Steam returns to railway with Berwyn Shuttles

* The engine which pushes the train up the gradient for a 15 minute stopover. Picture by George Jones.

A series of Berwyn Shuttles, hauled by steam locomotive 68067, are running at Llangollen Railway this month.

Departure times are on the poster above.

Tickets can be booked online in advance. 

All online advance bookings for the shuttles will be entered into a draw to win one ‘Full Line Return Family Ticket for 4’ to be used later this season. 

The winner can use the ticket on A & B timetables only but it can’t be used for galas or special events. Full terms and conditions will be provided with the winning ticket. 

The draw will take place on 1st March 2023.

Activities at Pengwern Community Hub

Details have been announced about forthcoming Pengwern Community Hub's Meet, Make and Create sessions:

Hill Street junction work to take three weeks longer than planned

Llanblogger has learned that work to upgrade the junction of the A5, Hill Street and Castle Street will take three weeks longer than originally planned. 

Early in the New Year it was announced that the North and Mid Wales Traffic Agent (NMWRTA) – an arm of the Welsh Government – would be starting a project to upgrade traffic signals to provide a pedestrian crossing phase and realign the Hill Street junction. 

Contractors moved in on January 9 and it was announced that work would take six weeks to be completed by today, Friday February 17. 

An elaborate network of barriers and traffic signals has since been in operation along with ‘one way’ systems on Chapel Street and also at the junction of Hill Street with the A5 - access from the A5 into Hill Street only. 

There has also been a warning from a concerned local resident that the new junction which will be created will be dangerous to pedestrians. The Welsh Government has declined to comment on this.

But now llanblogger has been shown a document by local county councillor Karen Edwards which reveals the work is not now due to be finished until March 9 – three weeks from now.   

llanblogger has requested an explanation for the extension of the work from the county council, which has so far not been given. 

However, Cllr Edwards has now shown us a copy of another notification she received from the county council this afternoon which says: "Due to changes to the original NMWTRA scheme with the addition of Puffin Crossings, along with other unforeseen changes, the anticipated end date for these works is now 09/03/23. The main contractor will do all they can to help keep disruption to a minimum during the works and return to usual operation for the community as soon as possible."

Skates goes out and about with local PCSO

 

* PCSO Karl Joseph with Ken Skates MS in Riverside Park.

Member of the Senedd Ken Skates praised the ‘vital’ link between Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and residents after meeting Llangollen’s Karl Joseph. 

The Clwyd South MS took a walk around the town with Karl recently to discuss local issues. 

Mr Skates said: “It was great to catch up with Karl and find out about what’s been happening locally. We discussed several areas of concern and a number of issues police have acted upon recently following crucial information from the community.” 

He added: “PCSOs provide a vital link between local communities and police forces, and it was really interesting to have a walk around the town with him and visit local businesses.” 

Mr Skates also said he had written to Denbighshire Council to raise constituents’ concerns over the condition of the old brewery building overlooking the A5 opposite Riverside Park. 

In 2021 the Welsh Government announced an extra £3.7m for more PCSOs across Wales, bringing the total funded by Welsh Ministers to 600. 

PCSO Karl said: “It was a pleasure to spend some time with Ken, and the fact that he has taken the issues on board shows that he actually cares about them.” 

Family fun sessions planned for half term

Details have been announced of February Half Term Family Play sessions.  

Previously these sessions have been titled Let’s Play Out and have ran at Pengwern Schools Field or Llangollen Youth Centre field, but for February Half Term will be running at Llangollen Leisure Centre.   

Eisteddfod launches new-look festival passes

* Alfie Boe is one of the stars of Eisteddfod 2023.

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has released a limited number of exclusive 2023 Festival Passes, following the priority booking period for previous pass holders.

The Eisteddfod says benefits include:

·        The complete, immersive Eisteddfod experience

·        Great value for money

·        Discover incredible new experiences you may not otherwise have tried

·        Access to the best available seats, reserved for Festival Pass holders

·        Join the priority booking list for future years 

For 2023 two types of pass are available - Day Festival Pass and Full Festival Pass.

 

The Day Festival Pass is described as "an affordable way to dip your toes into the Eisteddfod programme."

WED 5 – SAT 8 JULY (£55)

Eisteddfod Maes – Access to the new improved field area, featuring a vibrant programme of bands, dance, talks, workshops, stalls and street food with a focus on Welsh culture, internationalism and the concept of peace in a modern world.

Competitions – A reserved seat in the Pavilion for daytime competitions, an opportunity to see some of the world's best folk, classical and contemporary music and dance, and experience the roots of the Llangollen Eisteddfod.

Refreshments – complimentary tea and coffee.

Discounts –16% off full price entry, no booking fee, 10% off in Eisteddfod shop when spending £5+.

 

Full Festival Pass (£230)

 

As above, plus the best available seats at five distinct, one-off evening concerts in the Pavilion:

Tues 4 July – A musical theatre extravaganza featuring superstar Alfie Boe and Welsh of the West End.

Wed 5 July – A classical choral and orchestral concert, The White Flower, honouring the Eisteddfod's commitment to international peace.

Thurs 6 July – An incredible theatrical experience blending artforms and genres, and celebrating the natural world, by visionary artists Propellor Ensemble.

Fri 7 July – A formidable power-house of top-drawer jazz playersguaranteed to raise the roof withGuy Barker’s Big Band.

Sat 8 July – High-profile competition finals: Choir of the World, Dance Champions & International Voice of the Future.

 

Also available is a car Parking Pass and Sun 9 July day and/or evening ticket.

Full details: www. international-eisteddfod.co.uk/whats-on/season-tickets/ 

* To book a Festival Pass, email: info@llangollen.net or call our box office on: 01978 862 001. Please note that festival passes cannot currently be booked online.

SUV or not, CX-30 is 'Mazda's best car'

Mazda CX-30 drive by Steve Rogers

With the best will in the world you would not describe the Mazda CX-30 as an SUV, yet that is what it’s there for.

It took over from CX-3, a proper SUV, but Mazda took a different styling route making the 30 sleek and curvaceous and nothing like its rivals. A risky move? Hardly because it quickly became the company’s best seller, something the CX-3 failed to achieve.

Is the 30 an SUV fraud? It is basically a pumped up Mazda3 hatchback but with a slightly higher driving position. It doesn’t offer the commanding view of some of its rivals and the sloping roof line means passengers have to stoop to avoid banging a head.

But people like it and I think it is Mazda’s best car. That Maz3 connection has its advantages because here we have a car that is a lot of fun to drive which is the Mazda way. Handling and steering precision are spot on for guiding the car through twists and big turns while the six speed gearbox is as slick as they come. The suspension is firm so be prepared to feel a good old thump if you catch a pothole or get caught out by a speed hump.

If the styling is radical then so is the choice of engine. While the opposition have gone for smaller, turbo charged engines Mazda has taken a different route with a non aspirated 2-litre petrol with a kick of its own. The Skyactiv X engine has compression controlled spark ignition that brings on the power sooner than a conventional petrol but still not as quickly as a turbo.

It means more gear changing to get things moving but the response is reasonable and the engine purrs strongly right up to the red line.

What would help is a full hybrid system. Mazda has been slow on this front and it is only now that a hybrid engine is on stream with the new CX-60. The CX-30 has an electric motor which gives a small lift in torque while the key beneficiaries are lower emissions and better economy.

I clocked up nearly 700 miles with an average of 46mpg and got into the mid 50s on long runs which is pretty impressive for a car pumping out 183bhp and a better return than the 120bhp option.

Does it come up to scratch as a medium sized family SUV? More conventional rivals offer a little more boot space and a tad more legroom for back seat passengers so it comes down to individual needs.

Where CX-30 stands out is the build quality and layout of the cabin. Mazda’s mission was to break into the premium sector and achieved it years ago. Here is the perfect example with superb levels of trim across the board. The driver’s binnacle is partially digital and would benefit from going the whole hog as information is a bit scattered but it is largely neat and there is an excellent head up display.

The infotainment centre was upgraded last year and is the most user friendly I have come across and a lot of that is down to Mazda sticking with a rotary controller positioned between the front seats for selecting the menus. Use the 8.8in display as a touchscreen if you like but the little controller is far less fiddly and safer for the driver on the move.

The level of kit across the five model range is generous from entry level and once you reach GT Sport it is pamper time with a long list of goodies including keyless entry, heated front seats, powered driver seat adjustment, power tailgate and a 12 speaker Bose sound system, along with an extensive suite of safety features. The adaptive LED headlights give out a fantastic breadth of light.

Back to the question of whether CX-30 is a SUV fraud. Not really. It loses out on outright space against most rivals and in the end it comes down to whether you prefer style over outright practicality.

Fast Facts

CX-30 GT Sport

£31,415 (starts £24,645)

0-62mph 8.3secs; 127mph

49.6mpg combined

128g/km. 1st road tax £245

Insurance group 20

Boot: 422/1398 litres