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Cafes and bars at stations where you can watch trains/trams

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Ken H

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I will start with the cafe on Worcester Foregate St. You can sit right next to the track and trans pass a couple of feet from you (other side of a window!). Grandkids loved that when they were smaller.

I like Costa at Manchester Victoria. Great for watching the trams going back and forth on the other side of a glass barrier while slurping a flat white.

Any other good uns?
 
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bramling

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I will start with the cafe on Worcester Foregate St. You can sit right next to the track and trans pass a couple of feet from you (other side of a window!). Grandkids loved that when they were smaller.

I like Costa at Manchester Victoria. Great for watching the trams going back and forth on the other side of a glass barrier while slurping a flat white.

Any other good uns?

The Wetherspoon’s on the platform at Aberystwyth offers a good view, albeit only much good if one is into 158s, especially since the V of R has moved locations.
 

FGW_DID

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'Graze' at Bath. No access direct from the station but is immediately adjacent to the platform. Nice large outdoor area, great on a sunny day.
 

duffield

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Sheffield Tap on platform 1 - sit inside and watch the trains
York Tap on platform 3 - sit 'outside' (on the platform, under the station roof) and watch the trains
Easy to do both in one day.
Quite pricey, can get crowded, but an excellent selection of beers and ciders.
 

Darandio

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The Waiting Room at Durham, sit inside or outside and watch the trains. Cracking set of local beers as well.
 

dgl

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Morrison's café in Weymouth, the line runs along the bottom of the car park and if you get the right seats (as we generally tend to do) you can watch them go by.
 

PHILIPE

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The Wetherspoon’s on the platform at Aberystwyth offers a good view, albeit only much good if one is into 158s, especially since the V of R has moved locations.

It was part of the station at one time, the former Cambrian Offices.
 

HOOVER29

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Marine Tavern , Dawlish.
Spent many an hour sipping & watching trains go by in the sun.
 

Ianno87

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'Outside' The Betjamin Arms, St Pancras

A cracking little café on the shore at Hest Bank too.

The Cutter Inn, Ely.
 

Ken H

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Brief Encounter at Carnforth. Get the right table and you get Pendolinos at speed just outside the window.

Helwith Bridge Inn (1 mile south of Horton in Ribblesdale) just across the river there is the settle-carlisle line. 1 dining table has an excellent view
 

yorksrob

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Sheffield Tap on platform 1 - sit inside and watch the trains
York Tap on platform 3 - sit 'outside' (on the platform, under the station roof) and watch the trains
Easy to do both in one day.
Quite pricey, can get crowded, but an excellent selection of beers and ciders.

Sheffield Tap is nice, although I was dissappointed to be charged £4.60 for a pint of ale there recently.

Sheffield is in Yorkshire, not loony London.
 

Clayton

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Brief Encounter at Carnforth. Get the right table and you get Pendolinos at speed just outside the window.

Helwith Bridge Inn (1 mile south of Horton in Ribblesdale) just across the river there is the settle-carlisle line. 1 dining table has an excellent view
Yes but just boring units I guess
 

Gathursty

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Irlam station's cafe is very close to the line with outdoor seating on the platform.
 

iphone76

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Cannon Street has a Wetherspoons and Liverpool Street will soon have a pub on the upper concourse above p10 which should afford a good view of the open section of the station.
 

iphone76

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Also the holiday inn at Westfield Stratford has a balcony and Roof East is a rooftop bar which both gives good views of the great eastern mainline.
 

Peter C

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- I suppose that Hereford has some sort of outdoor seating for the cafe. It's under the canopy and you get to see the TfW, GWR, and WMR trains go through.
- There are a few pubs around on the balcony at London Waterloo station, but these can get quite crowded and unless you go out onto the balcony (and I'm not sure whether there are any seats there) you can't see the trains so this one may not be so useful.
- Banbury has a Cafexpressshop place on the bridge connecting the platforms. You could technically see the trains going along if you stand by the small wall between the pathway and the cafe.

Hope this helps.

-Peter
 

Iskra

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The Dewsbury/Huddersfield/Stalybridge pubs on the station

Dronfield Arms, Dronfield - the beer garden

You can’t see the trains from the West Riding at Dewsbury due to frosted glass and walls. Nor can you see the trains directly from the pubs at Huddersfield either.

The pub on the station at Cleethorpes as an outside seating area from where you can watch the trains.
 

Tracked

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You can’t see the trains from the West Riding at Dewsbury due to frosted glass and walls. Nor can you see the trains directly from the pubs at Huddersfield either.

The pub on the station at Cleethorpes as an outside seating area from where you can watch the trains.

Been a couple of years, but this is how I remember the view from the West Riding, probably better if they'd frosted it though ;)

Head of Steam in the back room behind the bar, a couple of years ago too.
 

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Iskra

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Been a couple of years, but this is how I remember the view from the West Riding, probably better if they'd frosted it though ;)

Head of Steam in the back room behind the bar, a couple of years ago too.

I might have a reconnaissance mission to find out. I do like the Wessie :)
 

Killingworth

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Actually watching the trains, or being in a catering establishment near to trains?

Rajdhani restaurant at Dore & Totley is in the old station building with windows onto the platform and tracks - old photos of the station in its heyday on the walls.

There's an Indian restaurant in the old Corbridge station building.
 

gazthomas

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I'm sure we've been here before!

Buffets with bars - Bristol TM, Preston, Crewe, Leamington Spa
 
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