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22-08-2023, 07:12
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/08/trains.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZhsXsG_t7aJPHWmLJtmgiXqzzxuaPwnEGBOvnzrQyl 7e4OR7RCkhLi5A5LXk_ri_TMeFvTsS4cD3dfXySZOri9K1_IFd ppvZIOhSx5QJmD8-sZkZWi7fjg5I4dBDN4XMAaSXrBVikmDLipPPfJI0pAbpL7PTBJ Nq-xwiCo9o32wYApeOKu08EBF2Ik4/s320/Taylor_Walker_Mainline.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZhsXsG_t7aJPHWmLJtmgiXqzzxuaPwnEGBOvnzrQyl 7e4OR7RCkhLi5A5LXk_ri_TMeFvTsS4cD3dfXySZOri9K1_IFd ppvZIOhSx5QJmD8-sZkZWi7fjg5I4dBDN4XMAaSXrBVikmDLipPPfJI0pAbpL7PTBJ Nq-xwiCo9o32wYApeOKu08EBF2Ik4/s400/Taylor_Walker_Mainline.JPG)
One of the many bizarre eccentricities of the UK licensing laws, was that pub opening hours didn’t apply to trains. Not even on Sunday. There’s a whole Ealing comedy – The Titfield Thunderbolt – based around this.
Which meant that even in the darkest depth of afternoon closing, you could buy a can of something crap in the buffet car. For the younger amongst, buffet cars were like little tuck shops. Buit for adults. In addition to low-quality, mass-market canned beer, you could also get BR sandwiches (long the butt of lazy comedians’ jokes) and spirit miniatures. And crisps, obviously. We are talking the UK here.
Quite a few stations had licensed refreshment rooms. Ranging from the dire to the wonderful. The one in Doncaster had the atmosphere of a multi-storey car park and a range of products almost identical to those in a train buffet car.
Then you had the station buffet at Stalybridge. Which sold cask and regularly featured in the Good Beer Guide. Once, coming back from Manchester, I deliberately chose a train stopping at Stalybridge just so I could have a couple of pints in the buffet. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.
It was worth it. A lovely little space with a cola fire. Like really cosy little pub. Deserving its inclusion in the Good Beer Guide.
The buffet in Doncaster had cask last time I was there. Unlike in the good old days. What is the UK coming to?
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/08/trains.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZhsXsG_t7aJPHWmLJtmgiXqzzxuaPwnEGBOvnzrQyl 7e4OR7RCkhLi5A5LXk_ri_TMeFvTsS4cD3dfXySZOri9K1_IFd ppvZIOhSx5QJmD8-sZkZWi7fjg5I4dBDN4XMAaSXrBVikmDLipPPfJI0pAbpL7PTBJ Nq-xwiCo9o32wYApeOKu08EBF2Ik4/s320/Taylor_Walker_Mainline.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZhsXsG_t7aJPHWmLJtmgiXqzzxuaPwnEGBOvnzrQyl 7e4OR7RCkhLi5A5LXk_ri_TMeFvTsS4cD3dfXySZOri9K1_IFd ppvZIOhSx5QJmD8-sZkZWi7fjg5I4dBDN4XMAaSXrBVikmDLipPPfJI0pAbpL7PTBJ Nq-xwiCo9o32wYApeOKu08EBF2Ik4/s400/Taylor_Walker_Mainline.JPG)
One of the many bizarre eccentricities of the UK licensing laws, was that pub opening hours didn’t apply to trains. Not even on Sunday. There’s a whole Ealing comedy – The Titfield Thunderbolt – based around this.
Which meant that even in the darkest depth of afternoon closing, you could buy a can of something crap in the buffet car. For the younger amongst, buffet cars were like little tuck shops. Buit for adults. In addition to low-quality, mass-market canned beer, you could also get BR sandwiches (long the butt of lazy comedians’ jokes) and spirit miniatures. And crisps, obviously. We are talking the UK here.
Quite a few stations had licensed refreshment rooms. Ranging from the dire to the wonderful. The one in Doncaster had the atmosphere of a multi-storey car park and a range of products almost identical to those in a train buffet car.
Then you had the station buffet at Stalybridge. Which sold cask and regularly featured in the Good Beer Guide. Once, coming back from Manchester, I deliberately chose a train stopping at Stalybridge just so I could have a couple of pints in the buffet. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.
It was worth it. A lovely little space with a cola fire. Like really cosy little pub. Deserving its inclusion in the Good Beer Guide.
The buffet in Doncaster had cask last time I was there. Unlike in the good old days. What is the UK coming to?
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/08/trains.html)