Like Numbers and Interested in Heritage?

LIKE NUMBERS AND INTERESTED IN HERITAGE.docx

Glyn Valley Tramway Trust features in Mark Isherwood AM’s Speech

Glan Valley Tramway Trust at the Assembly!

Formation of The All Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Railways

Ken Skates AM in talks with GVT Trust officers.

Ken Skates AM visited Chirk on Monday 23 May to meet GVT Trust Officers at the Hand Hotel, where he discussed with them their planning application and viewed the models of the proposed developments at Chirk station, Matchbox bridge and the terminal for Phase One at Pontfaen.

Giving the Trust’s proposals his full support, Ken stated that he would like to see the development proceed as soon as possible, as he saw the development as a key factor in the further development of the tourist industry both in Wrexham and North Wales. To this end he would give the redevelopment proposals his full support.

Picture shows left to right – Jill Pierce – Trust Secretary. Ken Skates AM. David Cooper – Trust Chairman and Ian Davies – Project Manager.

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A Royle Visitor…..

The Chirk Car Boot sale had near ‘Roylety’ visit on the 24th April in the form of the actor Ricky Tomlinson, who played Jim Royle in the classic comedy series ‘The Royle Family’, and who used to live in Coedpoeth, near Wrexham.

In the photo, Ricky is greeted by the GVTT Secretary Gill Pierce, on a lovely Spring Sunday morning. The GVTT has a small display in the hanger museum at Ley Farm, and Ricky was given past copies of our magazine ‘Raising Steam’ and some membership leaflets….so we may have our first celebrity member in the near future!

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The Glyn Valley Tramway Joins Spring at Chirk Castle.

Over the weekend of 09 and 10 April, members of the Glyn Valley Tramway took part in the National Trust’s – Spring at Chirk Castle event.

There, in addition to having on display the final design plans for the restoration of the Glyn Valley Tramway (Phase 1), they also ran their scale model vertical boiler engine, that carried adults and children on a short stretch of track. Starting with 140 tickets on the Saturday, all but 5 had been used by the end of the first day, such was the demand. On Sunday it was estimated that a further 80 passengers were carried, before WILFRID had to be withdrawn from service, due to low boiler pressure.

Members were also kept busy answering visitors questions and talking to prospective members. As a result by the end of Sunday, the membership of the Trust had increased by a further 7 new members, taking the total membership to just under 250 persons.

The very sun burned team of GVTT volunteers were delighted that all their efforts had been so rewarded.

Pleasure for All, shows the GVTT’s engine in action and Only in uarter scale shows Ian Davies (Project Manager) checking out the engine.

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pleasure for all the gvtt at chirk castle 10 july 2011

only in quarter scale but watch this space

The Glyn Valley Tramway Trust at Stoneleigh Park Exhibition Centre..

The Glyn Valley Tramway Trust had a very busy day at the 16mm Garden Railway show at Stoneleigh Park Exhibition Centre on the 2nd April 2011…

Hundreds of people attended the event, and it seemed hundreds of people visited our stall as we did’nt stop all day! What was both very interesting and encouraging was the amount of people who told us they have been following our project through its development via our Blog and other sources, and were looking forward to our achieving our planning permission almost as much as us.

Bernard Rockett of Theodore Press sold a healthy number of books, and we aquired some new members and sold some items of clothing as well..

Now we need a week off to give our voices time to recover!..

ian davies and bernard rockett at stoneleigh 16mm exhibition 2nd april 2011

stoneleigh 2nd april 2011

Ken Skates – Visits the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust

Ken Skates, the prospective Labour Assembly Candidate for the Welsh Assembly Government seat of Clwyd South was recently on a fact finding visit to the Glyn Valley Tramway where he met the Chairman – David Cooper and Project Manager – Ian Davies. Having first attended a briefing, he was then given a tour of the whole of the Phase One redevelopment, starting at Chirk Station.

Following his departure the Trust then received an e-mail from Ken, which reads

“Restoration of the Glyn Valley Tramway offers an enormous opportunity to capture a growing number of tourists to North Wales.
Being able to offer a steam train experience would significantly boost Chirk and the Ceiriog Valley, offering great potential for existing and new businesses.
The Tramway would also bring to life a very proud period of local history, adding to the expanding range of heritage attractions in the region.
This project is at the very heart of the area’s development as a holiday destination and I am delighted to support it”

Ken Skates

Picture shows Ken Skates in discussion with Ian Davies the Trust’s Project Manager, regarding the Trust’s plans to allow passengers arriving at the the new Pontfaen Station to access Chirk Fishery and the Chirk Trout Farm and Hatchery that lie across the B4500.

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A Blast From The Past…..

Chirk railway station had a rare and rather wonderful visitor today in the form of Britannia Class Locomotive 70000 ‘Britannia’, a preserved 4-6-2 Pacific engine built in 1951 at the British Railways Crewe works. She was operational until 1966 when she was retired after 15 years service.

‘Britannia’ had the distinction, in 1952, of pulling the funeral train of King George VI back to London from Norwich, after his death at Sandringham House..

Today, she is kept in immaculate condition at Crewe, and hopefully to be seen rather more often in steam on the UK’s railways in the future….

Historically, steam excursion trips would arrive at Chirk station, bringing in thousands of passengers every year to ride on the Glyn Valley Tramway. It is our intention, in future, to make that a reality once again….

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