Y Goets Fawr on S4C

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Y GOETS FAWR S4C, tomorrow 8.30pm, Monday-Thursday 8.25pm. English subtitles http://www.s4c.co.uk/ygoetsfawr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Watch again at http://www.4c.co.uk/clic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TODAY it takes less than four hours to get to Holyhead from London by high-speed rail, with fresh food and drink served at your table, and travellers able to plug in lap-tops to work, or listen to music on headsets.

But two centuries ago that journey by passengers and the Royal Mail could take days – with coaches pulled by horses not locos – and was fraught with danger and problems.

This week S4C aims to recreate the journey, with a colourful horse-drawn Royal Mail stagecoach in new series Y Goets Fawr (The Big Coach).




Presenter Ifan Jones Evans will be learning more about the route and history of the old Royal Mail coaches from London to Ireland. He’ll be enjoying the food, clothes and entertainment of the 19th century and meeting contributors and supporters along the way.

Ifan said: “I’ll be able to sit back, relax and talk about the history while the experienced driver, Gwyn Williams from Ffarmers, near Llanwrda, takes control of the coach. My role during the week is to guard the coach and defend it from the highwaymen! Everyone will know when we arrive or leave the towns or villages because I will be sounding the horn.”

Ifan will join Shân Cothi each night to host traditional celebrations, including pub games, country fairs and folk evenings.

“We’re celebrating the history of the old mail coaches in the series and I’m excited to hear local stories connected to Y Goets Fawr,” explains Ifan. “I’m sure the support of the people along the route will be phenomenal – the horses and brightly coloured coach will attract many people. But the production team face a huge task as they look after the safety of the horses, plan the route in detail and adapt the coach to the modern roads!
“You don’t realise how high the coach is until you sit on it; it’s about ten feet from the ground. It’ll be quite a fall if we hit a pothole along the way. Hopefully we won’t create traffic jams on the A5 either – there are too many of those already!”

Horse-lover Shân is looking forward to welcoming Ifan, the mail coach and the horses to the traditional events.

She said: “Normally the journey to Holyhead would take around 27 and a half hours to complete and the horses would have to be changed every 12 miles or so. They would be travelling at nine miles per hour without any breaks, so they needed to use teams of horses to share the burden on such a long journey.

“That’s why the old coaching inns and the stables were so popular. The drivers could take a break from the road – and enjoy a drink or two!”
Historian and car salesman Gari Wyn from Bangor will take a look at old stories of the mail coaches over the centuries.

The series, made by Teledu Telesgôp, is a step back to 1808, and follows the route created to speed up the post’s arrival in Ireland. The replica stagecoach’s journey began in London last Sunday, and enters Wales near Chirk tomorrow.

Ifan and the stagecoach make their first stop in Wales at Riverside Park, Llangollen, where they will be met by opera singer Shân.

Next day they move to Ceirnioge Mawr Farm, Penrefoelas for a country fair with games, competitions, music and food.

Ty’n y Coed Inn at Capel Curig will be the stopping point on Tuesday with pub games and a screening of film Jamaica Inn. On Wednesday a feast of live entertainment will welcome the coach to Bangor Pier.

And to celebrate journey’s end on Thursday evening there’ll be a procession of horses and carts together with entertainment and food at

Holyhead Foreshore, near the Holyhead Maritime Museum.

Ifan and the team will also stop in schools on the route.

Cash raised during the week’s event will go to the Royal Mail’s chosen charity, Barnardos.

For the latest information visit http://www.s4c.co.uk/ygoetsfawr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.s4c.co.uk/caban" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; – or phone 02920 916667 (national call rate applies) to reserve tickets.
Follow the team on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ygoetsfawr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or at http://www.facebook.com/ygoetsfawr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;