Entertainment

‘Dukedog’ locomotive returning to Aberystwyth for first time in 60 years

Published

2 years ago

February 26, 2024

A POPULAR ‘Dukedog’ locomotive is returning to the Vale of Rheidol Railway at Aberystwyth for the first time in over 60 years.

‘Dukedog’ No.9017 will be arriving in the town in late February, for static display in the new Museum & Display Space at the Vale of Rheidol Railway. The 85 year old locomotive is on loan from the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.

The locomotive is nicknamed a ‘Dukedog’ because it is a hybrid of two different classes of engine: the underframe of a ‘Duke’ locomotive combined with the boiler of a ‘Bulldog’.

‘Dukedog’ locomotives have a long association with Aberystwyth, having been a regular sight working trains between Aberystwyth, Machynlleth and Pwllheli in steam days.

The last ‘Dukedog’ locomotive left Aberystwyth in May 1960 and one has not returned to the town until now.

Llŷr ap Iolo, Vale of Rheidol Railway managing director, said: “We are very excited to announce the loan of this locomotive to go on public display here in Aberystwyth. I am very grateful to the board of the Bluebell Railway for making this loan possible.

“As part of the project to construct our new museum, standard gauge track was laid to facilitate this kind of visit: the ‘Dukedog’ seemed the perfect choice to be the first standard gauge locomotive to be put on display.”

The locomotive is normally based at the Bluebell Railway, where it has lived for the last 60 years. The locomotive went out of traffic for repairs in 2011 and has been hidden away in undercover storage since then.

Neil Glaskin, Bluebell Railway operations and commercial director, said: “We are really pleased to be able to work with The Vale of Rheidol Railway to bring the Dukedog back to Aberystwyth.

“Since 2011, the locomotive has been stored undercover but this has meant limited chances for the public to see it. By displaying the loco in the new museum everyone will have the chance to admire this fascinating machine.”

The locomotive was built in Swindon Works in 1938 for the Great Western Railway and spent it’s working life in Wales, where it worked over the Cambrian lines to Pwllheli and Aberystwyth. It was light enough to work over Barmouth Bridge, so remained in regular use until the 1950s despite its antiquated appearance.

John ‘Abergynolwyn’ Davies, 94, who still lives in Aberystwyth, worked on the ‘Dukedog’ locomotives when they were based in Ceredigion in the 1950s.

He said: “I spent a glorious week in the summer of 1955 firing No.9017 with driver Tom Phillips. We worked the 9.55am ‘all stations’ from Aberystwyth to Welshpool each day, where we serviced the engine: our return working was the Cambrian Coast Express, all the way to Aberystwyth. Working with Tom felt like a ‘holiday job’ because of his light handling of the loco.”

John recalled: “We were climbing Talerddig bank with No.9017, when Tom said: ‘shall I show you how to get the best out of a Dukedog?’. I stood in the driving position, as he gave me a demonstration of the easiest way to fire it. The loco performed well all week: it was one of the best working weeks of my life.”

The ‘Dukedog’ will be on display in the restored 1938 engine shed at Aberystwyth station from March 2024 onwards. This building has recently been transformed into a museum, display and events space as part of a larger project called “Wales to the World”, which is developing the terminus at Park Avenue into a Great Western-style station suitable for the modern tourist.

This location is especially significant for No.9017, as it will be displayed in the building where it was based and used to work in the 1950s.

The public will be able to view the ‘Dukedog’ at the Vale of Rheidol Railway from March 23 onwards, when the railway opens for the season. The railway and museum are then open daily until the start of November.

Entertainment

Crymych Arms to host weekend of local music, food and drink

Published

11 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Cerys Lafferty

A COMMUNITY-owned pub in north Pembrokeshire is set to welcome visitors for a weekend celebrating local music, food and drink, with all proceeds from voluntary donations supporting charity.

The Crymych Arms will stage its annual free-entry festival on Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, transforming the pub’s car park into an outdoor entertainment space complete with performance areas, seating, outside bars and food stalls.

Organised by the pub’s volunteers and committee, the event will showcase a line-up of local musicians alongside Pembrokeshire and Welsh beers, craft gins and street food. While admission is free, organisers will be collecting donations throughout the weekend in aid of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities.

Music gets underway at 5.30pm on Friday with Chris Kelly, followed by the Tom Collins Band Duo at 7.30pm and Rosanna at 9.00pm.

Saturday’s programme begins at 2.00pm with Alex English before performances from Hari Harmonies, Gwen Fel ‘Na Mai, Garfield, The Collective, and Tin Man Revolution, who take to the stage at 9.00pm.

Visitors are encouraged to bring folding chairs, although seating will also be available on site.

A selection of street food will be served from outdoor counters throughout the event, while outside bars and gin trailers will offer a range of locally produced drinks.

The Crymych Arms reopened in 2023 after being purchased by the local community through a share offer that attracted investment from 285 people. The former village pub underwent a major refurbishment before reopening as a community-owned social enterprise and now also serves as the clubhouse for Crymych Football Club.

The venue has since become a focal point for community events, with the annual music weekend highlighting local performers and producers while raising money for good causes.

Entertainment

Last Invasion of Britain re-enactment returns to Fishguard this month

Published

15 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Cerys Lafferty

HUNDREDS of visitors are expected to descend on Fishguard later this month as the town marks the anniversary of the Last Invasion of Britain with a spectacular free historical re-enactment.

The two-day event, taking place on July 18 and 19, recreates the dramatic events of 1797, when French troops landed near Fishguard in what remains the last invasion of mainland Britain.

Running from 10:00am to 5:00pm on both days, the event will feature living history camps, military displays, horse demonstrations, battle re-enactments and the recreation of the historic French surrender outside the Royal Oak Pub.

Visitors will be able to meet costumed re-enactors portraying British and French soldiers, explore authentic military encampments and discover what life was like for troops more than 225 years ago through interactive displays.

The day’s programme begins at 10:00am with the living history camps opening to the public. Horse displays will take place on Goodwick Beach Foreshore from 1:00pm, before the main beach battle gets underway at 2:45pm.

The event concludes with a parade of the surrendered French forces through Fishguard before the symbolic signing of the surrender treaty outside the Royal Oak Pub, where the original surrender negotiations took place following the failed invasion.

The Last Invasion of Britain re-enactment has become one of Pembrokeshire’s best-loved heritage events, attracting history enthusiasts and families from across Wales and beyond.

Visitors making a weekend of it can also explore the new Fishguard and Goodwick Heritage Trail, launched this summer. The free self-guided trail links 46 sites across the twin towns and tells the story of more than 2,000 years of local history, from Iron Age settlements and the Women’s Suffrage movement to the filming of Moby Dick.

The Last Invasion of Britain re-enactment is free to attend.

For the full programme of events, visit visitfishguard.co.uk.

More information about the Fishguard and Goodwick Heritage Trail is available at northpembrokeshiretours.co.uk/fishguard-heritage-trail.

Entertainment

A practical guide to staying safe on online casinos in 2026

Published

21 hours ago

July 6, 2026

Staff Writer

GAMBLING online is always a risk. Scams, hacks, and financial fraud are all a possibility, and with manipulative behaviour becoming more sophisticated, that risk is higher than ever. However, there are plenty of ways to prevent these dangers and protect your personal data and financial information. So, here’s a practical guide to staying safe while using online casinos in 2026.

Always Use Licensed Operators

Licensed casinos are strictly regulated, meaning transactions are secure, gaming is always fair, and you’re more protected against fraudulent behaviour.

The best way to confirm whether a casino is licensed is to search for it on the official registry. In the UK, this is typically the UK Gambling Commission Public Register. The site should display their licence number and regulatory authority, often in the footer, and if the exact business name and domain name matches that on the register, it’s licensed and safe to use.

Look for Signs of Security

Data encryption is crucial when it comes to online safety. Stick to sites that have:

HTTPS in the URL
A Padlock icon in the address bar
A valid SSL certificate (you can view this by clicking the padlock)

These signs mean your data can’t be seen by third parties.

Sites should also offer a variety of secure payment methods. Debit and credit cards should be approved payment methods, and processable through secure payment gateways. E-wallets like PayPal, and bank transfers should also be in use, with proper authentication. If you want to sharpen your own habits too, the National Cyber Security Centre’s top tips for staying secure online are a good starting point.

Use Reviews To Your Advantage

Review sites provide honest opinions about the UK market, they promote informed decision-making by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of different casinos, helping users choose reputable operators while avoiding potentially unreliable or unsuitable options.

That said, not all review sites are equal, so it pays to apply a few checks of your own: confirm the site verifies each casino’s UK Gambling Commission licence, favour reviews that are dated and recently updated, cross-reference recommendations across two or three independent sources, and be wary of any site that awards every operator top marks or won’t explain how it reaches its verdicts.

Leverage Responsible Gambling Tools

It’s not just about financial safety and data breaches – your personal wellbeing is important too. Gambling is, for many people, highly addictive, so monitoring your habits is essential.

Thankfully, most gambling sites offer tools that make it easy to manage your usage. This includes things like deposit limits, time outs, and even self-exclusion options if you feel your gambling is getting out of control.

It’s also important to recognise the signs of problem gambling so you can address any issues early. Things to look out for include:

Borrowing money from friends and family, taking from savings, or using money intended for essentials to gamble
Feeling agitated or anxious when not gambling
Being preoccupied with gambling – always planning your next bet, for example
Hiding your gambling habits or spending from loved ones

Staying Safe in 2026

Scammers and hackers becoming more sophisticated, players need to remain vigilant and understand what they’re up against. The threats can be expected to evolve too, from AI-generated scam messages to cloned casino apps that mimic the real thing, so treat anything that pressures you to deposit quickly or hand over your details with caution.

Always stick to licensed operators with plenty of security features, and maintain safe gambling practices at all times.