Entertainment
Golden age of steam returns to Pembrokeshire for one day only
STEAM enthusiasts will have a rare chance to see a legendary locomotive in Pembrokeshire this weekend as the iconic LMS Black Five 45212 arrives as part of The Railway Touring Company’s “The Great Britain XVII” rail tour.
Pembrokeshire is one of the highlights of the nine-day steam adventure, which sees passengers travel across Britain aboard some of the country’s most celebrated surviving locomotives. Tickets for the full experience, including seating, onboard dining, and hotel accommodation, cost up to £4,500.
The LMS Black Five – fully titled LMS Stanier Class Black 5 45212 – was built in 1935 by Armstrong Whitworth in Newcastle. Designed by Sir William Stanier, the Black Fives were known as the “maid of all work” class, thanks to their versatility handling both passenger and freight duties.
Only 18 of the original 842 Black Five locomotives survive today, and 45212 remains one of the few certified for mainline operation. It even appeared in the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express, starring Kenneth Branagh.
The steam engine will travel from Bristol Temple Meads to Pembrokeshire on Sunday, April 27. Part of the journey will be diesel-hauled, but the stretch from Pembroke Dock to Whitland will be pure steam, departing Pembroke Dock at 2:06pm, stopping at Tenby at 2:33pm, and reaching Whitland by 3:00pm.
After a diesel leg to Fishguard Harbour, where it arrives at 4:01pm, the locomotive takes over again for a fully steam-powered run back towards Cardiff Central, passing Clarbeston Road at 4:31pm, Haverfordwest at 4:42pm, and arriving at Milford Haven around 6:04pm.
The tour, which departs London Victoria on Saturday, April 26, is The Railway Touring Company’s flagship event. Now in its 17th year, “The Great Britain” tour is regarded as one of the most ambitious steam journeys in the UK, covering over 2,000 miles of scenic railway.
Kelly Osborne, managing director of The Railway Touring Company, said: “The highlight of day two will be the spectacular scenery of Pembrokeshire National Park as we travel to Pembroke Dock, Fishguard and Milford Haven. Leaving Fishguard Harbour, our historic engine will face a 1 in 50 gradient – meaning passengers are guaranteed a memorable climb!”
More information about the tour and other steam-hauled adventures can be found at www.railwaytouring.net.
Entertainment
One Night in Dublin returns to the Torch with a brand-new show
ONE NIGHT IN DUBLIN is heading back to the stage at the Torch Theatre with a lively new production fronted by renowned Irish singer Danny Muldoon.
Tickets are already selling fast for the feel-good celebration of Irish music, which promises two hours of songs, stories and plenty of craic.
Backed by an award-winning five-piece band, Muldoon leads audiences through a packed set of sing-along favourites including Galway Girl, Tell Me Ma, The Irish Rover, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey in the Jar, The Wild Rover and The Galway Shawl, along with many more well-loved classics.
The show recreates the atmosphere of a bustling Dublin pub, complete with fiddle, whistle, guitars, banjo, bodhrán, accordion and driving drums, transporting the audience straight into “Murphy’s Tavern” for an unforgettable night of live entertainment.
Fans can also expect hits from Irish legends including The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, The Dubliners, The Fureys, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys.
One Night in Dublin comes to the Torch Theatre on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm.
Tickets cost £26.50. Visit the theatre website or call the Box Office on (01646) 695267 to book.

Entertainment
New appeal in search for missing Manic Street Preachers musician
Family and charity issue fresh appeal for information about guitarist 31 years on
THIRTY-ONE years after the disappearance of Richey Edwards, a new public appeal has been issued urging anyone with information to come forward.
Edwards, guitarist and lyricist with Manic Street Preachers, vanished on January 31, 1995, in a case that has become one of the most enduring mysteries in British music history.

The then 27-year-old was last seen at the Embassy Hotel Bayswater in west London, where he had been staying ahead of a promotional trip to the United States. He checked out of room 561 but never reached his destination.
Despite numerous reported sightings over the years, none have ever been confirmed. Edwards was officially declared presumed dead in 2008, though his family continue to mark the anniversary of his disappearance and keep hope alive that answers may still emerge.
Anniversary appeal
The charity Missing People has released a statement in collaboration with Edwards’ sister Rachel, asking the public to remember the case.
In a social media post, the organisation said: “It is 31 years since Richard went missing, please keep his family in your thoughts.”
They also repeated key identifying details from the time he vanished. Edwards was described as white, around 5ft 7in tall, slim, with brown eyes and a shaved head. He had several distinctive tattoos, including a rose with the words ‘Useless Generation’, the phrase ‘I’ll surf this beach’, and a scar on his lower left arm where he had scratched the words ‘4 REAL’.
Unanswered questions
His car was later found near the Severn Bridge services, close to the Welsh border, prompting widespread searches but yielding no firm clues about what happened next.
At the time of his disappearance, the band were on the brink of international success. Edwards’ intense, literate songwriting and striking image had already made him a defining figure in Welsh rock music. More than three decades later, fans still hold vigils, create murals and share tributes across Wales and beyond.
Police say the case remains open.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Service on 101 or use their online reporting service, quoting reference CONNECT REF 01/764429/24. Missing People also operates a free, confidential helpline on 116 000.
Entertainment
Turner and Constable brought to life on the big screen at the Torch Theatre
ART lovers in Pembrokeshire will have the chance to experience the lives and rivalries of two of Britain’s greatest painters when a new documentary, EOS: Turner & Constable, arrives at the Torch Theatre this March.
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, the film explores the intertwined stories and enduring legacies of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable alongside Tate Britain’s major new exhibition. Exhibition on Screen has been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access, bringing their extraordinary art and personal histories vividly to the cinema screen.
Born just a year apart, Turner and Constable helped redefine landscape painting in Britain – and were fierce competitors. Both captured a nation in transition, yet their styles could not have been more different. Turner’s dramatic skies, blazing sunsets and atmospheric scenes from his travels contrasted sharply with Constable’s gentle, nostalgic portrayals of the English countryside and familiar rural life.
Their opposing visions divided critics and audiences alike, famously described at the time as a clash of “fire and water”.
The documentary offers rare, intimate access to sketchbooks, letters and personal artefacts, alongside insights from leading curators and art historians. It also ties in with Tate Britain’s landmark exhibition, running in London from November 2025 to April 2026, which reunites the two masters’ works side-by-side.
This cinematic event gives audiences the chance to see their masterpieces in stunning detail and discover unexpected sides to two artists whose rivalry shaped British art history.
Turner and Constable will be screened at the Torch Theatre on Sunday, March 15 at 4:30pm.
Tickets are £13. For bookings, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01646 695267.
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