'The Last Train to Tredegar' pulled into the south Wales brass banding town on the weekend, courtesy of an innovative production featuring an ensemble from the recently crowned Welsh Regional champions alongside celebrated poet Ian McMillan, Private Eye cartoonist Tony Husband and composer Luke Carver-Goss.

Steam train

It was a welcome 'Welsh' flavoured reprise of the critically acclaimed 'Last Train to Elvet' production that was premiered at the Durham Brass Festival in 2015, which tells the true story of the last steam train to stop at the small north east town — and which just happened to be carrying a travelling circus complete with animals, clowns and strongmen!

Following the successful premiere the group felt that it was a story that could resonate with other communities who during the infamous Beeching railway cutbacks of the 1960s found themselves isolated, missing out on great communal attractions.

Brilliant tweaks

With some brilliant tweaks by 'The Bard of Barnsley' helped by an exhibition of old images of the now demolished local railway station and trains by the local history society, the story was metaphorically transferred to the Welsh valley community — which had its passenger branch line closed in 1961.

Great story

Tredegar MD Ian Porthouse told 4BR: "It's a great story and a fantastic score by Luke that brings the story to life thanks to Ian's wonderful poetry and Tony's amazing cartoons which he draws as the story unfolds.

It's a perfect family friendly production — interactive and full of fun as you would expect with such a storyline and with Ian as the ringmaster! We hope to be able to perform it again, and I would urge other bands to try it for themselves. The audience response is brilliant."

We hope to be able to perform it again, and I would urge other bands to try it for themselves. The audience response is brilliant.Tredegar MD, Ian Porthouse

Successful strands

Ian McMillan, Tony and Luke and also enjoyed their visit to Tredegar. "We enjoyed a wonderful welcome and had a great time bringing the story to life.

Working together with Tredegar shows just how successful bringing together different artistic strands can be. It would be great to work with more bands in this way as it's a story that can be enjoyed by everyone."

Find out more

Find out more about 'The Last Train to….'

Contact: Adrian Mealing at: adrian@uktouring.org.uk