N Connecta is near the top of the range and is well equipped with substantial safety and comfort packages. My favourite: the 360deg camera, great for parking in tight spots. And I liked the double USB socket for the second row. A small detail may be but very useful these days.

All in all X-Trail was much better than I expected and is good value. But I am afraid it still comes fourth behind the three mentioned at the start.

Fast facts

Nissan X-Trail N Connecta 4WD

£32,445 (starts £25,590)

1.6 litre dCi 130

0-62mph 11secs; 115mph

52.3mpg combined

143g/km. 1st year road tax £515

Insurance group 16

Hundreds say farewell to Colin Loughlin

* The late Colin Loughlin whose funeral was held at Pentrebychan crematorium.

Hundreds of people turned out to pay their last respects to the saviour of Llangollen Food Festival – and heard it had just been named as one of the best eight events of its type in the UK.

There was standing room only at the Pentrebychan crematorium near Wrexham for the funeral of Colin Loughlin who died aged 76 from a suspected heart attack.

The service was conducted by the Rev Andrew Sully who served as the Vicar of Llangollen, Trevor and Llantysilio for more than a decade until moving to Llandudno last summer.

Appropriately, donations in lieu of flowers were accepted to pay for a defibrillator for a new boat being launched by the Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust which Colin supported for many years.

In 2011 Colin came to rescue when the previous organisers of the festival pulled the plug and he was elected chairman of a committee of volunteers who revived the event which has gone from strength.

After being named as one of the top 10 food festivals in the UK by the Independent and Daily Telegraph newspapers, it’s now been hailed as one of the best eight in the UK by the Redonline website.

Colin’s contribution as the chair of the festival committee has been celebrated with a painting of him in a mural on the side of the Llangollen pavilion where the event is held every October.

A native of Wrexham, Colin ran a wine distribution company called Whitehouse Wines in Coedpoeth before going into business with Lorraine Hughes.

They bought an existing company called Megan’s Kitchen which makes Welsh Cakes.
Lorraine continued to run the business after Colin retired five years ago, before stepping down as festival committee chair in 2016.

She said: “Colin was a force of nature and an irreplaceable character but his legacy will live on in the form of Llangollen Food Festival which he was instrumental in saving and ensuring that it thrived and prospered.

“So much so, that the festival has now received another accolade from the Redonline website and been hailed as one of the best eight food festivals in the UK.”

The eulogy at the funeral was delivered by long-time friend Bob Jaques who is also the treasurer of the food festival committee.

Bob said: “After Colin moved to Llangollen he quickly became a well-loved member of the community and, when the organiser of the Llangollen Festival withdrew, Colin formed a committee of friends to continue the event.

“He became Chairman and the committee successfully took over the running of this annual event for many years, which very soon became one of the top ten Food Festivals in the UK.

“He eventually resigned as Chair but very soon was persuaded to return to the committee in order that his vast knowledge and experience should not be lost.

“Away from work Colin enjoyed all types of sport including rugby, motor racing and sailing.  He was a member and played for Wrexham Rugby Club and made many lifelong friends. 

“Colin was an enthusiastic member of Llangollen Round Table and willingly took part in fund raising events, Father Christmas float, raft races, jazz evenings, barbeques, trips on the river and French wine runs.

“He joined some colleagues from Table who had started a project to build a canal boat specially adapted for people with disabilities which became the Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust.

“This first boat, Myfanwy, was built by apprentices at Camel Lairds shipyard and provided memorable days out for thousands.

“Many years and three boats later the Trust is currently building a new boat which will be launched in the Summer and today, donations in memory of Colin will go towards buying a defibrillator for this new boat.

“We will all, I know, have many memories of Col, his love of wine, his love of cars, particularly his Triumph Vitesse which is parked outside this afternoon thanks to its proud new owner Brian Owen.

After the service, fellow committee member Pip Gale, of Gales Wine Bar and Hotel, added: “Colin was hugely popular and so well respected so his passing came as a huge shock to us all.

“Quite simply, the food festival would not exist today were it not for the enthusiasm and leadership shown by Colin.

“He is a massive loss to the town of Llangollen in general and the food festival in particular but he will always be remembered with great fondness.”

Wind turbine deliveries progessing well, says contractor

* One of the massive wind turbine components is driven along Regent Street.

The delivery of 27 wind turbines to a renewable energy development in Denbighshire, through Llangollen, is progressing well and on schedule, says the contractor.

For the full story see Business News Wales at: https://businessnewswales.com/27-wind-turbines-set-for-renewable-development-in-denbighshire/

Llan gets overnight dusting of snow

* Snow on the hillside leading up to the castle. 

People in Llangollen woke up this morning (Sunday) to find it had snowed on the hills surrounding the town.

A yellow warning of the snowfall across North Wales was given by forecasters yesterday.

Later this morning the snow turned again to rain.

County increases annual garden waste charge

From April 1 Denbighshire County Council is increasing the standard garden waste service charge from £24 to £27.

New customers can opt for the standard service consisting of one 140 litre wheelie bin or three re-usable sacks, or an enhanced service using two wheelie bins or six sacks. The cost of the enhanced service will increase from £36 to £39.

For online customers, and those who pay for their service by Direct Debit, the standard service charge will increase from £22 to £24 and the enhanced service will increase from £34 to £36.

The increase in costs is the first increase of its kind since the Council started charging for the garden waste collections five years ago.

The price increase will take effect on all transactions completed after midnight on March 31.

Existing Denbighshire garden waste customers with subscriptions due to expire in the spring should bear in mind that they are able to renew their subscriptions up to 12 weeks before they expire.

Over 17,000 Denbighshire residents subscribe to the fortnightly garden waste collection service. The service is provided for 52 weeks a year and residents can sign-up at any time of the year and receive a full 12 months of service.

Councillor Brian Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Highways, Planning and Sustainable Travel, said: “In the current climate, there are difficult decisions that need to be made and every service has been asked to find cuts and new ways of working as we look at re-shaping the Council.

“We have great feedback about our garden waste collections and  we want to keep this valuable service going. To do so, we are in the position where we are needing to increase the cost marginally.   We understand this is not ideal, however we hope people understand our reasoning behind the increase in charges and continue to use this valuable service.”

* For further information about garden waste collections, please visit: http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/recycling