Railway partners with Wales Comic Con on Red Dwarf steam train

Llangollen and Corwen Railway has announced a new partnership with the Wales Comic Con ahead of this year’s event, which takes place on April 4 and at the Llangollen Pavilion. 

To celebrate the new collaboration, fans will have the opportunity to travel to  Comic Con in unique style aboard a special Red Dwarf Steam Train on Saturday April 4, featuring celebrated actor and comedian Chris Barrie. 

Best known for his role as Arnold Rimmer in the long-running sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, Barrie will travel on the steam train, meeting fans in a special meet and greet experience as it journeys through the Dee Valley. 

Barrie has enjoyed a distinguished career as a vocal impressionist on ITV’s Spitting Image and starred as Gordon Brittas in the BBC sitcom The Brittas Empire, as well as appearing as Hillary the butler in the Lara Croft Tomb Raider films. He is also known for his personal enthusiasm for steam railways, making the collaboration a natural fit.

 

The special service will depart Corwen at 9am on Saturday April 4, before arriving in Llangollen at approximately 9.40am, just a short walk from the Pavilion. 

Capacity is limited to the first 200 passengers. Tickets are priced at £40, £12 for kids and includes a full-line return journey between Llangollen and Corwen, with return services available at 12.20pm, 1.45pm, 3.15pm or 4.20pm. The ticket also includes priority entry to Wales Comic Con. Significantly; ample parking is available at Corwen.

 

On Sunday April 5, the partnership continues with a special Cosplay on the Trains experience. The first 200 passengers will receive a full-line return journey on the railway plus priority entry to Wales Comic Con, offering exceptional value as both travel and event access are included. Organisers have also promised surprise appearances and themed experiences throughout the day.

 

Dave Hennigan, Trust Manager at the Llangollen and Corwen Railway, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with the team behind Wales Comic Con to bring these exciting plans to life. 

"Having worked with them previously, we know just how passionate and creative they are in delivering memorable events, and it is fantastic to be collaborating once again. The opportunity to welcome fans aboard a special steam service, particularly with such a well-known guest, is something truly unique for our railway and the local area.

 

“It makes it even more special that Chris Barrie himself has a genuine love of steam trains, which adds an extra layer of excitement for both railway enthusiasts and Red Dwarf fans alike. 

"This partnership marks the beginning of what we hope will be a strong and lasting relationship, and we are very much looking forward to working together on this and other future events that will help attract new audiences and showcase everything our railway and Llangollen has to offer.”

 

Wales Comic Con brings together stars of film, television, gaming and comics alongside cosplay, traders and immersive fan experiences. The new partnership with the Llangollen and Corwen Railway aims to enhance the visitor experience while showcasing one of North Wales’ most scenic heritage attractions.

 

* These exclusive tickets can be bought here: https://llan.hops.org.uk/tickets/products/comic-con

Middle East war forces cycling lads to pick safer route into Asia

 

* A busy day's sightseeing for the lads in the city of Tblisi, Georgia.

"There's no need to worry about us and we're now heading for Asia."

That is the latest positive message from the three young friends from the Llangollen area embarked on a mammoth cycling trip to Thailand in aid of a heart charity.

Dyfan Hughes, 18, from Llangollen, Louis Dennis, 19, from Garth, and James Thomas,19, from Wrexham aim to cycle the 10,000 miles to the Far East in memory of Tony Edge, the father of a friend who died following a heart attack in 2024.

The intrepid trio, calling themselves the Westheads, set out from Lllangollen Football Club's HQ last August on their marathon ride which they reckon will take them at least 18 months to complete. 

To date they have cycled through Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Turkey and Georgia and are now heading for central Asia.

Along the way they aimed to raise £10,000 for the British Heart Foundation but, so far, well-wishers following their daily social media updates have pledged more than £24,000 to their cause.

The lads spent the winter in the town of Batumi on the Black Sea coast of Georgia and recently got back on the road as the weather improved.

A few weeks ago they used one of their daily social media updates to outline the problem they faced of exactly how to get safely into Asia with political problems in both Iran and Russia.

But the war now raging in the Middle East has forced them to make a major adjustment to their route.

They will now take a plane ride with their bikes across the Caspian Sea to Aktau in Kazakhstan. 

While they are waiting for their flight they have been spending some time sightseeing in Tblisi in Georgia.

In a recent update they revealed how they have been contacted by many people back home expressing fears for their safety but their message was that they are all safe and well and excited about getting into Asia.

They also gave out the good news that their visas to enter China had now come through. 

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

Public toilets to have £1 entry charge from April 1

* The Market Street public toilets.

Public toilets in Market Street and Riverside Park, Llangollen will have an entry fee of £1 from April 1.

The charge is part of a package of measures announced by Denbighshire County Council to keep open its conveniences. 

The proposals were developed after money received by the council had not kept up with financial pressures and the increasing cost of delivering services, especially statutory services like social care and education. 

The county worked with city, town and community councils to collaborate together on a sustainable model to fund and protect as many facilities as possible. This model incudes direct financial contributions from the city, town and community councils.

Following this work, there are changes to charging for the toilets which will see the installation of contactless payment/entry systems commencing in March, the refurbishment of toilets and the closure of three facilities across Denbighshire - not including Llangollen.  

Work to introduce the contactless system at Llangollen is expected to take between two to three days dependant on weather but the toilets will remain open for use during this work.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport. said: “I want to once again thank the town and community councils for their positive energy and collaboration that supported everyone in reaching this position where we can now keep most of our public toilets open. 

"I’d also like to thank residents and visitors for their support and patience whilst refurbishment work is carried out on some of the sites.”

Latest roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council

Latest local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council is: 

A542 Carriageway HORSESHOE PASS 24/03/2026 - 02/04/2026, Ailwynebu/ Resurfacing DCC HIGHWAYS, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A542 JUNCTION REGENT STREET, HILL STREET, 15/05/2026 - 22/05/2026, Gwaith BT/ BT Works, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

APPROXIMATLEY GWEN HEFR A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD, 06/05/2026 - 06/05/2026, Gwaith BT/ BT Works, Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

Pengwern / Trem Yr Ysgol, Llangollen, 30/03/2026 - 30/04/2026, Gwaith Teithio Llesol / Active Travel Works PRONIN LIMITED,  Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

OUTSIDE PENDYFFRYN, GRANGE ROAD, 05/05/2026, Gwaith BT/ BT Works PLATINUM (DCC), Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

JUNCTION OF VICARAGE ROAD, BACHE MILL ROAD, 06/05/2026 - 07/05/2026, Adnewyddu Polyn / Renew Pole, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

AT JUNCTION OF BROOK STREET, PENGWERN, until 30/04/2026, Gwaith Teithio Llesol / Active Travel Works PRONIN LIMITED, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

ABBEY ROAD, 13/04/2026 - 30/04/2026, Ailwynebu/ Resurfacing DCC HIGHWAYS, Confoi 10 mya/10 mph Convoy

County invites people to have their say on taxi fares

Denbighshire County Council is proposing to form a new Taxi Forum to help it set the annual table of fares for hackney carriage taxis.

The forum will meet once a year ahead of the council’s annual review of its table of fares for hackney carriage (taxi) vehicles.

Previously, the process has been to propose and then consult on a table of fares based on statistical data including changes to average insurance prices, the change in inflation rates, and what neighbouring local authorities are charging for the same types of journeys.

Now, the council is proposing to introduce an additional step in the consultation process asking people about their experiences before it carries out the consultation on the fares.

The council is responsible for setting the fares for taxis licensed in Denbighshire under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and hopes that by establishing a forum and allowing taxi operators and taxi users to come together and share their experiences and concerns, that a table of fares can be created each year that works for everybody.

Denbighshire County Council is inviting as many taxi operators and taxi users in the county as possible to complete the consultation surveys.

Anyone who completes the survey will have the opportunity to register their interest to take part in the ‘Taxi Forum’, which will be an in-person meeting in April 2026.

The council hopes to use the findings and recommendations of the forum to propose a new table of fares, which will be consulted on as part of a follow-up consultation.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “We highly encourage as many people as possible to take part in the council’s consultation and register their interest in becoming a member of the ‘Taxi Forum’, to ensure that any decisions we make represent the views of all our stakeholders.

“The council understands that we are currently living in difficult times financially in this country which makes it even more important for us to consult not only the taxi firms, but the general public as well, to help ensure that any changes we introduce are fair for both sides.”

* To find out more and to take part in the ‘Taxi Forum’ consultation, please visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/consultations.

All responses must be received by Sunday 29 March 2026.

Mayor's choir storms to Golden Buzzer success on Britain's Got Talent

         

* Llangollen Mayor Aled Morris stormed to success in tonight's Britain's Got Talent episode.

The Mayor Of Llangollen, Aled Morris, ploughed to victory as part of a farmers choir in tonight (Saturday's) Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) show on ITV. 

And their dazzling Golden Button success means the Hawkstone Farmers Choir go straight through to the semi-finals of the hit TV talent show's 19th series.

They also skip past the bootcamp stage of the competition, giving them a head start.

Performing a soaring rendition of the Elbow anthem One Day Like This at the Birmingham Hippodrome, Aled and the choir moved a celebrity judging panel led by Amanda Holden, guest judge Stacey Solomon, Alesha Dixon, and KSI.

Aled, 32, swaps the council chamber for the stage to sing with the choir which brings together people from across the UK farming community who share a connection to agriculture and a love of singing.

For Aled the experience is a world away from his daily life of the sheep farmer at Pen-y-Rhagfryn.

When he isn't tending to his 50-acre family farm he is teaching the next generation of farmers as a lecturer in agriculture and land-based engineering at Llysfasi College. 

Aled’s journey into joining the choir began with a mysterious Facebook advertisement looking for farmers who like to sing. 

It wasn't until he arrived at the audition venue - Jeremy Clarkson’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog in the Cotswolds - that he realised the project was for Clarkson's Hawkstone brand. 

In addition to serving as Mayor, Aled has sat on the town council for four years, helps organise the annual Llangollen illuminated tractor run, and serves as the steam section steward for the Malpas Yesteryear Rally. 

Despite his busy schedule, he says the choir has offered him a vital sense of belonging, camaraderie and a chance to sing with confidence.

The choir's mission is to use their national platform to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention within the agricultural community - an industry where isolation can often take a heavy toll.

"The BGT experience was amazing," he said. "It felt so surreal to actually experience the set, the judges, and the atmosphere was incredible."

Following their Golden Buzzer success, Aled and the choir are preparing for the live semi-finals and a series of new projects in 2026.

* Aled isn't the first member of Llangollen's mayoral team to appear on TV. Mayoress Sarah Griffiths, Aled's long-term partner, was one of the Big Brother housemates back in 2024. 

* The Hawkstone Farmers Choir sing on Britain's Got Talent. Aled is on the back row, second from left.

* The celebrity judges who gave the choir the Golden Buzzer.

Insight given into the importance of Eisteddfod volunteering

* The Pavilion audience hears about the importance - and joys - of Eisteddfod volunteering.

Scores of people were given in insight about what it's like to volunteer for Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod at a special evening event in the Pavilion last night (Friday).

They were welcomed by its chairman, John Gambles, who told them that although it is run by just a handful of paid staff the festival - now in its 79th year - relies heavily on a small army of hundreds of volunteers to make it possible each July.

The board of trustees which he heads is also made up of volunteers, he said, adding: "And we all do it because we love it."

A short film, made in 2004, was then shown giving potential volunteers in the audience a chance to see what the colourful annual peace-centred festival is all about.

It was introduced by board member Karl Young who said the volunteers who made it all possible were each "making a big difference in a small way."

Artistic director Dave Danford, one of the few paid staff, said: "Everything that every volunteer does here is valuable and much appreciated. I'm so excited about this year's Eisteddfod because this place is so special. There's nowhere else like it."

John Gambles then called on a procession of people who lead the various groups of volunteers working across the Eisteddfod to give describe their roles and how they personally became involved with the festival.

These included Karen Price, who serves as competition liaison officer and volunteer co-ordinator; Phil Robinson, chair of the communications working group; and Barrie Potter, who leads the heritage team, keepers of the Eisteddfod's rich archive going back to its earliest days.

Impressions of how vital volunteers are to the smooth-running of the Eisteddfod also came from stewards' secretary Sharon Matthews and Ros Davies, who for many years has led the dedicated ticketing team. She put out an urgent appeal for new volunteers to help bolster the hard-working group.

A veteran of the Eisteddfodd and a former chairman, Gethin Davies, told the audience this would be his 75th years of volunteering, which began as a schoolboy selling programmes in the early 1950s. 

His three priorities in life had been, he said, his family, his career as a solicitor and his commitment to the Eisteddfod, "although not necessarily in that order."

Further impressions came from the floral team's Diana Ballard, marketing's Sian Eager, staging's Jeremy Davies and John Blaze of the grounds committee whose "fantastic" team is responsible for everything from toilets to liaison with the Eisteddfod's partners in the Live at Llangollen concerts, Cuffe and Taylor.

The evening finished with introductions to Heulwen Wright, the council's deputy town clerk, who will oversee Eisteddfod outreach events in the town centre this year, and Paul Spencer, who chairs Friends of Llangollen the independent body - itself made up of volunteers - which has raised an incredible £650,000 for the festival since it was set up around 50 years ago.  

* For details about volunteering with the Eisteddfod, email volunteer co-ordinator Karen Price at: karen.price@llangollen.net

* Eisteddfod chair John Gambles welcomes potential volunteers.

* A young Pavarotti appears with his Italian choir in the film shown during the evening.

* Artistic director Dave Danford says how excited he is about this year's festival.

* Volunteer co-ordinator Karen price describes her role.

* Ros Davies makes her appeal for more volunteer ticketing stewards.

* Veteran volunteer and former chairman Gethin Davies speaks of his long association with the festival.

* Dr Rhys Davies, another former chairman and long-time volunteer, describes his role leading the group which promotes the use of the Welsh language at the Eisteddfod.

* John Blaze whose busy grounds team takes care of everything from toilets to liaison with Cuffe and Taylor for the Live at Llangollen concerts.