Railway Pubs

[Bald Rick]

PO Vaults - leaving at xx:58 gives 7 minutes before the yy:05 service arrives at platform 1 from Shkotland. This leaves adequate time to use the station 'facilities' after a few and get downstairs as it arrives to leave at 10 past. Allow an extra minute if leaving from P6 or further afield. I've done this once or twice....

I lived there for over a decade, and walked past it at least twice a day, and never went in!

 

[och aye]

Edinburgh Waverley - The Booking Office - the old booking/parcels office on the top of Waverley Bridge operated by Wetherspoons. Has a lot of railway themed furnishings and a departures board. Photos here: https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/scotland/edinburgh/booking-office-edinburgh

 

[Spamcan81]

I find their pubs rather soulless, and it has been at least a decade since I had a decent pint in one (and hell, I’ve tried). Then the fact that the founder has been rather vocal about, and funded the campaign for, B**x*t, means I don’t wish to line his pockets any more. There are far better pubs, with better beer, to go to.

I agree that many (but not all IMO) can be soulless but you must have been really unlucky to have not found a decent pint in a Spoons in a decade.
The ones local to me for example generally have an interesting selection of ales in good condition.

 

[fireftrm]

I've normally found good real ales in most 'spoons. SOme have very unimaginative managers with poor selections - Doom Bar, Abbot and GK IPA too oftne about it, those with more insight have good guests. Biut I agree Martin's insistence on thrusting Brexit piuts me off and I now visit only when I find nowhere else.

 

[Bald Rick]

I agree that many (but not all IMO) can be soulless but you must have been really unlucky to have not found a decent pint in a Spoons in a decade.
The ones local to me for example generally have an interesting selection of ales in good condition.

Well I don’t go to W*th*rsp**ns that often. I’ve probably been to about 10 branches in the last few years, albeit across the country: England (North, Midlands and South), Wales and Scotland. Genuinely, every pint I’ve had has been poor. Some have been a poor choice on my part, but some have been usually good beers but poorly kept. I’ve even sent some back, and I am the last person to do that normally. I’m not quite on a boycott now, but will avoid if possible.

I would much rather spend money in a proper local pub, independently owned, even if the beer is more expensive. Fortunately where I live there are plenty of them.

 

[306024]

After a particularly appalling visit to a ‘spoons in Oxford I too took up a ‘only as a last resort’ stance, which has strengthened after discovering the aforementioned founder’s political views. Never consider going in Hamilton Hall at Liverpool St, despite frequently walking past it.

Edinburgh Waverley - The Booking Office - the old booking/parcels office on the top of Waverley Bridge operated by Wetherspoons. Has a lot of railway themed furnishings and a departures board. Photos here: https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/scotland/edinburgh/booking-office-edinburgh

The Halfway House is the best waiting room in Edinburgh, also with some railway stuff in it.

 

[Meole]

The Halfway was the local for the station staff in steam days.

 

[FGW_DID]

I presume a lot of the above posters check the political persuasions of the landlord before they buy a pint in every pub?

“Sorry Guv’nor, your pub may have won awards for the best ale, food, etc etc but I hear you once hinted you liked Marmite, I don’t like Marmite therefore I will never ever ever ever buy as much as a packet of cheesy crisps from your fine award winning establishment.”

 

[Bald Rick]

I presume a lot of the above posters check the political persuasions of the landlord before they buy a pint in every pub?

“Sorry Guv’nor, your pub may have won awards for the best ale, food, etc etc but I hear you once hinted you liked Marmite, I don’t like Marmite therefore I will never ever ever ever buy as much as a packet of cheesy crisps from your fine award winning establishment.”

Well quite.

Fortunately the owner of my preferred establishment does indeed like Marmite.

 

[306024]

I presume a lot of the above posters check the political persuasions of the landlord before they buy a pint in every pub?

“Sorry Guv’nor, your pub may have won awards for the best ale, food, etc etc but I hear you once hinted you liked Marmite, I don’t like Marmite therefore I will never ever ever ever buy as much as a packet of cheesy crisps from your fine award winning establishment.”

A pint in every pub? Now there’s a challenge. As for marmite, can’t see what that’s got to do with the price of fish. Just that, unlike most landlords, Mr Spoon has been stating his views on television rather a lot lately.

 

[laseandre]

I presume a lot of the above posters check the political persuasions of the landlord before they buy a pint in every pub?

“Sorry Guv’nor, your pub may have won awards for the best ale, food, etc etc but I hear you once hinted you liked Marmite, I don’t like Marmite therefore I will never ever ever ever buy as much as a packet of cheesy crisps from your fine award winning establishment.”

There's a difference between the owner of your local pub and someone who owns the country's biggest chain of them, and who also often appears in media stating his political views...

 

[Meole]

There is a difference between a public limited company and an individual owner, no individual owns the country's largest pub chain.

 

[greyman42]

After a particularly appalling visit to a ‘spoons in Oxford I too took up a ‘only as a last resort’ stance, which has strengthened after discovering the aforementioned founder’s political views. Never consider going in Hamilton Hall at Liverpool St, despite frequently walking past it.

I have always found Wetherspoons and its founders political views to be fine. The Hamilton Hall must be doing something right as it always seems to be full.

 

[306024]

Luckily there are far better pubs around Liverpool St if you know the side streets. Of course you would have to go a long way to fail as a pub in that prime location.

 

[DarloRich]

May I offer the Ale Station opposite chorley station. Very nice ale.

 

[camflyer]

Tried to 'Spoons at St Pancras for the first time last weekend. It was packed out but like most station pubs there is a quick turnover of punters so you just have to pounce on a table when one comes free. I order via the App and my food and drink order came quickly - there was no way that I could have made it to the bar and back without losing my seat. The Spoons App is a great innovation when you are travelling alone.

I didn't have much chance to look around but it didn't really feel like a Wetherspoons at all. There was a distinct lack of the sticky carpet that I would normally associate with their establishments.

 

[Meole]

Railway pub at Newtown, Powys, friendly local, excellent Hobsons beers, apparently the booking clerk from the TfW office on the station pops in too.

 

[djpontrack]

May I offer the Ale Station opposite chorley station. Very nice ale.

I was in there last night, always some good ales on. The shepherds hall ale house on the same road is also worth a visit.

 

[CHAPS2034]

I was in there last night, always some good ales on. The shepherds hall ale house on the same road is also worth a visit.

Malt and Hops used to be the go-to pub in Chorley once upon a time for a good selection of beers. Going back a couple of decades now. It's only 2 minutes from the Manchester bound platform and still worth a visit.

Lots of interesting pubs and bars to visit in the town including several more micro-pubs. Check out the details here and download the Chorley Ale Trail leaflet
https://www.centrallancs.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=64000

 

[djpontrack]

Malt and Hops used to be the go-to pub in Chorley once upon a time for a good selection of beers. Going back a couple of decades now. It's only 2 minutes from the Manchester bound platform and still worth a visit.

Lots of interesting pubs and bars to visit in the town including several more micro-pubs. Check out the details here and download the Chorley Ale Trail leaflet
https://www.centrallancs.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=64000

My father and I visited the Malt and Hops many times over the years and it's still usually my first stop in Chorley. They do very nice rolls and pies too.

Thanks for the link to the Chorley Ale Trail leaflet mate, I'm off work for a week from Friday and I think another trip to Chorley is called for.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Whilst we're on the duller side of the Pennines, has anyone mentioned the Strawbury Duck next to Entwistle station? (spelling deliberate!).

https://whatpub.com/pubs/LAE/150/strawbury-duck-entwistle

Very nice pub in lovely surroundings with some great walks nearby.

 

[Matt_pool]

A 2 minute walk from Mossley Hill station is Pi on Rose Lane. Good selection of Real ale, craft beer, Belgian beer etc, plus they do Pieminister pies!

If you are on your way in/out of Liverpool Lime Street from Warrington/Manchester it's worth stopping off at for an hour or two. Sadly, no other decent pubs in the area (Rose of Mossley the other side of the railway is nothing to write home about).

 

[gcmozart]

Anything at Lancaster - I have an hour wait there this week!

 

[Matt_pool]

Merchants 1688 is next to the castle, a 2 or 3 minute walk from Lancaster railway station.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, The Merchants is very good - and the ideal distance for an hours stop off.

 

[Amanda]

The Victoria Hotel in Beeston (Nottingham) has a gate leading directly into the eastbound platform at Beeston station. It's a fantastic real ale pub, honestly one of my favourites in the East Midlands.

This likely doesn't count but The Roundhouse at Derby holds amazing beer festivals!

 

[djpontrack]

The Victoria Hotel in Beeston (Nottingham) has a gate leading directly into the eastbound platform at Beeston station. It's a fantastic real ale pub, honestly one of my favourites in the East Midlands.

This likely doesn't count but The Roundhouse at Derby holds amazing beer festivals!

The Victoria Hotel is excellent. I stayed in Beeston in September for a few days and popped in there a couple of times. It had a very good selection of ales.

 

[John Griffiths]

I wonder how many former railway stations are now pubs (as in disused stations no longer served by trains)?

The Carriage, Jesmond (original B&TR station building), Newcastle

 

[John Griffiths]

The former Nexus travel centre on the main concourse (underground) of the Tyne & Wear Metro 's Monument station is being converted to a microphone.

 

[John Griffiths]

Micropub, even.

Curse predictive text.