Award-winning Llangollen Railway has officially responded to
a national newspaper travel article that has upset its volunteers and which supporters
have described as “shameful”.
Last Tuesday the Mirror ran a piece by senior audience writer
Chanelle Georgina which also appeared in a number of its sister papers in the
Reach group, including the Daily Post in North Wales.
The story was headlined: "I took a ride on one of the UK's most iconic steam trains - but I'd never do it again".
It began mildly enough by saying: “On group holidays,
you often find yourself partaking in activities that wouldn't typically be your
first choice. In my case, during the final day of my Welsh getaway, this
involved boarding the Llangollen Railway – a heritage railway line.”
But then it went on: “The thrill of stepping onto an
authentic steam train with enclosed carriages, reminiscent of those featured in
the Harry Potter films, was initially exciting. However, for me, the magic
ended there.
“Aboard the train, many passengers (myself included) leaned
out of the pull-down windows to watch the steam train power forward, its plume
of smoke trailing into the sky.
“Before entering a tunnel, we were advised to close all
windows to prevent the black soot from infiltrating the carriages.
“While the journey was more enjoyable than a ride on the
London tube, it didn't feel too dissimilar, in my view, to a train trip from
London to the North.”
And as it ended: “To put it bluntly, I felt as though I had
just forked out £23.50 to sit on a commuter train to a rather uninspiring part
of town that only manages to stay afloat due to the unwitting tourists who find
themselves there.”
The writer also criticised Yums Yums, the popular café at
the Corwen end of the line where many train passengers from Llangollen enjoy a refreshment
break before making the return trip.
In its response, which follows one on Facebook earlier this
week, Llangollen Railway says: “We are rather disappointed by this story,
particularly at the lack of opportunity for either the Railway or local
business mentioned to respond before it was published.
“Many of our volunteers have found it pretty upsetting. Of
course folk are entitled to their opinions, but we do not feel that Ms
Georgina's article offers either a balanced view or a true reflection of
what the vast majority of visitors to the railway and area experience.
“We are surprised that the Daily Post would look to publish
and promote a story that appears to actively discourage people from visiting
both the railway and Dee Valley right in the middle of the summer
holidays, especially noting how much the local economy relies on tourism.
“Nevertheless, we know there's always an opportunity from
any form of publicity. We’d encourage folk to visit us this summer to
make up their own minds. Our reply to the article received 167 likes and
we would like to thank everyone who took the time to comment in support of
the railway. It was cheering to see how many folk love the Llangollen Railway
and totally disagreed with the article’s sentiment.
“Of course, there is always room for improvement in what we
do. Our volunteers and staff are working very hard to develop the
railway as it approaches its 50th anniversary of preservation in the 200th
year of passenger carrying railways. We are looking to improve our facilities,
seeking further grant to do so and strengthen our relationships with local
business and communities to build on our recent successes. This included
winning the Go North Wales Awards Attraction of the Year in 2023.
“We are running trains every Wednesday and Sunday all month
and the 2nd & 3rd of August sees our 1960's Weekend. (https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/1960s-weekend/).
We are running real ale (9th August & 20th September), afternoon tea
(all sold out) and fish and chip specials (6th & 7th September).
“Those with younger children can come and enjoy meeting the
Gruffalo at Corwen on 11th August (advanced booking essential). We then have
our 50th Birthday Weekend lined up for 12th-14th September.
“There really is something for everyone, even Ms Georgina,
who we have reached-out to and invited back as our guest. We’d like to set
the record straight and give her the chance to see the railway and our
area as so many others do. We might have our work cut out though!”
Yums Yums in Corwen, which consistently attracts many "excellent" reviews on Tripadvisor, preferred not to comment when offered
the chance to reply to the article by llanblogger.
Responding to the Daily Post version of the article on Facebook,
on Railway supporter posted: “I have been on there with 3 of my
grandchildren today. Usual great experience. I am sorry the Daily Post did
this. Shameful.”
Another posted: “What happened to balanced journalism?
In 2024 The Railway won the Heritage Railway Association's
Infrastructure Award for its new Corwen station. In 2023 it was named Go
Attraction of the Year in The Go North Wales Tourism Awards for its recovery
from major financial problems.
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