Rich history of Ruabon to Barmouth railway line told in new book

* Ruabon Station as it was in 1961.

For nearly 100 years, passengers could enjoy arguably one of the finest journeys in the British Isles from the comfort of their railway carriage. 

The Great Western Railway described the journey from Ruabon to Barmouth as "a paradise for artists and fishermen and a country rich in mountain streams, wild woods and wide far views, unbeaten in any part of Wales".

Now, a new book on the line has been published by a man well acquainted with its rich history.

Peter Dickinson was one of the founding members of Llangollen Railway's Heritage Group and is still an active volunteer as Station Master at Llangollen. 

And the book, entitled The Ruabon to Barmouth Line – A New History, couldn't be better timed, as it will appear just weeks after the line, recreated by dedicated volunteers, celebrates its 50th birthday.

The 54-mile route carried generations of holidaymakers to the beaches of the Cambrian Coast, as well as providing a vital lifeline to the rural communities it served. 

* The original Corwen Station in 1953.

Branching away from the Chester to Shrewsbury route just south of Ruabon, the railway served the historic towns of Llangollen, Corwen, Bala and Dolgellau, before reaching the famous Barmouth Bridge and the holiday resort of Barmouth. 

As the book describes, it was a line of contrasts, from the industrial environs of Ruabon in the east, to the rugged coastline in the west. It was also busy with holidaymakers and tourists during the summer months, but painfully quiet during the winter. 

The story of the Ruabon to Barmouth line begins in the mid 19th century when the townsfolk of Llangollen longed for a connection to the rapidly expanding railway network. The Vale of Llangollen Railway Company opened a five-mile branch to passenger traffic in 1863, promoted by the Great Western Railway who leapt at the opportunity to tap deeper into North Wales. 

* The cover of the new book by Peter Dickinson.

Over the next decade, the railway extended ever westwards until it reached the county town of Dolgellau and the metals of the rival Cambrian Railway. The uneasy relationship between the two railway companies continued into the 20th century and was only ended through the Cambrian's amalgamation in the 1920s. 

Two sections of the Ruabon to Barmouth line have reopened as heritage railways, meaning that the sylvan beauty of the Dee Valley can once again be enjoyed from the carriage window on the Llangollen Railway, and the lapping waters and rugged shoreline of Llyn Tegid on the Bala Lake Railway. 

The author has produced a detailed account of the Ruabon to Barmouth line's history, looking at all aspects of its traffic and operation form the earliest days right up to closure. 

The stories of the preserved Llangollen Railway and Bala Lake Railway have been well documented, so no attempt has been made to take this story on beyond track-lifting in 1969. The book is illustrated with a wealth of photographs, many of which have not previously been published, as well as many items of paperwork from his own archives. 

The Ruabon to Barmouth Line – A New History is available to pre-order from Lightmoor Press and is due to be released at the start of October 2025. Copies will also be available from the shop at the Llangollen Station, priced at £35 each. 

Dame Agnes comes to life at Berwyn and District u3a meeting

* Dame Agnes Hunt.

Agnes Hunt is a name you may not know, but who may well have had a profound influence on your life.

With Robert Jones she was co-founder of the renowned orthopaedic hospital near Oswestry.

Alison Utting, another Shropshire woman, is a performer who brings Agnes to life in her one woman show, Aggie. 

She will be appearing at the open meeting of the Berwyn and District u3a at Canalfon Ni, Corwen, starting at 2pm on Monday September 15. 

Everyone is welcome. Entry fee £3.

Madras Community Choir to sing in aid of St Collen's roof fund

* Madras Choir singing last Christmas.

The Madras Community Choir is holding a concert in St Collen’s in aid of the church's roof fund on Friday September 26, starting at 7pm.

The choir is based in Penley, Wrexham and takes its name from the area's Madras VA Primary School.

It was formed by staff member Alison Jarvis in 2011 as part of the school's 200th anniversary celebrations.

Members include staff, past pupils and any willing adult with a connection to the school.

The choir holds regular concerts to raise money for the school.

Singing a variety of light music in English and Welsh, the choir has previously performed at Bangor Church, The Maelor School, Penley Rainbow Centre, Welshhampton Village Hall, Welsh Frankton and many other venues. Their accompanist is James Brown.

Subaru: still blazing the trail with its trusty Forester

Subaru Forester drive by Steve Rogers

Long before SUVs turned the car world upside down Subaru was doing its own bit of trail blazing.

The year was 1997 and we were used to seeing slab sided 4x4s with noisy diesel engines, but things were beginning to change. Honda offered something different with the CR-V and then Subaru muscled its way in with Forester, a car that didn’t look like a tower block but could be called on to pull a horse box across a muddy field, navigate a bolder strewn track and still take the kids to school without loosening their teeth fillings.

So here we are 28 years later and still talking about Forester, now into its sixth generation and, remarkably, not looking a lot different from the original. Once a Forester, always a Forester…

There have been some visual changes to the new model, slimmed down headlights, a less gawky looking grille and deep creases over the wheel arches. Yet this Forester is a much different kettle of fish to the one it replaces.

A lot of work has been done to make Forester a better car to drive and a better experience for passengers. The chassis is more rigid so there is less body roll and the suspension is better at cushioning passengers against our potholed roads and speed humps. Cabin noise has been reduced by a whopping 39 per cent. Compared to Foresters I have driven before the difference is immense.

Changes to the cabin layout are more subtle. It still has a large portrait style central touchscreen but ‘switch city’ has virtually disappeared and hooray to that. They were everywhere on the old model, some out of sight. Now we just have switches for demisting and controlling temperature that sit flush on the touchscreen.

At first the touchscreen looks like a chaotic mishmash of information but is actually completely logical. I liked the permanent display of heating controls at the base of the screen as well as quick touches for auto hold and disarming lane departure, a safety feature that is useful on motorways but an annoyance on rural roads.

Navigation only comes on the top two models and now supports what3words the system that provides a unique three word address for any three metre square on earth, pinpointing destinations that might not have an accurate post code. I find it mindblowing.

The cabin is still very black but some new textures and stitching colours have been introduced to break up the monotony. Customers should be satisfied with the Limited model that comes in just under the £40,000 limit and avoids the new road tax penalty.

Limited has an extensive equipment list that includes heated and powered front seats, keyless entry, wireless phone charging and connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so give it serious thought.

The Eyesight safety system that has been the envy of many rivals is standard and has even more features including emergency braking the car going forward or reversing.

The top of the range Touring pushes up the price and begs the question whether it is worth it for a sunroof, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel and powered tailgate when the Limited is such good value.

What sets Forester apart from its rivals is permanent four wheel drive and the legendary X-Mode off road system has been improved and is standard. I have done serious off roading in Forester and it really can take on ridiculously challenging situations and come out unscathed.

There are no changes to the power unit which is still the famed 2-litre Boxer engine with mild hybrid assistance, although power has been reduced to meet emissions regulations. The engine has no help from a turbo so if performance is key look elsewhere because a trip to sixty is pedestrian against its rivals, yet it is a comfortable cruiser.

Economy isn’t a strong suit either although I easily beat the official average with 38mpg over a week’s driving but you would be lucky to go 300 miles before visiting a petrol pump. Going a step further with a full hybrid or plug-in hybrid would close the gap to the rest of the pack.

This new Forester is up there with the best off roaders money can buy. Is it over engineered for its market? Probably in the UK but not in places like Canada, North America and the Nordic countries where they want peace of mind when the weather gets tough and buy Foresters in droves.

Here Forester is up against a car park full of trendy rivals and is banking on its value for money, reliability, and roomy family friendly cabin - it has more rear legroom than the Genesis reviewed last week. Existing customers will be delighted with the improvements but that is not who they need to convince.

Fast facts

Forester Touring

£44,100 (starts £39,995)

2-litre petrol; 136bhp

0-62mph 12.2secs; 116mph

34.9mpg combined

183g/km. 1st tax £345

Insurance group 23

Boot: 508-1679 litres

Towing: 1870kg

Denbighshire Citizens Advice column

Q: I’m starting to book tickets for Christmas events, but I’ve seen lots of stories in the news about people being left out of pocket if these are cancelled at the last minute, which is making me nervous. How can I get a refund if this happens to me?

A: Keep an eye on the organiser’s website and social media profiles for all the latest updates. You won’t be entitled to a refund if you change your mind about going or realise you can’t go anymore - but if an event is cancelled, your refund rights will depend on how you bought the ticket.

If you bought your ticket from an official seller and the organiser cancels, moves, or reschedules the event, you should get a refund. The official seller is the best point of contact to ask about how to get your money back.

If you’re having no luck getting a refund, check to see if the seller is a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR). If they are, you can use STAR’s complaints procedure. STAR members should receive a refund at face value if the event is cancelled and the organiser has agreed to refunds.

You’ll probably only get the face value of the ticket back - the amount printed on it. Some sellers might refund postage if, for example, the event is cancelled before the tickets are sent. If you had to pay any booking or card fees, you might not get those back.

If the official seller isn’t a member of STAR, check how you can solve an ongoing consumer problem with a business seller. You may also be able to get your money back another way, such as through your credit card company.

If you bought your ticket from a ticket-reselling website, refunds will depend on the site's terms and conditions.

If you bought from a private seller and the event is cancelled or rescheduled then it is unlikely you will be able to recover your money. We still recommend you contact the seller.

Be aware of scams. Unfortunately we’ve found that in these situations scammers can prey on those who are affected.

If your event is cancelled and people or companies get in touch to offer their services to try to recover money on your behalf, be alert and make sure that you're looking out for the signs of a potential scam.

For more information on getting a refund, take a look at the Citizens Advice website.

Llangollen lads cycling to Thailand cross from Germany into Austria

* The intrepid trio at the mighty River Danube.

The three Llangollen area lads cycling to Thailand crossed from Germany into Austria during the fourth week of their epic journey,

Dyfan Hughes, 17, James Thomas, 18, and Louis Dennis, 18, had never ridden a bike further than the shop near their homes when they set out a few weeks go on their 18-month quest to reach Asia.

Once there they aim to meet up with their friend Harrison who moved to Thailand six months ago after his dad died from a heart attack and to raise money for heart research. 

On day 28 of the trip they recorded on one of their short films how they had encountered heavy rain for the first time as they headed along he banks of the River Danube - and were lucky enough to have some tasty bread donated by a local family as they stopped off in a town.

The crossing into Austria came on day 30 and there was a mention of how a woman from Wales they happened to meet paid for their breakfasts. 

A couple of days later they were telling how they had been interviewed on radio in Welsh - but there's no explanation of how this came about. There was some bike trouble for Louis but that was soon fixed at a local cycle shop.

On day 33 they noted they were well on track to reach Vienna by the weekend. 

* To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation if you wish go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads

Tidy Town Team's founder celebrates his 80th birthday in style

* David Davies and his wife Yvonne are toasted by family and friends at the birthday lunch.

One of Llangollen's best-known figures celebrated his 80th birthday with a party for family and friends at The Hand Hotel yesterday (Saturday).

David Davies, founder and coordinator of the Tidy Town Team and who is also closely associated with the Probus Club and Methodist Church, hosted the special event which included a lavish lunch and enjoyable quiz which included questions about his own life interspersed with those about national and international events of the same periods.

Members of his family travelled from Canada and the Britain to be at the celebration.

* The host thanks everyone for helping him mark his milestone birthday.