The Llangollen and Corwen Railway welcomed a very special guest this weekend as Chris Barrie, best known for his role in Red Dwarf, travelled on a special heritage service to mark the start of Wales Comic Con.
Dozens of fans gathered at Corwen Railway Station on Saturday morning to see Chris Barrie board the “Red Dwarf Train”, enjoying a unique journey through the Dee Valley to Llangollen ahead of a busy day at the convention.
The visit marked a tremendous start to a new partnership between Llangollen and Corwen Railway and Wales Comic Con, bringing together heritage, popular culture and tourism in a unique and exciting way.
Paul Bailey from the Llangollen and Corwen Railway, who was up to welcome fans to Corwen Railway Station said, “It has been absolutely fantastic. It was so great to welcome Chris Barrie to the railway. He was a brilliant guest – a great sport and incredibly knowledgeable about steam trains. You could really see his passion for heritage railways, and it meant a lot to both our volunteers and the fans who came along to see him.”
During his visit, Chris spent time with the railway’s volunteer crews and even stepped onto the footplate, getting hands-on experience of life aboard a working steam locomotive.
Chris Barrie said, “I’ve had a fantastic time here and it was great to see so many fans up as the crack of dawn. Getting up on the footplate, shovelling coal and experiencing a real working steam engine is something special. The team here are brilliant – so welcoming and clearly passionate about what they do. A huge thank you to everyone at the railway for such a memorable experience.”
Looking ahead, the Railway has confirmed that this is just the beginning of a new and exciting collaboration, with more joint events planned between Wales Comic Con and the Llangollen and Corwen Railway in the future. Chris Barrie has also been invited to return to the Dee Valley for the Railway’s upcoming Branch Line Gala next weekend.
The railway is continuing to operate a full programme of steam and diesel services throughout the weekend, offering visitors the chance to travel through the stunning Dee Valley as part of their Comic Con experience.
Wales Comic Con is taking place all weekend at the Llangollen Pavilion, attracting thousands of visitors and featuring a host of stars from film, television and gaming.
Visitors are encouraged to make a full day of it by combining a trip on the railway with a visit to the convention, helping to support both attractions and the wider local economy.
