Castle Cement Kiln

The business end. Temperatures of 1400 degrees C inside this horizontal kiln lined with firebrick and rotated at 2 or 3 rpm.

Castle Cement Padeswood Kiln Operation Software

Click image to enlarge.

This image was taken during shut down so the readings are not at full operation.

A Letter to The Clerk to Penyffordd Community Council

Dear Nigel.

Will you please show this letter to Penyffordd Community Council on Wednesday

It is 18 months since I brought to the council's attention wholesale speeding through Chester Rd Penyffordd.

On Friday 24th August 2008 a young girl cycled across the path of a speeding motorist and missed death by a few seconds.

The vehicle had to slam on brakes, in so doing skidded and mounted the path near to the bus stop.

Flintshire County Council have now released figures from their traffic speed survey.

Which are as follows.

Vehicles (3394) travelling at or above 35 mph and (283) were travelling at or above 45 mph.

Total 3677 doing more than 35 mph over a 10 day period.

(please note these are static speeds, it is reasonable to assume many of these vehicles are in acceleration mode passed our houses.)

1. As the above is anti social behaviour what are North Wales Police going to about these 367 vehicles that speed on our major route to school every day. I know of no other village or town in Flintshire where this happens.

2. I understand a meeting took place between Penyffordd Community Council and Charles Hughes and Derek Kirby of Flintshire County Council. As an interested party in the tremendous traffic increases that these two officers have planned for Chester Rd Penyffordd will you please give me details of what was said at the meeting.

3. Will you please explain to me why I and other residents of Chester Rd were excluded from the meeting.

4. Will you please explain why you told councillors I had been advised of the date of the meeting when you did no such thing.

May I remind you of your position of Clerk to The Council. I believe your position should be one of neutrality. From where I stand I find it not so.

I wish to remind you of your code of conduct.

regards Colin Hughes

Postscript: The meeting was for councillors only. Although why have one I do not know. They will not be persuading me or any others from Chester Rd or Corwen Rd that Warren Hall is good for Penyffordd village environment.

Penyffordd Community Council in secret talks with Flintshire County Council

Charles Hughes Head of Engineering and Derek Kirby Transport Flintshire County Council have met with Penyffordd Community Council and County Councillor Cindy Hinds to discuss Warren Hall.
No mention was made of this meeting upfront. Nigel Jones, Clerk to The Penyffordd Community Council is quoted that I had been aware of the date of the meeting . This is a lie.

keyword GNI,

To Castle Cement Padeswood for their Open Day 2008

Click on images to enlarge

General Manager of Castle Cement Mark Cox shows Penyffordd resident Lisa Harding the cement production process.

Castle Cement Quarry at Gwernaffield

General Manager Mark Cox fields questions from visitors to the Castle Cement Open Day 2008.

Mark Cox General Manager of Castle Cement Padeswood shares a light moment with Penyffordd resident Lisa Harding.

A quarry monster at the Castle Cement quarry

County Councillor Cindy Hinds and General Manager Mark Cox sharing a cup of tea discussing Penyffordd community.

County Councillor Cindy Hinds sharing a joke with Noel from Castle Cement and County Councillor Haydn Bateman - Independent for Mold Broncoed.

M&A Kynaston's warning after hours offences

A North Wales tipper firm which had been heavily fined for drivers' hours offences escaped with formal warnings when it appeared before Welsh Deputy Commissioner Lester Maddrell. The company had put a new training regime in place and admitted that new regulations on off-road driving had sometimes been overlooked.

Link Road Transport.com

They also used to speed through village, recently though they have appeared to slow down.

Conmen steal from vulnerable Penyffordd pensioner

TWO callous conmen ransacked a pensioner’s bedroom and stole money after posing as ‘waterboard officials’.

Now local councillor Cindy Hinds is warning all elderly or vulnerable people in Penyffordd, near Mold, to be on their guard.

Link The Daily Post

Penyffordd Councillors have a meeting with Charles Hughes

The Double Standards employed by Flintshire County Council over Croes Atti developments and Chester Rd rat run which must be well over 500 vehicles each day.

Charles Hughes is Director of Engineering for Flintshire County Council. I am of the opinion that Flintshire Highways which is part of Engineering have plans for Chester Road to remain a trunk road in all but name. The meeting was held at Cllr David Williams' house.
Cllr Cindy Hinds attended the meeting.

The removal of yellow lines outside the Post Office was discussed. Charles Hughes reels off one of his stock of excuses on why he can't help. This time its "the fire engine will not be able to get through".

The yellow lines were removed outside the chapel what about the fire engine there in Hawarden Rd. What about the Vounog that has no yellow lines. All three roads exactly the same, ex trunk roads.

Chester Rd remains the second by-pass of Penyffordd. I think the word is de facto.

Flintshire County Council do triple back somersaults to get Croes Atti development off the ground when the real fear of rat runs is raised by residents. Chester Rd is a rat run. Charles Hughes currently refuses to do anything about our daily rat run.

Excuse No 1 doesn't hold either. This is the " we have no money left". Kate Forrester of The Evening Leader reported early in the year that FCC has nearly £60 million at its disposal to spend on whatever.

Village environment and safety remains firmly at the bottom of the agenda for Flintshire County Council.

Castle Cement Open Day

Saturday 30 th August 2008. A guided tour from 10 am to 4 pm. All welcome, refreshments available.

LINK Castle Cement Open day Photos

Miss Wagstaff Logo

World Ploughing Championships - Tribute paid to Ian Wilson

Elfed, 34, of Ty Hen, Llanfihangel GM, Ruthin, was competing in the reversible section of the World Ploughing Contest at Grafanegg, 70km from Vienna, at the weekend.

Elfed, whose reversible section was won by Andrew Mitchell Snr of Scotland, paid tribute to the "tremendous" team coaches, including Ian Wilson of Penyffordd near Mold.

Link The Denbighshire Free Press

Near miss for child on cycle on Chester Rd

Whilst standing in the garden (Friday 18.20 am) in my DJ last night waiting to go to a charity event I looked up to see a red car brake heavily, skid, hit the kerb and mount it, which wrecked his wheel, deflating the tyre. The car mounted the kerb 20 feet from a bus stop.

Then I saw a small girl aged about 8 or 9 with long hair pedaling up Penymynydd Rd on her green bike. The young girl had just missed serious injury or death by a very short margin.

The young girl had cycled across Chester Road without looking into the path of the red car which was doing about 30 mph.

The young man who was visibly shaken for some time after the event, his lightning reactions prevented very serious injuries or death to this young girl. The young girl carried on pedaling up the path on Penymynydd Rd too embarrassed or shocked to stop.

His mates who were in two cars then set about changing the wheel whilst he looked on still a state of shock

Due to the number of speeding vehicles through our village statistically its just a matter of time until someone is seriously injured or killed. Whilst taking pictures of the kerb damage this morning I am stopped by a resident of Penyffordd who knew about the incident. He then regaled me with near misses he had witnessed.

Chester Rd a major route to school is an accident waiting to happen.

Witness to near accident
Colin Hughes 01244 548063

Witness after the event
Nigel Jones Clerk to the Penyffordd Community Council
Tel 01244 547440

The Millstone Lease details

£87,000 up front
£50,000 per year

It's for a 10 year lease.

A Very Big Thank You to The Flintshire Leader

for publishing my letter below.

Letter - Evening Leader - Warren Hall Infrastructure contracts

Hi Evening Leader

A letter for consideration.

I note that you report contracts are being put out for Warren Hall Business Park infrastructure.

The Warren Hall developments are going to increase traffic through Chester Rd, Penyffordd many fold. Flintshire County Council and The Welsh Assembly Government are currently ignoring our plight.

Flintshire Highways see Chester Rd as a spare trunk road to deal with the gross inefficiencies of Penyffordd By Pass and Penymynydd roundabout.

The other side of the coin to regeneration is environment. Chester Rd descends daily into a fast short cut for over a 1000 non residents vehicles usually at illegal speeds, many with illegal exhausts. The above developments will only add to our daily misery if we are not to be protected.

Chester Road, Penyffordd could be the first village in North Wales to benefit from The WAG's Manual for Streets. I hope The WAG and Flintshire County Council will consider diverting a very small percentage of development money to protect Penyffordd's threatened environment.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

links

http://www.eveningleader.co.uk/news/Bids-now-welcome-for-Broughton.4405623.jp#3139054

http://new.wales.gov.uk/news/ThirdAssembly/Planning/2007/1543942/?lang=en

A new direction for Arrive Alive

"work closely with our communities to tackle antisocial driving and seek cost-effective engineering solutions".

In the Wales on Line http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/08/18/safety-campaigners-defend-speed-cameras-91466-21552382/

The woman from Safe Speed wants locking up for saying speed cameras do not work.
Many millions of drivers have altered their driving habits through communities due to gaining points from speed cameras.

I await Arrive Alive to deal with the 1000 odd speeders through Chester Rd everyday.

The Millstone is up again for lease

Jim Foley who used to run The Millstone says the details for the lease are on the website of the company advertising the pub.
More later when I get the link. Need to register.
The lease I think is in the region of £50k a year

http://punchpubs.punchpubs.co.uk/

Type in Chester in search.

Millstone
Harwarden Road
Pen-Y-Fford
Chester
CH4 0JE

	Available on a 10 Year Secure Lease Agreement (longer by negotiation)
	Fantastic business opportunity with great character.
	Located in the affluent area of Pen Y Fford
	Established food offer with scope for development

The Guardian Online Logo

Coffee House Logo

Loud noise and speeding vehicles it must be Friday teatime

I've just sent off a missive to Cllr Tom Jones. I explained to him that his and Colin Bithell's legacy to the village is a village centre that is an environmental hell hole.
Every other car racing through the village with loud exhausts. A motorcycle doing 80 mph showing off to his mates outside the Penyffordd British Legion, with the modern fashion accessory a very loud illegal exhaust.

They have sat in the Penyffordd Institute each month with cars speeding passed, they oblivious.
I've told him his block vote in the last local elections a disgrace.

Flintshire County Council's current plans for Chester Rd is two or three times more vehicles.

They are a disgrace.

North Wales Police seeking volunteers to help with paperwork

In The Evening Leader Inspector Alun Oldfield. I'm thinking of offering Lisa to help if he will tackle the 1000 cars a day that speed through our village. This he knows about as the traffic has been recorded. Last year we had a big fan fare in The Evening Leader with CBM's getting their own speed gun to use in our village. This has NOT been carried out properly or efficiently.
North Wales Police continue to ignore this issue.

Postscript. After many months of waiting for action by North Wales Police against speeding through our community I have given up and have made a formal complaint against Inspector Oldfield to the Professional Standards Department, North Wales Police Authority.

I do this with reluctance.

Penyffordd PoW pal reunited through the Evening Leader meet after 60 years

TWO former prisoners of war, who were reunited by the Evening Leader after 60 years apart, have vowed never to lose touch again.

read here The Evening Leader

* one hopes this is our Penyffordd

A walk to calm the soul

Above Roman track between Minera and Ffrith

Click image to enlarge

Links to the walk are here. The walk we did was from Ffrith to Bwlchgwyn and back again. It's 2.5 hours, leg and arm protection needed. It will be muddy in places. By doing this walk this way you do the climb on the way up instead of the way back. One of the tracks was used to transport lead ore from Minera to Ffrith in Roman times.
note. The waterfall is not on the marked route on the map link (please ask)

A further letter to The Flintshire Leader with regards Flintshire UDP housing requirement

The Kingspan £60,000 house

Links
Kingspan Zero Emission House
Kingspan £60,000 house
Environmental Housing Competition.

A letter for possible insertion.

With regards Cllr Alex Aldridge's suggestion that a new town be built to deal with

Flintshire UDP housing requirement instead of Flintshire villages and towns getting more clogged up.

Here in Flintshire we have Kingspan who are at the cutting edge of energy saving building technology.

We also have Sharps nearby at Llay (Wrexham Council) who produce electric solar panels.

Kingspan could be brought in to help design a modern low energy town made up of affordable housing..

Since Flintshire is blessed with lots of sun and wind, solar panels and wind turbines could be

incorporated to drive down energy requirements.

Flintshire could become the leading county in Wales for affordable low energy housing and in the process highlighting

one of Flintshire's and Wrexham's employers world wide.

With regards transport I feel that a new town should have access to the A55 but not clog up our existing road network.

Perhaps other readers have their own ideas to put forward.

regards

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Postscript. I left out the other firm who might be contributing, Corus if they are still called that.

Further postscript. Letter published. - Kingspan have been on the blog. - Letter worked out in my head if any opposition pops up with a letter.

Notes. I have never emailed (he doesn't have one) or spoke to Cllr Alex Aldridge.
I buy Kingspan panel seconds off Ebay. I love the stuff great for diy.

A Letter to The Evening Leader with regards Penyffordd Health Care

Dear Evening Leader

A letter for consideration, my thanks for recent publications

So the LHB remain committed to providing a health resource centre for Hope, Caergwrle and surrounding villages whilst Penyffordd with over 3000 residents have to make do with advice from the chemist.

It would appear that Penyffordd health care has been sacrificed so that Hope super health source centre can be built.

I'm sure we can find space in Penyffordd for the health centre, then Hope residents can come to Penyffordd rather than the current practice of Penyffordd residents driving to Hope.

regards Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

North Wales joins the 21st Century

Published in todays Evening Leader a civil partnership between Catherine Hughes and Saira Griffiths. Lets hope the girls live happily ever after. The photo looks very sweet which is here

Carnage on North Wales Roads continues...

In The Leader

I have fired off a letter to the Leader with a CC to North Wales Police. I have had an email back from North Wales Police they are not best pleased. They rightly condemn me over insensitivity to the bikers family.
We have this issue where many bikers are being killed yet any criticism is not liked.

Motorcyclists will continue to die until they are fully controlled. If smoking can be stopped in public places speeding can be stopped on North Wales roads.

As I have said to North Wales Police on current form the next motorcyclist will die within a week.

I wrote a letter to The Leader as last weekend has seen Penyffordd By Pass being used as a 120 mph race track with illegal exhausts to boot.

Meadowslea Hospital

Beeston Castle from Lower Mountain Rd

Click on image to enlarge

Beeston Castle on the left amd Peckforton Castle on the right.