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Arriva Trains Wales Class 175775 Departs Llandudno

Have you met the love of your life on a train? Do you finally ask that person you share the commute with every day to go out on a date? If so, Arriva Trains Wales and True Giants North Wales want to hear from you as they team up to celebrate St Dwynwen’s Day on January 25th 2010 with an exclusive competition to win a romantic weekend for two at Portmeirion in North Wales.

Trains and train stations have long been portrayed as romantic settings for films and we’d like to hear from anyone who has met their true love at either, by sharing their tales of romance via the www.truegiantsnorthwales.co.ukwebsite. All submissions will be entered into a draw to win the exclusive all-expenses paid prize. The draw will be made on St Dwynwen’s Day itself.

Dydd Santes Dwynwen literally day of St Dwynwen in Welsh is held on 25th January each year and is considered to be the Welsh equivalent to Valentine’s Day. It celebrates Dwynwen the Welsh saint of love who is believed to have been the daughter of King Brychan Brycheiniog who lived in the 5th century. Dwynwen lived in Anglesey and her name is still recalled in place names such as Llanddwyn. The tale told is that Dwynwen prays that through her that God will look after all True Lovers.

Carole Startin, on behalf of Tourism Partnership North Wales, said, “We are very proud of the history associated with Santes Dwynwen in north Wales and we would love to hear what stories may come to light as part of this initiative. I am also very grateful to Portmeirion for their cooperation as I know whoever wins will have a weekend to remember in beautiful north Wales.”

Rebecca Fjelle, Arriva Trains Wales, added,” Thousands of people travel on the Arriva Trains network each day in Wales, and many more will be travelling over the holidays. The sheer volume of numbers must mean that on average at least some of our passengers must have met on a train then dated maybe married or even had children! We’d love to hear your story.

West End star Connie Fisher met her beau on a train and the actress Ruth Jones, who wrote S4C’s Christmas film Ar y Tracs this year has commented, “I think it does bring something out in people being on a train, whether you either chose to remain as anonymous as possible or whether you see it as a stage in which you can perform.

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True Romance on the Tracks? Share your love story on the train and win a weekend for two at Portmeirion

Cardiff Queen Street station has been given a lick of paint as part of a project involving Arriva Trains Wales and the Cardiff Youth Offending Service (YOS)

Queen Street StationSince 2007, Arriva has developed a series of projects with Local Authority managed Youth Offending Services (YOS) across South Wales with young people working alongside staff from the train company and supervisors from the YOS as part of their reparation.  The project at Queen Street involved repainting the canopy columns on the station platform.

Station manager Wayne Cresswell for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “The projects undertaken at stations have helped many young offenders with the process of understanding the consequences of their offending and the effect it has on the victim and the wider community.  Through participation in activities such as this, young people have been able to learn new skills and gain experiences that could help with future employment.”

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STATION REPAINT HELPS PUT YOUNGSTERS BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK

Cardiff Queen Street station has been given a lick of paint as part of a project involving Arriva Trains Wales and the Cardiff Youth Offending Service (YOS).

Queen Street StationSince 2007, Arriva has developed a series of projects with Local Authority managed Youth Offending Services (YOS) across South Wales with young people working alongside staff from the train company and supervisors from the YOS as part of their reparation. The project at Queen Street involved repainting the canopy columns on the station platform.

Station manager Wayne Cresswell for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “The projects undertaken at stations have helped many young offenders with the process of understanding the consequences of their offending and the effect it has on the victim and the wider community. Through participation in activities such as this, young people have been able to learn new skills and gain experiences that could help with future employment.”

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STATION REPAINT HELPS PUT YOUNGSTERS BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK

As of 13th December, Arriva Trains Wales will be introducing a direct link from the North Wales Coast and Chester to Manchester Airport, opening up affordable journey opportunities for business and leisure passengers in the region.

There will be three services arriving and departing at Manchester airport to tie in with peak flights, with further services planned for the future.

Arriva Trains Wales Commercial Director Mike Bagshaw, said: “This is a long awaited link for the people of North Wales to access their local airport without having to change trains. It will also assist workers commuting to the airport and act as a gateway to the visitor and tourist attractions in North Wales.”

Each year, around 1,000,000 international tourists visit Wales, which places the new service as a significant step in developing the tourism economy in the North Wales region.

Councillor Ron Davies,––– Chair of Taith said: “I’m delighted to be supporting the new service launch by Arriva Trains Wales.  As a significant part of the transport network in and out of Wales, the changes will be positive for passengers offering a viable alternative to using the car to get to the airport.”

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Bringing the World to North Wales – Arriva Trains Wales announce direct services to Manchester Airport

Mark Wilson and James Sommerin ready for service onboard the Arriva Premier North-South Wales train

The master chef and team behind Wales’ only Michelin-starred restaurant joined staff on board Arriva Trains Wales’ Premier rail service* last night (03 November) to give first passengers a unique and unforgettable fine dining experience.

James Sommerin, Executive Head Chef at the Michelin star Crown at Whitebrook near Monmouth and the three AA rosette Crown at the Celtic Manor in Newport, joined Arriva Trains Wales chefs for one evening only, to serve up a culinary feast on board the Premier North-South Wales service.

Launched in December 2008, the week-day return service between Anglesey and Cardiff offers Wales’ only fine dining rail service and ranks highly among a handful of operators offering the same service in the UK today. Arriva Trains Wales recently gained recognition for its premier class dining service when it was ranked top in a recent review of UK rail dining services.

The special evening service organised between Cardiff and Chester cements the recently established partnership between the Crown restaurants and Arriva Trains Wales, which aims to develop the fine dining experience on board the premier service.

Mike Bagshaw, Arriva Trains Wales’ Commercial Director commented: “We’re delighted to have James and the staff from the Crown restaurants on board sharing their expertise and helping us to raise the standard of our First Class service even further.

“We expect next year to be a big year for Wales as a tourist destination, especially as preparations are being made to host the Ryder Cup, and we hope this partnership can grow and ensure that we retain a high level of service that meets and exceeds the expectations of our customers.”

Through this partnership, James travelled on board the premier service this summer and has more recently had a taste of what it is like to work with the chefs in the small galley of the restaurant car.

The talented 31-year old father-of-two chef who spends his time between both Crown restaurants, said: “The Crown restaurants and Arriva’s premier class service appeal to similar markets. With less than a year until the Ryder Cup comes to the Celtic Manor, there’s been an even bigger buzz around the resort as we prepare to welcome more tourists than ever in 2010. This service is very much what we need to help build on Wales’ reputation as a place that offers high quality food and a fine dining experience.”

A recent finalist on the BBC2’s TV programme, ‘Great British Menu’, James used his eight years experience working with the Crown restaurants to prepare a five-course fine dining menu for 46 first class passengers.

James, who thrived under pressure on board the service, continued: “I’ve worked in several places in my career but I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of cooking on board the train, even if the space limitations and the motion of the train took some getting used to. The chefs and hostesses do a superb job and I’m looking forward to working with the team again.”

One of the Arriva chefs working on board the service, Mark Wilson, 46, from St. Mellons in Cardiff, took part in a special cooking master class with James Sommerin at the multi-award winning Crown at Whitebrook last month (October).

Mark and fellow Arriva chef, Aaron Lister, 27, from Risca, are hoping to combine over 35 years of experience with James’ tried and tested culinary techniques to build on the service’s reputation: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of this service,” said Mark, “It was a real challenge but so exciting.”

“We normally change our menus on a six-day cycle so that passengers never have the same dish if they travel with us on one particular day each week. We’re hoping to work with James to create menus which can be varied by season for example or themed around special events.”

Fine dining onboard the Wales North-South service.

The special service was hosted by The Crown at Whitebrook General Manager, David Hennigan, supported by a team from The Crown restaurants and two Arriva customer service hostesses.

One of the Arriva customer service hostesses, 23-year-old Emma Parry, from Holyhead, in Anglesey, working on board the service, was delighted to be involved in the service: “I’ve worked at more than one top hotel in my time working in the hospitality industry, but this is the best experience yet. Working alongside a celebrity chef like James is a real honour and we’ve learnt a lot from the Crown’s hosts too.”

Other passengers were delighted with the service, including John Hook from Abergavenny, a regular passenger on board the train, who was invited to take part in the special excursion. He said: “I travel on board the service frequently and really rate both the service from hostesses and the chef’s culinary talent. This has been a great pleasure, and I’ve really enjoyed the whole fine dining experience.”

The Arriva Trains Wales premier class service runs week days between Anglesey and Cardiff, with a full breakfast served each morning and an evening meal served on the return journey from the Welsh capital.

Notes to Editors:

1. For more information on Arriva Trains Wales visit www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk
2. For more details on the Crown restaurants please visit: www.crownatwhitebrook.co.uk;  or www.crown.celtic-manor.com
3. The Arriva Trains Wales North South Express service boasts one of the few restaurant cars still operating in the UK today and provides a unique on train dining experience that has received excellent reviews.
4. The Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth and The Crown at Celtic Manor, are working in collaboration with Arriva Trains Wales to help the train operator to further develop the fine dining experience offered by its restaurant car on their premier North to South Wales service.
5. The Crown at Whitebrook was ranked 36 in the Good Food Guide’s 2010 ‘Top 50 restaurants in the UK’ with a 7/10 cooking score.
6. The Crown at Whitebrook is the only restaurant in Wales to hold a Michelin star which is achieved for the first time in 2007 and retained in 2008 and 2009.
7. The Crown at Celtic Manor Resort, venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, has three AA rosettes.
8. James Sommerin, Executive Head Chef at the Crown at Whitebrook and The Crown at Celtic Manor, and his team, is helping Arriva Trains Wales coach and cultivate Arriva Trains Wales chefs to enhance their own fine dining skills and expertise.

For further information on Arriva Trains Wales, please contact Catrin Millar or Helen Newton on 02920 764 100 or email catrin@equinox-pr.co.ukor helen@equinox-pr.co.uk

The Crown at Whitebrook Awards / Reviews
Over the last couple of years, The Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth, has scooped an impressive number of awards and accolades. These include the following:

1. 1 Michelin Star 2007
2. 1 Michelin Star 2008
3. 1 Michelin Star 2009
4. Top 50 The Good Food Guide 2010 (36) – 7/10
5. Top 40 The Good Food Guide 2009 – 6/10
6. AA Centenary Awards 2008 AA Wine Award, Wales
7. Top 40 in Eat Out Magazine’s Top 100 Best of the Best UK Restaurants
8. AA 5 Star Restaurant with Rooms 2007/2008
9. AA Premier Collection “Restaurant with Rooms” 2007/2008
10. Visit Wales 5 Stars as Restaurant with Rooms 2007/2008
11. Top Restaurant in Wales 2007 – The Observer
12. Top 10 fine dining rooms in Britain 2007 – The Times
13. Top 7 Restaurant with rooms in UK 2007 – The Sunday Times
14. Les Routiers Restaurant of the Year for UK 2007
15. Condé Nast Johansens top 3 wine lists in Great Britain 2007
16. AA Commended Wine List 2008

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Arriva steams ahead with Award-winning Crown Restaurants

A five week enhancement project involving young people from Bridgend County Borough has been completed at Bridgend railway station.

Working with staff from Arriva Trains Wales, three young people from Bridgend County Borough Council’s Youth Offending Service (YOS) and their supervisor have helped to improve the environment at the railway station as part of their community reparation.

Since September 2009, they have helped repaint the footbridge balustrades, handrails, columns and more than 100 metres of fencing on both platforms.  The aims of reparation are to prevent further offending, by helping young people to understand the effects of crime and to make amends by taking part in practical work in a disciplined and supervised environment.

Kevin Reeves, reparation project officer for YOS, said: “The young people involved in the project have learnt a number of skills such as painting and complying with health and safety regulations.  Young people have had an opportunity to work on a high profile project that will benefit the many customers of Bridgend station.”

He continued: “We complete in excess of 1200 hours of reparation across the borough each year.  Projects completed this year include the refurbishment of Wildmill Youth Centre and Cornelly Scout Hall, the construction of a new footpath at Afon-y-Felin school in Cornelly and a number of graffiti clearance projects.  Reparation gives the young people opportunities to repair the harm that they have caused by carrying out practical tasks that benefit their victims or the community.“

Geraint Morgan, community affairs manager for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “The exercise has been a good way of giving valuable work experience to local young people.  Their contribution has certainly made a difference to the environment at the station and it has given them an opportunity to make a positive impact in the community.”

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STATION REPAINT HELPS YOUNGSTERS BRUSH UP THEIR SKILLS

The Ebbw Valley rail service is celebrating carrying its millionth passenger – reaching the landmark in less than half the time expected.

Train at Ebbw Vale stationDeputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport, Ieuan Wyn Jones, joined passengers on the train from Ebbw Vale Parkway to Cardiff to mark the occasion.

“The demand for this new service has outstripped all expectations and I’m delighted that we have met this landmark less than two years after I launched the service,” he said.

“Our original estimations said we would meet this mark after four years. This goes to show what a worthwhile investment this has been and how it is bringing economic and social benefits to many people along this route.  This service is an excellent example of our continued commitment to the One Wales goal of delivering a truly sustainable and integrated transport system for Wales.”

Mr Jones was joined on his journey by representatives of Blaenau Gwent Council and Arriva Trains Wales.

Des Hillman, Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council said: “After the closure of the steelworks, local people showed typical Blaenau Gwent spirit and began the work of regeneration. Calling for the railway to be re-built was part of this.  The news that the railway is such a success is a boost for our confidence.  And it has already strengthened our hand in bidding for more Heads of the Valleys programme funding and investment.”

He continued: “We have an ambitious and exciting vision to regenerate our county borough – now we must all work together to seize the opportunity to win the investment that can make it happen.  Thanks are due to all our partners for making this happen and to the community for – quite literally – getting on board!”

Mike Bagshaw, Commercial Director of Arriva Trains Wales said: “We have been delighted with the popularity of this service from day one and it illustrates a wider trend of strong passenger growth in South Wales. The success of the Ebbw Vale line illustrates ATW’s commitment to improvement and growth in the rail transport network.“

The service – linking Ebbw Vale with Cardiff Central station – was made possible thanks to a £30m project funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

The project included construction of six new stations along the route – at Ebbw Vale Parkway, Llanhilleth, Newbridge, Crosskeys, Risca & Pontymister and Rogerstone. The new stations include a range of facilities including car parks and CCTV systems for improved passenger safety.

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EBBW VALLEY LINE WELCOMES MILLIONTH PASSENGER

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The Great Little Trains Of Wales

Buy Cheap Train Tickets From Danescourt Railway Station.

Danescourt Railway Station.

Danescourt railway station is serving train passengers around the Danescourt area which is a suburban area of Cardiff, in Wales.

This station is the first stop after Radyr on the City Line which is 5 km or 3 miles north of Cardiff Central. The City line was originally a freight only line carrying goods and packages to and from the area. However, in 1987, hourly passenger services began running from Cardiff Central to Radyr.

Both of The Danescourt railway station’a  two platforms are accessible for disabled passengers through the ramps. The Cardiff-bound platform is very much accessible via a road bridge, while the Radyr-bound platform is accessiable passing through  a small street (Beale Close) off the main road  to Danescourt Way. A footbridge is linking the two platforms.

The Danescourt railway station also sees some non-stop trains in both directions, and freight trains to and from Tower Colliery to and from Aberthaw Power Station.There is no Sunday service in this station.

The typical Monday-Saturday off-peak service is:

* 2 trains per hour (tph) to Coryton via Cardiff Central, calling at Fairwater, Waun-Gron Park, Ninian Park, Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street, Heath Low Level, Ty Glas, Birchgrove, Rhiwbina, Whitchurch and Coryton

* 2 trains per hour to Radyr, calling at Radyr which is the next station along.

It takes 12 minutes to reach Cardiff Central and 8 minutes to reach Radyr.

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Danescourt Railway Station