Roadworks alerts for Fron Bache and Vicarage Road

Latest local roadworks from one.network is:

Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Fron Bache, Llangollen   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Vicarage Road, Llangollen   Location: Vicarage Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress   Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 13 February   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: REPLACE 79M OF OLD METALLIC GAS MAINS WITH NEW PLASTIC MAINS AND RENEW/TRANSFER APPROX. 5 SERVICE PI   Works location: JUNC HILL STREET - O/S NO. 4   Public facing description: Wales & West Utilities Ltd has not assigned a specific description to this Works. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Wales & West Utilities Ltd.   Responsibility for works: Wales & West Utilities   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: XY254003001625594

Llangollen Christmas quiz raises £746 for cancer research

Organisers have provided the answers to their latest Christmas quiz which is run annually in aid of Cancer Research UK (CRUK). 

In a message to those who took part Judy Smith and her team: "A big thank you to everyone who supported this quiz, the 17^th in the series (it’s hard to believe we have done so many!). We are very pleased to say that a sum of £746.02 has been raised for Cancer Research UK.

"After last year’s quiz, when there were so many correct answers, I swore to make this year’s one more difficult. Did I manage it?  Perhaps …. but we still had a very large number of quizzes returned.  So let’s get on to the results: 

1^st , with 50 points                               Keith Stacey of Newport, Gwent

2^nd, with 49 points                               Ian Hindle of Newport, Gwent

3^rd, with 48 points                               Adrian and Catherine Farrel of Llangollen 

"You may well be thinking you have seen some of those names at the top before! Our heartiest congratulations to all of them - those results are very impressive.

"Well, there was no need to draw from a hat this year because we had three clear winners, but there were many others hard on their heels.  

"With 46 points we had Linda Sutton (Wirral) and Lorraine and Glyn Roberts (Northwich), and following that, with 45 points, (Mike Hough (Wrexham), William Large (Llangollen), Barbara Reeves (Wrexham), Richard and Margaret Campbell (Northampton), Jane Hurle (Llangollen), and Cherry Dodd (Warwick).  Congratulations to them also!. On that difficult quiz, a total of 30 points or more was a very creditable score, and anything more than 40, outstanding.

"My brain certainly needs a rest now, and maybe yours do also. But I hope you’ll all be back for more next December, when we hope once again to make a good contribution to Cancer Research UK. Wishing you all the best for 2024."

ANSWERS

The following are all book titles, song titles, famous quotes or even lines from poetry (well known , of course!).  The bracketed letters give the origin or author. So – write out the phrases and find the missing numbers 

19                T _ S (JB)                          The 39 Steps (John Buchan)

20                TW _ OUITM  (DPOW)   There were 3 of us in this marriage (Diana, Princess of Wales)

21                _ LMFS (TM)                    3 Little Maids from School (The Mikado)

22                _SSAAT (S a Y)                10 Sixty-Six and all That (Sellar and Yeatman)

23                _ DAW  (TB)                     8 Days a Week (The Beatles)

24                FF _ TFL  (A - TT)            Full Fathom 5 the Father Lies (Ariel - The Tempest)

25                _ FOTCN (KK)                1 Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Ken Kesey)

26                WSW _ MA (FW - M)      When shall we 3 Meet Again (FW - Macbeth)

27                IS _ SCSI  (CC)                I Saw 3 Ships come Sailing in (Christmas Carol)

28                _ FD (MB)             1 Fine Day (Madame Butterfly)

29                _ BRWIHT  (WBY)           9 Bean-rows will I have there (W B Yeats, Lake Isle of Innisfree)

30                NWA _  (AAM)                Now we are 6 (AA Milne)

Now add all those numbers up, and divide by

31         TAWI_BT  (NR / S)         The Animals went in 2 by two (Nursery Rhyme / Song)

And if you get the right answer to that (and it’s not necessarily a whole number), you’ll get two bonus points!  Correct guesses are acceptable – go on, have a shot!   45 ½ 

OK – that was the academic one!  Now have some easy fun with these cryptic clues that all have connections with Christmas.  Think widely …….. 

32  Cosy snorters  (4,2,8)                                                               Pigs in blankets

33  Shout to Molly? (4,5)                                                               Home Alone

34  Is she asking the time?  Sounds like it! (9)                                 Wenceslas

35  Goat of unknown species (6,6)                                     Brandy Butter

36  Fire! (4)                                                                                   Sack

37  Extreme technology in little fish (5)                                            Fairy

38  In in in  reverse case  (6)                                                           Tinsel

39  Boss loses article (6)                                                                 Manger

40  Sounds like bad weather, my love (8)                                        Reindeer

41  Film starring Colin Firth (3,5,6)                                     The King’s Speech

42  Boy follows piper with personal pronouns (9)                Pantomime

43  Able to move Santa’s transport (7)                                           Candles

44  Ring around the north has a happy ending (7)                Chimney

45  Arch-enemy returning, but changing direction (4,3)                    Wise Men

46  Easily carried, these (6)                                                 Lights

47  Sounds like you’re extorting an energy company (7)                  Scrooge

48  Grain measure thief (ask your kids!)      (6)                                Grinch

Closure of A483 viaducts leads to heavy traffic in town

* Congestion around the Mill Street/Castle Street junction.

The volume of traffic passing through Llangollen has increased today (Sunday) as the town becomes part of a diversionary route following the closure of the Dee & Ceiriog viaducts on the A483 due to expected high winds.

Traffic Wales are warning of the diversion in a Facebook post which says: "Due to extremely high winds that will be impacted by #StormIsha the Dee and Ceiriog viaducts are now CLOSED."

The two viaducts are due to re-open at 6am tomorrow (Monday) morning.

In Llangollen extra traffic can be seen along the A5 and A539. There is an additional problem with traffic lights operating on Mill Street, near the bottom of Wharf Hill.  

* Heavy traffic along the A5 Regent Street.

* Traffic lights on Mill Street are adding to the congestion.

Latest local roadworks alerts

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

East Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 21 January - 04 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: East Street, Llangollen   Location: East Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Fron Bache, Llangollen   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Market Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 21 January - 04 February   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Market Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Vicarage Road, Llangollen   Location: Vicarage Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned   Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 13 February   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: REPLACE 79M OF OLD METALLIC GAS MAINS WITH NEW PLASTIC MAINS AND RENEW/TRANSFER APPROX. 5 SERVICE PI   Works location: JUNC HILL STREET - O/S NO. 4   Public facing description: Wales & West Utilities Ltd has not assigned a specific description to this Works. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Wales & West Utilities Ltd.   Responsibility for works: Wales & West Utilities   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: XY254003001625594

Eisteddfod hosts sizzling Abba tribute night at Town Hall

* S.O.S belt out the Abba hits from the Town Hall stage.

 

* The packed audience claps and chants along to the music.

* Thank you for all those hits.

* The joint is really jumping.

* Shea asks: Does Your Mother Know?

* Phew, what a night!

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod sent out an S.O.S to the local community to get involved in an Abba tribute gig at the Town Hall last night (Friday) in aid of next year's festival - and it responded in fine style.

The result was a fabulous show put together by the Eisteddfod's Keith Potts and a small team of dedicated helpers which saw a packed audience singing and dancing along to a sizzling selection of hits saluting the Swedish super group. 

Providing the music was the tribute act named S.O.S who were brought to the stage by Black Box Events and included two sensational main vocalists, Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottingham, backed by a stonking three-piece band with James Barber on bass, Stu Nichols on guitar, Alfie Ellis on drums and Shea Ferron on keyboard.

Right from the start the iconic hits kept rolling with the likes of Super Trouper, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Angel Eyes and a very atmospheric Fernando.

The end of the first half saw the audience rise to its feet to get involved in a Greek dancing-style routine prompted by a haunting I Have a Dream.

And then, in the second half of the show, we just couldn't stay in our seats as another cracking cavalcade of musical memories came pumping out.

There was Voulez Vous, Lay All Your Love on Me, The Name of the Game, Winner Takes All and then Shea left his keyboard to join the girls with a stonking Does Your Mother Know?

More biggies came our way - Mama Mia and Waterloo - before the whole fantastic night came to a fitting end with Thank You for the Music.

Or did it? No, not quite. There could only be one encore to get almost everyone up on the dance floor and that was, of course, Dancing Queen.

So those of us who saw it say to the Eisteddfod: "Thank You for Music" and, hopefully, this sensational show brought you in lots of "Money, Money, Money". 

Campaigners repeat calls for station improvements

* Ruabon rail station.

Campaigners for improvements at Ruabon Station have repeated their calls for the UK Government to step up with funding. 

The Welsh Labour Government wants lifts installed at Ruabon to help people with mobility issues, families with young children and commuters carrying heavy luggage move between platforms, but they say the UK Government refuses to contribute to the costs – even though the work comes under Westminster’s remit. 

Local Member of the Senedd Ken Skates raised the issue in the Senedd this week and was told the Welsh Government is ‘doing everything we can at our end’. 

Addressing Deputy Minister Lee Waters, who is responsible for transport in Wales, the Clwyd South MS asked: “Will the Minister provide an update on plans to improve Ruabon Station?” 

Mr Waters responded: "Yes. Thank you to Ken Skates, who has been a consistent champion of Ruabon Station. We agree it has great potential, serving a wide area and is the rail gateway to the World Heritage Site at Pontcysyllte. We continue to press the UK Government for funding of the delivery of a new access-for-all bridge at the station.” 

While transport is devolved to Wales, responsibility for station infrastructure remains with the UK Government. Since devolution, Wales has received less than 2% of the £100bn+ the UK Government has spent on improvements – despite having 5% of the population and 11% of the track miles. 

Coupled with the lack of consequential funding to Wales despite the billions spent in England on HS2, the lack of investment from Westminster has been dubbed ‘The Great Welsh Train Robbery’. 

Mr Skates said campaigners for the improvements at Ruabon were left disappointed once again when, in November, the UK Government announced funding for other Welsh stations. 

Responding to the Deputy Minister this week, he continued: “As you know, the Welsh Government has worked incredibly hard to try to get the improvements necessary at Ruabon Station. But back in November, there was the announcement of six stations in Wales that will receive upgrades, and Ruabon was not amongst them. 

“Could you identify the reasons why you believe Ruabon Station has not yet benefited from the upgrades that so many passengers require of the station? Is it a problem with Network Rail or UK Government? Because I do understand that Transport for Wales has been pretty consistent in supporting the necessary works.” 

Mr Waters said: “I can confirm that Ruabon Station is one of our top priorities for delivery in Wales through the UK Government's Access for All scheme. Transport for Wales are working closely with Network Rail on that, and a final outline design is due at the end of March. So, I think we're doing everything we can at our end. 

“A new accessible bridge at Ruabon would make a significant difference there, but we can only take it forward if the UK Government funds it. Rail is not devolved to Wales, it is a UK responsibility, and I'm bound to ask what are all those Tory MPs in north Wales doing if they can't deliver funding for a modest investment like this.” 

Welsh Ministers had previously asked the UK Department for Transport to urgently prioritise work at Ruabon – with First Minister Mark Drakeford a keen supporter of the plans. 

But the final say will come down to the UK Government.

The Welsh Government’s first bid for funding was a replacement bridge with lifts, and the second for a reduced cost alternative which would see lifts fitted to the existing footbridge. Both were rejected. 

Mr Skates and Ruabon councillor Dana Davies have worked alongside the Friends of Ruabon for years to campaign for improved access at the station. In 2017, former Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones presented a petition to Parliament calling for action from the UK Government. 

In a further attempt to incentivise the UK Government to invest in Welsh stations, including Ruabon, the Welsh Government even offered to match-fund vital upgrades. 

Cllr Davies said: “It’s well documented that the Welsh Government has previously put money on the table for this long-awaited work, even though it’s not a devolved area. The Friends of Ruabon – and many other local people – have been frustrated and extremely disappointed by the lack of progress and numerous false dawns. 

“Some years ago, when the Welsh Government first committed to funding half of the project, we celebrated – we thought it was a done deal. We didn’t think there was any way the UK Government would refuse to fund half the cost of a project it should be paying for in full.”