Denbighshire has the joint-lowest Covid case rate in the UK, according to a story on the BBC news website
The county had no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the week to 1 May, meaning it has the lowest Covid-19 infection rate on the UK mainland.
* For the full story, see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57013609
The first significant piece of rolling stock from crisis-hit Llangollen Railway has left the site.
One of the heritage attraction’s most iconic items, its 1960s-built buffet coach, was sold ahead of the current online auction of assets by special arrangement with the liquidators.
It was snapped up for £33,000 by the Spa Valley Railway in Kent and taken away from the Llangollen shunting yard by low loader earlier this week.
It was photographed by a railway enthusiast in the Clacketts service area on the M25 with its long journey to a new home almost complete.
The RMC 1864 coach was built by British Rail in 1962 as a restaurant miniature buffet and ran on the mainline network before being acquired by Llangollen Railway.
In
March 1 the railway's Public Limited Company went into receivership with debts
of around £350,000.
Since
then the assets of the railway have been offered on an online auction, which
culminates on May 12.
In
the meantime, the separate Trust Board, which remains completely solvent, has
been battling to raise enough money to buy as many of the assets as possible
and get the railway back on track.
In
a recent statement the board said it had
completed a deal with the administrators to purchase certain assets belonging
to the railway along with the right to use the railway line for an undisclosed
sum.
It added that talks have
been started with the Welsh Government, Business Wales, Denbighshire County
Council and the National Heritage Lottery Fund, all of which had been positive.
It says it is targeting the end of July or early August for
re-opening the railway to passengers.
And as fundraising
continues the board says £100,000 approximately is needed to cover necessary
overheads for the re-opening phase, for which it hopes to attract grant funding.
* To donate to the railway appeal online go to: https://llangollenrailway.enthuse.com and click the Donate button, or via our Facebook page. For taxpayers, the railway can apply for 25% Gift Aid. Alternatively, supporters are invited to send cheques payable to Llangollen Railway Trust Ltd to The Station, Abbey Road, Llangollen LL20 8SN.
Checking on the problem this time llanblogger was told at 10am: "Network update: Our engineers have found a problem in LL20 8HN and are fixing it, your service should be back to normal within 8 hours.
An online petition has been started calling on Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford to support the re-opening of a railway line from Ruabon to link Llangollen and Corwen, and potentially Bala, all back to the mainline rail network.
On change.org Daniel Newton of Rhosllanerchrugog
says he is seeking political backing for the idea
which he claims would benefit the local economy.
In the preamble to the petition, which has
so far drawn over 60 supporting names of its 100-name target, he adds that his plan would also secure
the long-term future of the existing Llangollen Railway as well as
significantly enhancing public transport into all of the local areas.
He explains: “The wonderfully refurbished and preserved
Llangollen steam railway provides spectacular scenic views for all tourists to
enjoy; but with Llangollen Railway PLC having gone into receivership in March
2021, and a rescue plan via the Trust and a "Potential Buyer"
currently being negotiated, and reported in the local papers and Welsh news
(and with all the nationwide debate over HS2 being built in England and nothing
being invested to extend the Welsh railway network to embrace the likely very
positive effect of HS2's national economic growth potential), the time and public
awareness and profile of the existing Llangollen-Corwen railway and the need
for railway re-openings nationally is very high; and so therefore this is the
very best time ever to start pushing for a wider railway reopening from Ruabon
to link Llangollen and Corwen, and potentially Bala, all back to the mainline
railway network.
“For a Ruabon to Llangollen mainline railway reopening, this
would be anticipated to have a strong positive business case to benefit the
local economy.
“If the Llangollen Railway could become a Community Railway Partnership
with Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Wrexham Councils, then it could form a section
of a reopened mainline railway route through from Ruabon to Bala via Corwen.
“This would link the corridor of Llangollen, Corwen, and Bala to
the mainline railway network; benefiting the communities, businesses, tourism,
and existing Heritage Railway attractions along the route (and could
potentially link up with the Bala Lake Narrow Gauge Railway and perhaps in much
longer term even a connection from the Ffestiniog and Blaenau area, via
the Bala to Blaenau Ffestiniog route).
“Therefore, we believe that obtaining the political backing and
funding to secure and protect the whole of the Ruabon to Bala route, reopen the
existing Llangollen Railway as a Community Railway Partnership line, and to
then restore a railway over the 5 mile disused track bed towards the main line
in Ruabon, and longer term restore the remaining 10 mile rail route from Corwen
towards Bala, would greatly secure the long-term future of the existing
Llangollen Railway as well as significantly enhancing public transport into all
of the local areas on the route in the Dee valley and Vale of Edyrnion, re-connecting
all the towns and villages giving local people better access to the outside
world, jobs, education, and also helping to bring in more tourists than
possible by road to further boost the local economy.”
In its latest vaccination update Llangollen Health Centre says:
"We understand that there have been some issues this week with appointments for the 40-49 age group at the local vaccination in Plas Madoc and that some patients have had their appointments cancelled. The Plas Madoc team have been working hard to sort this out.
"Patients who have received a text or letter inviting them to attend an appointment at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre on 14th or 15th May – these appointments still stand. Please make every effort to attend.
"Patients who have had their appointment at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre on 6th, 7th or 8th May cancelled – you will be contacted by phone over the next couple of days to rebook your appointment asap.
"Patients aged 40-49 who have yet to be contacted - you will be contacted by phone over the next couple of days to book your appointment
"New guidance is going to be issued on Friday for those aged 39 and under and we will post an update then."
Amendments to the Marriage Act 1949 came in to force yesterday (May 4) which means for the first time since records began in 1837, the marriage register will no longer be the legal record for civil marriage in England and Wales.
The marriage register has been replaced and couples will now sign a marriage schedule.
Gareth Owens, Chief Officer Governance for neighbouring Flintshire County Council, said; “This is the most significant change in civil registration since 1837 and the Registration Service is delighted to be part of this exciting change.
“The Registrar will be responsible for a new marriage schedule and
after a marriage ceremony will record the details on an electronic system,
creating the legal record and allowing for marriage certificates to be
printed. The electronic register will be secure, more efficient for
keeping marriage records and it will also allow mothers details to be included
on the marriage entry rather than just father."
Couples who have given their Notice of Marriage for marriage ceremonies
after 4 May, 2021 will have the option to include all four parents’ details at
the time of their ceremony. The Registration Service will assist
couples prior to their ceremony.
A creature described as a "big cat" has been spotted for the fourth time along a short stretch of the A5 between Oswestry and Chirk, according to a story in the Denbighshire Free Press.
This says that ,last week, a man described how he had inadvertently caught an image of a large creature on camera at Cefn Mawr in April.
Now another witness claims to have seen the creature.
* For the full story, see: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/19278290.big-cat-spotted-a5-chirk-oswestry/?fbclid=IwAR3iKSHAevOpGdbDn8YKuZjp4ZhmvIsVk-U3J9qmE5yTJZBv27qsTVr0Mkc
