Peugeot's latest load-lugger is a real good looker

 * The 508SW estate from the front. 

... and from the inside. 

Peugeot 508SW launch report by Steve Rogers

With SUV sales still booming is anyone interested in buying an estate car?

Peugeot hope so because it has just launched the 508SW estate and a mighty good looking car it is too. The French company has a strong pedigree with estates, my favourite was the eighties 505 with its third row of seats, a rarity in those days.

Demand for this size of car is shrinking with most of the sales going to the premium sector but Peugeot is banking on a reasonable hit from fleet and company car people and unlike many rivals believe diesel will account for nearly half of SW sales.

This is a strong area for Peugeot with three engine options, a 130bhp 1.5 and 160 or 180bhp 2-litre all will class leading low emissions, while the petrols also score well on emissions at 123g/km and 130g/km respectively for the 1.6 litre 180 and 225bhp outputs.

Petrol engines with the eight speed automatic gearbox have a new feature which switches the engine to freewheel when appropriate which Peugeot reckons reduces fuel consumption by around three per cent. A small amount but it all helps. A petrol plug in hybrid will come later in the year.

The 508 Fastback got huge praise from me for its stunning styling and designer Gilles Vidal has made a pretty good fist of the SW. Mirroring the glamorous rear end of the Fastback was never going to happen but this is still the best looking estate on the market.

Although 508SW does not lead the field on boot space - the cavernous Skoda Superb is the runaway leader - it is plenty big enough for most families and can outgun Ford Mondeo and Mazda6 with 530 litres with the back seats in place. The powered tailgate is good and wide, the boot sill one of the lowest in the class, but the biggest bonus is a flat loading area.

On the subject of space the SWs roofline is a tad higher than the swooping Fastback

so there is more back seat headroom, an area where its sister leaves taller passengers brushing the roof lining.

People with young families will appreciate ISOFIX fitting points on the two outer rear seats.

So what else can we look forward to? Apart from looks and strong engines running costs are predicted to be low helped by best in class trade ins, even better than an Audi A4, according to the experts.

Safety also figures highly and now brings in adaptive cruise control with stop and go function. I find this particularly useful on long stretches of motorway roadworks where cruise control can be set at a given limit letting the car do the rest, slowing and accelerating to order.

Of course the big news with Peugeot is still the futuristic i-Cockpit with its central 10-inch touchscreen and 12.3 inch digital head up display ahead of the driver.

We first saw the i-Cockpit layout at the launch of the switch free 308 when it received praise for its styling and criticism for the touchscreen because of the time it took to complete basic tasks like changing a radio station or adjusting the heating.

Peugeot refined i-Cockpit with piano style push keys which quickened the process and added a real touch of style to the otherwise bear centre console.

Does it totally solve the problem? To a degree but the best solution is a rotary dial behind the gearstick already favoured by several companies and I still prefer separate switches for the heating controls.

As for the cabin it is beautifully trimmed and shows how much Peugeot has done to improve quality and rid itself of the ridiculously outdated notion that quality does not matter. It is time that stigma was well and truly parked because Peugeot has spared no expense in creating plush surroundings.

We got a taste of how 508SW might drive with the Fastback and that was a big step up compared to the old model. SW is not set up to compete with a BMW or Audi but it not a car that shies away from taking on twists and turns.

Steering is quick and accurate while the suspension puts it in the middle ground offering a good compromise between comfort and go fast driving.

The 130bhp 1.5 litre diesel gives the best economy while performance is adequate. Anyone wanting extra oomph needs to sample the 2-litre where the 180bhp option is quite spicy.

Both petrol engines are feisty although noisy when pushed and given Peugeot's strength on this front I am surprised there isn't a lower powered petrol entry option.

The line up is Active, Allure, GT Line and GT with prices ranging from £26,845 for the 130bhp diesel to £38,245 for the range topping GT 180bhp 2-litre diesel. Petrol is not offered until Allure and starts at £31,495.

Key facts

508SW GT Line

£33,245

1.6 petrol Pure Tech; 181bhp

0-62mph 8secs; 140mpg

41.8mpg combined

127g/km 1st year tax £170

Insurance group 30

Two outdoor events planned for this week

Two outdoor events are being held this week in the woods near Llangollen town.

The first of these is tonight (Monday) and is a bat survey through Pen y Coed Woods, meeting at Pengwern Community Centre at 9.15pm.

You can try something new, learn how to use a bat detector and discover the wildlife that’s on your doorstep.

This Wednesday there is a free, guided Mindfulness Walk through Pen y Coed, again meeting at Pengwern Community Centre, at 11am.

Those taking part are asked to wear suitable clothing and footwear for the outdoors.


Both events are part of the ongoing Nature for Health project, with many more events coming soon.

The project is a collaboration between Denbighshire Countryside Service and Denbighshire Housing.

Operatic scores double victory in amateur stage 'Oscars'

* The Llangollen Operatic team at the presentation evening in Hereford.

* Part of the production team from Joseph.
From left, Dee Smith, Pamela Williams and Jo Lloyd.

Llangollen Operatic Society came away with two wins plus a sheaf of nominations from this year’s amateur stage “Oscars”.

At the annual NODA  - National Operatic and Dramatic Association- Awards presentation evening in Hereford last Saturday the society’s junior section, the Young ‘Uns, had been nominated for Best Production of 2018 with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat while young actor Shea Ferron received a nod for Best Supporting Youth Performer Under-21 for his part as the Pharaoh in the same show.

Llangollen won both these categories.

The Young ‘Uns’ Cassius Hackforth had also been nominated for Best Youth Performer under 21 for Joseph. Nominated for Best Supporting Youth Performer Under 21 were Celyn Orton Jones and Erin Roberts as narrators for Joseph.

The award-winning Joseph was co-directed by Jo Lloyd and Robin Crowley. Producer for the show was Pamela Williams, assistant producer Dee Smith and Julian Cattley musical director.

In the society’s adult section Bill Hughes was nominated for Best Individual Performance Musical Theatre for his portrayal of Alfred Doolittle in the production of My Fair Lady in 2018.

Nominated for Best Supporting Individual Performance Musical Theatre was Alison Ravenscroft who played housekeeper Mrs Pearce in My Fair Lady.

As a show, My Fair Lady had been nominated for Best Musical Theatre Production in NODA’s District 1a 2018 and also Best Stage Management and Technical.

Jo Lloyd was the show’s director while Helen Belton produced with Leigh Mason as musical director.

New book explores Ruabon-Barmouth rail line

The cross-country Ruabon to Barmouth railway was originally built to fulfil the desire of connecting the town of Llangollen with the rest of the rapidly expanding network.

The local Victorian promoters received the backing of the Great Western Railway (GWR), which had an ambitious plan to reach the Cambrian coast and tap into the slate quarries around Snowdonia.

As time was to prove, the GWR was to be temporarily thwarted by the construction of a branch inland from Barmouth by the rival Cambrian Railway, resulting in an end-on connection between the two railways in the market town of Dolgelly.

The route developed into an important artery across rural Wales, bringing in its wake a revolution in agriculture, industry and daily life. Holiday traffic became big business, tapping into the big conurbations of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

The route would ultimately succumb to the Beeching axe during the 1960s, but even this did not go to plan following severe flooding a few weeks prior.

A new book, The Ruabon to Barmouth Line, explores the eastern half of the route, encompassing the towns of Ruabon, Llangollen, Corwen and Bala, and a brief introduction to the fundamentals of railway travel. The perfect companion for anyone visiting the preserved Llangollen Railway.

It's the perfect companion for anyone visiting the preserved Llangollen Railway.

Author Peter Dickinson is an active volunteer on the preserved Llangollen Railway and first encountered the line during his geology fieldwork as an undergraduate in 2011.

Since then, extensive research and his volunteering at Berwyn Station has brought him into contact with many who knew and worked on the line. A greater emphasis has been placed on the social impact and characters involved with the line than more traditional railway histories, providing a unique insight into the line's history.

* At 160 pages, the book, priced at £18.99, is illustrated in mono and colour. It can be ordered online at Waterstones and will also be available in the Llangollen Railway shop.

Latest from canal man Phil as he heads for Llan

* The view of the canal from Seren's cockpit.

A former local town councillor is now well into his three-week canal boat trip to reach Llangollen in time for next month’s International Eisteddfod.

Phil Thane moved down to Potton in Bedfordshire just over two years ago and has since rebuilt an elderly boat named Seren.

Phil, who is a technical author by trade, is writing a blog on the voyage through the canal system for the Waterways World magazine - and he’s also going to keep llanblogger readers up to date on his progress, which involves 316 miles and 232 locks - each way.

Here's his latest blog update, penned yesterday (Saturday) ...

Bright and sunny this morning, though it soon turned grey. Having dried out the inverter it works again and the fridge is on, which will be useful if ever the weather turns warm.

I’ve tried to shield it from future downpours but in the long term I should re-site it, probably in the engine compartment.

Three lots of locks today, and thankfully got help with all of them, I made an early start on Buckby locks, but after the first two came to a halt as CRT had padlocked them to save water. I guess the policy precedes the recent weather, there was so much water some locks were overflowing. We had to wait until 10.00 and a queue built up. That’s the idea of course, when there are boats waiting they double up and the lock is used less often.

After Buckby locks I passed through Braunston tunnel. It’s about a mile long and quite spacious (the Grand Union was widened in the 1930s) I followed a boat through but none came the other way so we didn’t have to test that the tunnel really is wide enough for boats to pass.

After that, Braunston Locks then a long lock-free stretch to Calcutt locks. About an hour from Calcutt we had a thunderstorm, heavy rain and hail and strong wind. I avoided most of it by edging up to the bank and letting the wind pin Seren there, I wasn’t going to get out and moor!

I was thinking of stopping above Calcutt Locks but as I approached I cought up with a guy in an old narrowboat who was planning to go through, so we went together. The locks have big paddles operated by ‘modern’, ie 1930s, hydraulic gear so they fill and empty quickly. We made short work of the three then I cruised on to Stockton, stopping near Stockton top lock.

* You can follow Phil on his blog at: https://pthane.co.uk/blog

Latest Citizens Advice column

Here's the latest column for the Citizens Advice Service ...

Q: I’m having problems with a builder I employed to build a kitchen extension to our house. The foundations are laid, and he’s knocked through the back wall - the back of our house is now a tarpaulin sheet. We paid an initial deposit upfront, and then two further amounts in cash for materials. He’s now asked for more money - but I’d like to see more work done first. We had a bit of a row, and he hasn’t turned up for the last two days. What should I do next?

A: There are various things you can do.The Citizens Advice consumer service (03454 04 05 06) is a good first port of call.

If you think your relationship with the builder can be salvaged and you’d like him to finish the work, you can try to sit down with him and agree - in writing - a schedule of works and payments you’re both happy with.

This written contract, if you don’t have one already, should cover exactly what you’re paying for and everything you’ve agreed on, like timings, payments, who will pay for materials and subcontractors. If you pay any future installments by credit card rather than cash you’ll also benefit from extra protection from the card provider. It’s a good idea to take photos as the work progresses and keep copies of your communications and any receipts.

If you feel the situation with that trader can’t continue you can complain in writing to him or his company and ask for some money back. If you believe the work is substandard you can report problems to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer service.  If he’s a member of a trade association they also might be able to help.

If that doesn’t work, look for an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme - this is an independent third party who can help you to reach a compromise. The trader may already be a member of a scheme. If not, they should provide you with the name of a certified scheme and say if they are willing to use it. 

Gin from solar distillery on show at Llangollen Food Festival

* Kevin Flower with his new gin.

A scientist is on a mission to create the perfect gin after setting up his new solar-powered distillery in time for a top food festival this autumn.

Former university lecturer Kevin Flower will be unveiling the special edition gin at the popular Llangollen Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

Kevin, 53, who taught chemistry at the University of Manchester, has developed an eco-friendly distillery in the garage at his home in Conwy.

Three years ago he threw caution to the wind, alongside university pals Andy Whiting and Euan Noble, to develop a unique brand of gin based on decades of combined scientific expertise.

Their company, PHure Liquors, continues to go from strength to strength with a growing list of stockists including pubs, delicatessens and off licences across North Wales.

It will be their second visit to the Llangollen Food Festival which has been named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK.

This time they will be launching the new Autumn gin flavoured with seasonal fruits and berries.

“We came to Llangollen for the first time last year and it seems like the perfect place to celebrate our “50^th batch” with a special edition gin using our new solar energy distillery,” explained Kevin who formerly worked as a university research fellow in Auckland, New Zealand.

“The recent addition of solar power has been really important, enabling us to generate more electricity than we need during the distillation process. In this way, we make a small contribution to reducing our carbon footprint.

“You only have to look at what’s going on in the news and the impact human activities are having on the environment to realise every little helps. Everything we make now uses green energy generated by ourselves.”

Solar power is not the only environmentally-friendly benefit from Kevin’s method of making gin.

“We also distil at a lower temperature and lower pressure than other commercial producers,” he said.

“By reducing the pressure, you reduce the temperature at which the liquid boils which is the reason why water boils at 71 degrees on the top of Everest.

“Our distillation temperature is around 35 degrees lower than in a normal copper still distillation so uses less energy. The pressure we distil at is equivalent to about 46,000 feet up.

“As custodians of the planet we have a duty of care. If you can reuse and recycle everything then we create as little rubbish as possible.”

Kevin, who is originally from Sussex and completed his degree and masters in chemistry at Bangor University, was teaching at a local college when he decided it was time for something different.

“Like many in the teaching profession, I’d had enough,” he said.

“It wasn’t the teaching it was everything that goes with it, so I was looking for other outlets.”

The scientists set themselves a friendly challenge to create a unique gin based on their knowledge of science.

“We took the classic academic approach, looking at various scientific literatures about distillation processes and we used that as a basis for how we were going to start, basically turning it into a scientific experiment,” explained Kevin, who has also lectured at the University of Sussex and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). 

Kevin borrowed an approach commonly used in medicinal drug discovery to find the perfect combination of flavours.

“It’s called “combinational” strategy,” explained Kevin, who divides his time between his business and private tutoring.

“In a sense, instead of deciding to put this much with that and doing it in a linear fashion you do it in a parallel fashion. We produced each of the botanicals individually. We then took out a fixed volume of each botanical and varied how much we added. We did the same with the second botanical and so on.

“We discovered that just by varying the amount you can achieve a very wide flavour range in a short space of time. It enables you to discover flavours very quickly or eliminate them far more easily, instead of throwing them all in at once and not liking what you find.

“The strategy, although new to gin making, has been around for donkeys’ years and is the way they search for active leads in chemistry.”

The result was the creation of its flagship pHure Gin, made from 96% organic wheat grain alcohol. It remains the company’s biggest selling gin thanks to its velvety smooth flavour and is the base for all its other gin products.

“One of my business partners runs a pub in Yorkshire and for nearly a year we trialled a small amount to see whether we could sell it,” said Kevin.

“Once we worked out people were buying it and coming back for more it was worth expanding and making more of it.”

The company produces occasional batches of Honey Gin and most recently launched strawberry and rhubarb flavours.

Euan, who lives in Yorkshire, is commercial director and looks after compliance/licensing issues while Andy, from Durham, is technical director and delivers presentations on gin production. 

“Sales are growing year on year. As we do more and go out more to food festivals we get more people interested in buying it,” explained Kevin, who is production director.

He’s looking forward to returning to the festival which has played a part in building the company’s reputation.

“Food festivals work very well for brand awareness,” he said.

“It’s basically good advertising and gives you the opportunity to go out and meet people who could become potential customers. Last year, we acquired a new delicatessen from just being at the festival. They’re really a great marketing and advertising exercise.”

Llangollen Food Festival committee member Phil Davies was delighted PHure Liquors had chosen the event to launch their special edition gin.

He said: “A major part of our role is enable our growing army of indigenous food and drink producers to have a higher profile by providing them with a shop window.

“I am looking forward to sampling the new, solar-powered gin at the festival and I wish them every success.

“Their eco-friendly approach is right on trend and I’m sure the taste will also hit the spot.”

For more information about Llangollen Food Festival go to www.llangollenfoodfestival.com