On Thursday 20th February, the Porthcawl Male Voice Choir were invited to London Paddington to grace Brunel’s Cathedral with their strong, iconic and resonant Welsh songs, which marked the start of Wales Week London 2025.

The choir’s songs entertained passengers and travellers during their half-term travels on the station concourse; they also sampled Pembrokeshire Welsh cakes and learned about various Welsh destinations served by GWR, along with information about the South West Wales Connected Community Rail Partnership along with a programme encouraging people to explore Wales without using the car.

Although called Wales Week London, the event actually lasts 17 days (Thursday 20 February to Saturday 8 March) and focus on the popular Welsh holiday of St David’s Day on March 1st.

The event which happens across London every year promotes Wales as a destination not just for business but also leisure.

Several events are taking place in London with more information available at www.walesweek.london.

With major destinations such as Barry Island (famous for the location of sitcom Gavin and Stacey) to Cardiff, Swansea, Pembroke, Barmouth, Mount Snowdon along with several 5 star seaside resorts. Wales offers a great range of rugged wild landscapes which hide the history of its past.

For railway enthusiasts, the country has several narrow gauge railways and standard gauge railways, each a major attraction in their own right, which takes people through different parts of Wales offering specular and dramatic views from the train window.

While Great Western Railway (GWR) services mainly travel to the south of Wales and the Welsh Boarders, there are 30 trains a day from London to Cardiff, with 20 of those services caring on to Swansea. Following the May timetable changes, GWR will run 65 additional services weekly to South Wales, some continuing beyond Swansea to Carmarthen.

As well as that GWR also run the Welsh Pullman dining experience, these experiences are available Monday to Friday between Swansea and London Paddington, this offers passengers the chance to taste 5 star food while travelling in comfort admiring the views from the window as they make their way from South Wales to London or from London to South Wales.

“It was amazing to welcome the Porthcawl Male Voice Choir on board our train, and for them to sing at London Paddington. We’re so proud of GWR’s heritage in Wales and our Welsh teams in Swansea and Cardiff, and love an opportunity to celebrate Wales, in Wales and across the GWR network.  

Where our staff speak Welsh, even tipyn bach [a little bit], then we’re pleased to support them to use their Welsh when they’re working – and especially on St David’s Day. Customers can identify a GWR colleague who speaks Welsh by the Draig Goch [Red Dragon] on their name badge.”  

Dan Okey, GWR Head of Development

To be invited by Great Western Railway to sing at Paddington for Wales Week is a massive honour for the choir.

Predominantly, we sing within the Welsh community to a mainly Welsh audience. To be able to showcase a Welsh choir outside of Wales at such a prestigious venue is greatly anticipated and very exciting.

We will bring an eclectic mix of traditional Welsh Male Choir and more modern pieces to hopefully thrill and entertain the audience.”

Ian Williams of Porthcawl Male Voice Choir