[Jun 9, 2013] Cambrian Football Programme Day - Oswestry, June 9, 2013 (Oswestry, Shropshire)

To keep you folks up to date on this exciting event, please find below two recent press releases:

(head)Cambrian clubs together with football
(standfirst)Historic link between railways & 'beautiful game' to be commemorated in appropriate location

To celebrate the historic link between the 'beautiful game' and the national railway network,
Cambrian Heritage Railways is holding a 'Football Special' day at its Oswestry Station on Sunday,
June 9 – which coincidentally, is also Fathers Day. The event is believed to be a first in heritage railway circles.
As organiser David Owen explained: “Like so many things we take for granted these days, the development of football as the national game was closely linked with the spread of the railways in the 19th century and we thought it appropriate to mark the connection.
“Whilst the original Cambrian Railway Company might not have seen the intensity of trains required for major First Division or FA Cup games, there is plenty of evidence that local clubs used the system widely. In the 1920s, for instance, Oswestry Town played Corwen at home in the Welsh Cup with two special trains arriving from North Wales. The match ended in a draw and three football trains made the opposite journey the following week for the replay. When Llanymynech made it to the final of a local cup competition in the 1950s a special was put on to Whitchurch which included the Engineer’s Saloon as luxury accommodation for the team - and the loco was adorned with a cup headboard.”
A football programme and memorabilia fair is to be held in the station which will also utilise some of the upstairs office space not usually open to the public.
A brake van service will be in operation and the Cambrian Railway Museum will be open, supplemented by some football related displays including a display on the life of Herbie Roberts an Oswestry lad and huge Arsenal star of the thirties who achieved fame as the original ‘stopper centre half’.
A number of local teams have signed up to the event including promotion chasing Wrexham and, Welsh Premier League Champions, The New Saints – in addition to Shrewsbury Town, AFC Telford United and Ellesmere Rangers.
Further information can be obtained by emailing footballspecial@yahoo.co.uk or calling David Owen on 07722439384. Visit http://www.cambrianrailways.com


(head)Football silverware on show
(standfirst)Glittering array of artefacts to be dispalyed as members of the public are invited to share reminiscences

Two national football trophies will be on display at Oswestry Station on Sunday, June 9 at a ‘Football Special’ event marking the long association between railways and the national game.
In April, Wrexham travelled to Wembley and won the FA Trophy - the biggest knock out prize in non-league football - against Grimsby Town. Meanwhile The New Saints of Oswestry Town and Llansantffraid were retaining the Championship of the Welsh Premier League. Both clubs will be bringing along the trophies to display on the day.
AFC Telford United, Ellesmere Rangers and Shrewsbury Town will also be present with a number of stalls of interest to memorabilia and programme collectors. For the youngsters, TNS mascot Spot the Dog and Wrexham’s Rex the Dragon will come along and their counterparts at Shrewsbury and Telford have also been invited.
Members of the public are also being invited to share their memories of past footballing events as part of the event
Organiser, David Owen, said: “We know there were many cases of the Cambrian railway network, and Oswestry station in particular, being used for football special trains and are seeking people’s memories. We have been told that, as late as the 1950s special trains ran to or from the town for some of Oswestry Town’s major cup games. Other local teams, such as Llanymynech, hired special trains for the big games and we would love to hear from anyone who has personal memories, or has heard stories passed down through the family. If they had a photograph that would be even better.”
The event is raising funds for Hope House Hospice who will have their own sales stand and will be running a competition to win a pair of autographed Joe Hart goalkeeping gloves.
The station’s familiar attractions will also be available on the day, including train rides, access to the Cambrian Railways Museum and refreshments in Buffers tea room.

Hope it's of interest,

Gareth Evans,
CHR Press Officer


NOTES TO EDITORS
# Cambrian Heritage Railways is the umbrella body created in 2009 to deliver a heritage railway for the Oswestry area – and which has seen the once rival Cambrian Railways Society and Cambrian Railways Trust join forces.
# Public trains operate at two separate sites – at Llynclys and Oswestry. Work to restore the Gobowen to Blodwell branch, which will eventually link the two locations, is currently underway.