PDA

View Full Version : A West Riding Ramble



oldboots
08-01-2010, 09:50
One of the beery delights of the North is the Pennine RailAle Trail which is interpreted in various ways but normally includes the West Riding Licensed Refreshment Rooms at Dewsbury station, the Head of Steam and the Kings Head at Huddersfield station and the Station Buffet Bar at Stalybridge in Lancashire (Greater Manchester). Various other pubs close to the two railway lines crossing the Pennines between Leeds and Manchester are sometimes included. Ale and Hearty and myself took on the trip in the post Christmas/pre New Year period.

For me the beer day started at opening time on a draughty platform at Dewsbury Station, with what I thought was amazing timing the train arrived outside the West Riding Licensed Refreshment Room (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40387/) door at one minute past eleven. Meaningful nods from the small knot of gentlemen standing around outside meant that the doors were not quite open but I was soon the first to cross the threshold and behold the choice of eight fine ales. Starting slowly as it was likely to be a long day I went for the Timothy Taylor dark mild which was a great set up for the day. A fine old station buffet although it only started the present business about 1994, and its most famous visitors were beer buffoons James May and Oz Clarke in last years TV programme. The place soon filled up with thirsty men from outside plus their long suffering wives, I thought perhaps they had a similar plan to ourselves but they were actually going the other way for a crawl of York. Advertising in the bar gave yet another interpretation of the trail, listing the Cellar Bar at Batley and the Sportsman in Huddersfield, in addition to the Refreshment Rooms; strangely enough they all belong to the same people. The next train loomed so I finished my pint and walked almost straight out the door on to the train for Mirfield.

Mirfield is just before the junction of the Huddersfield – Stalybridge line with the Sowerby Bridge – Rochdale line so meeting here would give us the choice of taking either the northern or southern arm. A short walk from the very exposed platform, made worse by the sleet starting just as the train pulled in, then under the railway bridge and up the lane beside Jewsons brought me to the Navigation Tavern (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40946/).
Once in the bar a quick check of the pumps clips revealed the full set of Theakstons, (Best, Black Bull, XB and Old Perculiar) plus John Smiths Cask, fortunately a small set of clips on miniature pump handles dangling from the bar top showed there were also Okells, Roosters and Saltaires beers available. “Are you doing the RailAle trail?” asked a voice from beside me and answering in the affirmative sound advice was proffered. Shortly “Ale and Hearty” found his way into the pub and while we supped our pints introductions were made and the day's plan discussed. It was going to be a flexible day going where the fancy took us but we decided on Huddersfield as the next destination. Sadly we had just missed the train so we thought we'd better have another pint until the next train came, there are two an hour from Mirfield to Huddersfield.

Less than quarter of an hour after getting on the train we alighted onto Huddersfield's platform 6 and made our way to the platform 1 door of the Kings Head (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/62786/), sadly this was locked as it often is, but it's only a short walk to the front door and we were soon checking the blackboard for the next beers. The owners are supposed to be renovating this basic room but as yet it is still... well basic. I stuck with the darker beer theme having a superb Golcar Mild whilst A&H plumped for the single hop variety beer - Chinook from a brewery whose name eludes me. A shame to leave but we thought we'd give the Sportsman (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40740/) a try, fortunately A&H knew roughly where it was and after a short walk down the road to the left and under the railway bridge we soon arrived at its doors. Another array of beers, eight pumps this time each with a tiny glass full of beer in front of it, perhaps just to show the colour rather than as a taster. Leatherbritches from Derbyshire for A&H while my childhood memories of Para Handie and the Vital Spark induced me to go for the Arran Clyde Puffer. We also enjoyed some great home made pies in here before setting off back to the station, once more we'd just missed the train so a swift pint in the Head of Steam (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40658/) was called for. Hand pumps in almost every room here but I had a beer from the fairly new Nook brewery and was most impressed. The Head of Steam is a much more comfortable place than the Kings Head and for the anoraks amongst us it has some good railway porn as decoration. All too soon the hourly stopping DMU for the west was due so next stop Marsden.

Another short trip of under 15 minutes up into the hills, a friendly local hill dweller travelling beside us, enquired if “we were doing the real ale trail”. Are we that obvious? I don't even have a beard or possess a pair of sandals, beer gut – yes, beard and sandals - no, A&H has the beard but doesn't look the sandals type. We were advised of bad weather in Marsden and also that the Tunnel End had pretty vague opening hours, and since it is a longish walk from the station we should stick with the Brewery Tap or the Railway. It was getting dark by now but we could see the snowy Pennines looming large above the Riverhead Brewery Tap (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/63539/) as we approached it carefully down the steep icy hill from the station. Late afternoon and the place was fairly well packed, no seats so we had to prop up the bar and check out the range of seven Riverhead beers, a couple from Ossett, who now own the brewery and pub, and London Pride as a guest. We tried a couple of excellent beers each, and someone again had us down as beer geeks asking us what we thought was a good beer and what we'd recommend. He seemed more than satisfied with A&H's sagely advice. Maybe it's the note taking that was the giveaway. Now approaching train time we had to leave and get back up the hill, unfortunately a misreading of the timetable on my part meant we had about 40 minutes to wait so a retreat into the nearby Marstons pub – The Railway (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40701/) for another pint was in order. Pretty much an undistinguished sort of place, at least there were five handpulls selling beers from the Marstons stable. Being yuletide we went for the Ugly Sisters seasonal but either our palates were a bit too jaded by now or it just wasn't an exciting beer as neither of us were too impressed with it. Getting back to the station at the right time we set off for darkest Lancashire, Stalybridge and the prospect of much better ale twenty minutes down the line.

The Station Buffet Bar (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54880/) is located on the Eastbound platform so you need to use the underpass to reach it from the Manchester bound platform. The main bar and the conservatory were both packed as usual and there were two hardy souls out on the platform, we took a seat in the middle section of the building where I enjoyed Greenfield Black Five and some more fine railway porn adorning the walls. As it was now quite late evening we had pies and chips here although by now most varieties had sold out so the choice was limited. All too soon the timetable caught up with us and we rejoined the journey to the east and parted at Huddersfield, A&H for the Wakefield line and me continuing up to Leeds.


A number of starting and finishing points are possible for the Pennine RailAle Trails, you could for example go Leeds to Manchester Victoria then include places like the Marble Arch, or you could do a circuit from Manchester to Mirfield via Rochdale then back via Huddersfield and Stalybridge. There are good pubs to be found near almost every station on the two lines. We used the “South Pennines Day Ranger” ticket which gives unlimited travel on those two lines for £14 (2009 price), it also includes Sheffield, Halifax and Bradford but not Leeds within its area. There is also a West Yorkshire Rover which of course won't allow visits to Stalybridge, Rochdale or Manchester.

runningdog
08-01-2010, 20:00
Bluidy hell, wish I'd been there, 'a&h' is someone I look forward to meeting..........

Conrad
08-01-2010, 23:08
Thanks for that ob, only just sat down to read it, sounded like good fun, and glad to hear you constantly outed as a real ale fan during the day.

I think we may have to set up a beer crawl archive on the forum and archive the beer crawl threads onto them as we do get some corking descriptions :cheers:

RogerB
09-01-2010, 10:12
A superb rendition of a "wish I was there" occasion. Unfortunately all my crawl blogs start with good intentions, detailed and witty anecdotes of our exploits and product sampling but after the tenth pub I am always left with a mass of hurredly scribbled and undecipherable notes from which I am unable to extract anything worthwhile to write about. Asking my fellow drinkers what happened and where usually only reveals the more embarrasing aspects of the day that are best left in the forgotten file.

oldboots
09-01-2010, 10:26
Unfortunately all my crawl blogs start with good intentions, detailed and witty anecdotes of our exploits and product sampling but after the tenth pub I am always left with a mass of hurredly scribbled and undecipherable notes from which I am unable to extract anything worthwhile to write about.

you will notice it gets a bit vaguer later on as I suffer from pi55ed wrist syndrome as well :D

aleandhearty
10-01-2010, 18:26
'a&h' is someone I look forward to meeting..........

Likewise 'rd'. 'oldboots' told me a little bit about you during our travels.

'ob' Apologies! I know I said I'd write an account. You've proably gathered 'procrastination' is my middle name. Enjoyed your version, but i feel a riposte coming on!

oldboots
11-01-2010, 11:03
Enjoyed your version, but i feel a riposte coming on!

splendid idea, I'm sure there's more happened that didn't get into my notes or while I was in the Gents (again - prostate's can be a pain in the ar5e :( )

Soup Dragon
21-01-2010, 22:34
Hey OB - do you fancy a day in Liverpool? i can get the choo choo from Wolvo - get there for 12 and get the 8.30 back

oldboots
22-01-2010, 07:55
Hey OB - do you fancy a day in Liverpool? i can get the choo choo from Wolvo - get there for 12 and get the 8.30 back

Damn fine idea young man, PM me and we'll try and set a date, some time later in the week in late Feb/early Mar?

Anyone else fancy the delights of Merseyside?

aleandhearty
22-01-2010, 13:54
Anyone else fancy the delights of Merseyside?

Certainly interested, but seriously, seriously skint at present. :( Keep me in the loop though and I'll try and sort something out.

oldboots
22-01-2010, 14:02
Certainly interested, but seriously, seriously skint at present. :( Keep me in the loop though and I'll try and sort something out.

It would be fun if you could join us, save those pennies between now and the end of Feb :D, drink more Sam Smith's as RobCamra said or follow Hoppy's lead into Mr Martin's emporiums.

Soup Dragon
22-01-2010, 18:19
Sam Smiths MILD and stout are really good considering the money - i shall be happy to drink it - Spoons alas is a no no

oldboots
01-02-2010, 11:49
Got this month's work rota this morning and it looks like I 'm free Thursday 25th February or Friday 26th for the Liverpool crawl anyone up for it? Alternatively I fancy another go at Sheffield's Valley of Beer.

ROBCamra
01-02-2010, 11:55
Got this month's work rota this morning and it looks like I 'm free Thursday 25th February or Friday 26th for the Liverpool crawl anyone up for it? Alternatively I fancy another go at Sheffield's Valley of Beer.

What and miss Harrogate Beer Festival !! :eek:

I thought you might have gone along. I think we'll be there on the Saturday afternoon. :cheers:

oldboots
01-02-2010, 12:02
What and miss Harrogate Beer Festival !! :eek:

I thought you might have gone along. I think we'll be there on the Saturday afternoon. :cheers:

OK so that's Liverpool, Thursday or Friday maybe Sheffield Thursday or Friday, and Harrogate BF on Saturday afternoon, I'll rest my liver on Sunday.

aleandhearty
11-02-2010, 10:25
'ob' Apologies! I know I said I'd write an account. You've proably gathered 'procrastination' is my middle name. Enjoyed your version, but i feel a riposte coming on!

It's only been six weeks! For what it's worth here you are:

Wednesday 30th December 2009: Having survived the siege of Christmas, (a.k.a. the crass commercialisation of the birth of the world’s first socialist), it was with a joyous heart that I set off to meet ‘oldboots’, intent on flushing out the previous week’s toxins with copious amounts of cleansing ale. Sitting on the train to Mirfield I was aware of a small frisson of excitement. What would our meeting be like: A Stanley and Livingston moment, Chamberlain and Hitler possibly, or even Godzilla versus King Kong?

Alighting at Mirfield station, the wind immediately began tugging and nipping at my nether regions like a malevolent Yorkshire Terrier. Combined with the low cloud base and swirling snow, it all seemed rather portentous. God I needed a beer. I’d carefully memorised the map area around the station the night before, therefore it was no surprise when I set off in completely the wrong direction… A few minutes later than planned, I arrived at THE NAVIGATION. Slightly amused by the pub’s driveway being between residential housing and the local branch of Jewson’s, the builder’s merchant I entered a solid looking, traditional pub.

I don’t know what it was that told me it was ‘oldboots’. Drinking his beer with lip-smacking relish? The feverish scribbling of notes in a well thumbed pocket book? Or possibly the fact that there was nobody else in the place and he was sitting by himself in the corner? Introductions over, he furnished me with a brace of halves of Saltaire ‘Blonde’ (very good) and we sat down for the inevitable mental jousting. Five minutes later, I decided we were in for a good day. To the casual observer we must have appeared if not like Tweedledum and Tweedledee then certainly Tweedledum (me) and his smaller brother.
Our second pint saw ‘ob’ opt for Theakston’s ‘XB’ and myself for Okells ‘IPA’. He was happy enough, but I was rather disappointed after the Saltaire. A classic example of a beer not being how you remember it from the first time you drank it. Between sips we watched the landlady polish the hand pumps with sinewy gusto. Her vigorous action brought about a momentary twitch downstairs front end. Time to move on.

Braving the elements once more, I resisted the temptation to get a quote on half a ton of pea gravel for the front garden and we drifted back to the station. A gang of local ‘yoof’ had taken over the shelter, so we stood in companionable silence on the platform. They obviously noticed our aristocratic bearing, as I heard one of the spindly hobbledehoys refer to the ‘ two old counts over there’.
The short train ride to Huddersfield passed remarkably quickly, over a discussion on the thorny subject of dicky prostates and associated procedures.

The KINGS HEAD is currently a no frills real ale paradise, with ten pumps on the go. With there being several months since my last visit, I was a little disappointed that the grand sounding renovation had progressed no further. However, my Goose Eye ‘Chinook’ hit the spot nicely as I’m a great fan of American hop varieties. As ‘oldboots’ sipped his Golcar Mild a certain character from T.V’s ‘The Clangers’ came to mind. Resisting the temptation to settle down for a session near the fire we pressed on to THE SPORTSMAN. Having been only once before, when very ‘tired and emotional’ at the end of another rail-ale trip, I was slightly hesitant about the directions, but fortunately the memory chip in my ‘beer legs’ kicked in. It’s another fine eight-pumped watering hole, although I do find the interior vaguely unsettling for some reason. ‘Ob’ on a wave of childhood nostalgia ordered a pint of Arran ‘Clyde Puffer’ whilst I plumped for Leatherbritches’ ‘Hairy Helmet’. (YES it is a beer and not some trichological affliction of the gonads). Both were perfectly fine. Having taken my personal maxim ‘you can’t eat on an empty stomach’ to the edge of its limits we both ordered the home-made pies and chunky chips which were excellent.

Next stop was the HEAD OF STEAM back at the station. A much grander affair than The King’s Head. I seem to recall it had some of the eleven beers on offer in each of the four rooms. Despite a blackboard list, I still found this quite annoying as I do like to see the pump clip when choosing a beer. I went for Harviestoun’s ‘Weed Hop’, which must have been rather forgettable as the only thing I wrote in my notes was that it was rather cold. However, ‘ob’ was rather taken with a beer from the Nook brewery based in Holmfirth. Having a very quick nosey-round, ‘ob’ was salivating over the railway memorabilia that was everywhere. He likened it to ‘railway porn’.I decided that if he was buying it from a shop it would undoubtedly be the stuff you get in a brown paper bag, under the counter. We were forced to sit on a soft, squelchy leather sofa. When the time came to catch our train, I tried to stand up and gained some idea of what a sheep must feel like whilst it’s being eaten by a python! DFS ‘et al’ want soundly thrashing.

On the train to Marsden it was time for me to pop a couple of ‘Remegel’. The Christmas excesses, topped up once more, were really taking their toll. I’m sure the captive audience was thrilled by our impromptu seminar on various antacids. ‘Ob’ decided that ‘Pepcid’ won by a country mile.
We were soon chatting to a friendly local. Initially, I was quite wary of the jaunty angle he sported his woolly hat, which suggested ‘care in the community’ rather than mere cold. However, he was a thoroughly good sort, advising us to look out for Empire brewery beers on our jaunt.

Getting off the train at Marsden was like stepping into a Pennine winter wonderland and I was certainly glad I’d got my walking gear on. Of course, this being Yorkshire, one or two of the local ‘knuckle draggers’ were out in shirtsleeves!
Striding purposefully down the steep hill towards the RIVERHEAD BREWERY TAP, our main aim was avoiding going ‘base over apex’ as Emily Bronte would have it, or ‘arse over tit’ as Geoffrey Boycott would have it!
It’s an Ossett owned pub and as usual with their pubs furnished to a high standard. Apparently, it was once a Co-op, but we were lucky enough not to see any ‘divvies’! (Oh, my sides.) Managed to squeeze in a ‘Sparth Mild’ and ‘Deer Hill Porter’, brewed on the premises. Both were pretty decent. I believe ‘ob’ had the ‘Butterley Bitter’ and the ‘Vanilla Mild’, which he also rated. This was my second visit and on each occasion it’s been rammed to the point of being uncomfortable. Maybe it’s just been that that I’ve struggled with, but at the moment I do think it’s one of those pubs that doesn’t quite work.

After our second beer it was time to crack on to Stalybridge- or so we thought. Unfortunately, owing to a timetable error we stood freezing in the station shelter for twenty minutes before we realised. With scrotums like pickled walnuts we headed off to THE RAILWAY to thaw out and kill a little time. A Marston’s pub with only three pumps on the go saw us opt for a pint of ‘Ugly Sisters’. I don’t know whether we’d hit an early evening slump, or it was a poor pint, but it was one of those beers you ‘chew’ for thirty minutes to finish. I don’t think the atmosphere helped, we could have had a séance round a table and tried to contact the living!
Finally, we were ‘en route’ to Stalybridge and the promise of better things. THE STATION BUFFET BAR has to be one of my favourite beer venues, despite the fact it’s totally disorientating just to arrive, go through the underpass and sit in a room that could be anywhere! I do struggle with the lack of context. Having said that the atmosphere has always been wonderful when I’ve visited and the beers have been excellent. This time was no exception. My Phoenix ‘West Coast IPA’ was just what was needed after The Railway and ‘ob’ opted for Greenfield ‘Black Five’, which did the job for him. By this stage we were ravenous again, but as the kitchen was just about to close I had to settle for pie again, this time with mushy peas. Unfortunately, after the Sportsman it was pretty poor by comparison, the indiscriminate grey filling definitely functional rather than aesthetic. I imagined it being sold at an Albanian football match. At this stage we both felt a little soporific. The combination of fresh air, lots of beer and a second heavy meal had taken their toll. Plus, I suspect our impending departure was on our minds. Minutes later we were gently rolling eastwards again, reflecting on what a great day it had been. As we parted at Huddersfield station, I definitely knew one thing: I wanted to do it again! Shortly afterwards I was slumped on the train heading for Wakefield basking in a warm glow….Damn those peas!

arwkrite
11-02-2010, 11:54
Brilliant read A&H, you can keep those coming.

You jogged my memory about the "Ugly Sisters" I seem to remember a pint of it lasted so long I lost interest in it and ordered a pint of something else.

trainman
11-02-2010, 14:28
Yep, well done ob and a&h, both splendid renditions, 'you old counts', hahaha!!!

oldboots
11-02-2010, 15:29
Yep, well done ob and a&h, both splendid renditions, 'you old counts', hahaha!!!

better than being a cult I suppose, well worth the wait A&H and I was reminded of a few things I'd forgotten or perhaps tried to put behind me.

RogerB
11-02-2010, 18:48
Another literary masterpiece. :notworthy: Now, where's my Last of the Summer Wine box set?:D

runningdog
11-02-2010, 21:41
.... and ‘ob’ opted for Greenfield ‘Black Five’, !
Somehow, 'ob' and a Black Five sound as if made for each other. Pity the brewery wasn't called Stanier:drinkup::drinkup:

ROBCamra
12-02-2010, 09:17
Somehow, 'ob' and a Black Five sound as if made for each other. Pity the brewery wasn't called Stanier:drinkup::drinkup:

The beer itself used to be called Stanier Black 5 until they shortened the name !

oldboots
12-02-2010, 10:14
Somehow, 'ob' and a Black Five sound as if made for each other. Pity the brewery wasn't called Stanier:drinkup::drinkup:

Outed as an anorak:p

It's Cottage that have the particularly trainy names for their beers, I'm still waiting for one called "Bullied's Light Pacific".

BTW beer of the week:- so far only one contender York Centurion's Ghost, but 3 days drinking to go
:cheers:.

aleandhearty
12-02-2010, 10:27
Brilliant read A&H, you can keep those coming.

You jogged my memory about the "Ugly Sisters" I seem to remember a pint of it lasted so long I lost interest in it and ordered a pint of something else.

Thanks forthe kind words. Glad it wasn't just us with the 'Ugly Sisters'. Sounds like it's definitely the beer.


Now, where's my Last of the Summer Wine box set?:D

LOTSW? Cheeky bugger. :D The utterly brilliant League Of Gentlemen is more my thing.

aleandhearty
12-02-2010, 10:33
Somehow, 'ob' and a Black Five sound as if made for each other. Pity the brewery wasn't called Stanier


The beer itself used to be called Stanier Black 5 until they shortened the name !


I'm still waiting for one called "Bullied's Light Pacific".

Filthy 'rail porn' perverts! Clear off the lot of you, or I'm calling the police.

oldboots
12-02-2010, 10:37
LOTSW? Cheeky bugger. :D The utterly brilliant League Of Gentlemen is more my thing.

Well I do look a bit like Compo, especially in the wellys and wooly hat. Not sure I'd pass muster in Royston Vaisey though, not being local.

aleandhearty
12-02-2010, 10:39
Well I do look a bit like Compo, especially in the wellys and wooly hat. Not sure I'd pass muster in Royston Vaisey though, not being local.
:D At least you spared me the wellies.

trainman
12-02-2010, 10:49
It's Cottage that have the particularly trainy names for their beers,

Little Cart, from Sheffield's Wellington (Bottom Wellie), have pumpclips showing trains/engines. Despite my username here, I wouldn't know whether the beers are also named after famous rolling stock. They do have the good grace to poke a little fun at themselves in their 'beer tickers have been conned...' publication>

ROBCamra
12-02-2010, 10:56
Little Cart, from Sheffield's Wellington (Bottom Wellie), have pumpclips showing trains/engines. Despite my username here, I wouldn't know whether the beers are also named after famous rolling stock. They do have the good grace to poke a little fun at themselves in their 'beer tickers have been conned...' publication>

The owner of Little Ale Cart has another pub apart from the Wellington. It's The Dragon in Worcester which has the Beer Tickers Conned sign up on the wall.

It's the only other place in the country that stocks Little Ale Cart beers or so I was told by the landlord in the Dragon.

trainman
12-02-2010, 11:14
It's the only other place in the country that stocks Little Ale Cart beers or so I was told by the landlord in the Dragon.

Hmm, well I've never been to Worcester but thought I'd seen it elsewhere. Watson, where's the rolodex?

Oggwyn Trench
12-02-2010, 14:07
Well I do look a bit like Compo, especially in the wellys and wooly hat. Not sure I'd pass muster in Royston Vaisey though, not being local.

Just driven through Tiverton in Cheshire somebody has doctored the "Welcome to Tiverton" signs with "Twinned with Royston Vaisey" on the one and "you`ll never leave " on the other , made me chuckle

oldboots
12-02-2010, 15:02
Little Cart, from Sheffield's Wellington (Bottom Wellie), have pumpclips showing trains/engines. Despite my username here, I wouldn't know whether the beers are also named after famous rolling stock. They do have the good grace to poke a little fun at themselves in their 'beer tickers have been conned...' publication>

Brilliant, I'd not seen that one before, they missed the traction engines though - unlike Viz. The Wellie is already on my list for my next Valley of Beer trip, #3 I think after the Sheffield Tap and the Hillsborough.

oldboots
14-02-2010, 13:19
Certainly interested, but seriously, seriously skint at present. :( Keep me in the loop though and I'll try and sort something out.

I've PM'd you about this, the plan is now Friday 26th Feb in Sheffield (Valley of Beer)

trainman
14-02-2010, 16:24
the plan is now Friday 26th Feb in Sheffield (Valley of Beer)

Lucky lucky lucky!
I've still got a few to tick off in this utterly fabulous beer town - incl the new Sheffield Tap and the recently re-opened Gardeners Rest; sounds like you'll beat me to both.

oldboots
14-02-2010, 17:12
Lucky lucky lucky!
I've still got a few to tick off in this utterly fabulous beer town - incl the new Sheffield Tap and the recently re-opened Gardeners Rest; sounds like you'll beat me to both.

I know what you mean, the Sheffield Tap is not in the Valley of Beer but who can resist the delights of Thornbridge (MILD :notworthy: drinkers excepted of course). It'll just be the one in there to settle the dust then off up to the Hillsboro' by tram and a long slow crawl down the Valley. I bet I'll end up in the Tap and miss my train due to Jaipur poisoning :eek:. I may have to rethink the route from the Wellie to the KIT if I need to include the Gardeners Rest - too many pubs; too little time.

runningdog
14-02-2010, 18:29
The beer itself used to be called Stanier Black 5 until they shortened the name !
Now that's what I call sacrilege


Outed as an anorak:p
Not as bad as it sounds, I collected car numbers, not trains. Somehow the SR didn't have catchet of the others. I collect art on my computer, got a screen saver that shows over 4000 images randomly at about 20 seconds a shot and I love railway paintings, they take me back. Something else for the 'time-travel' thread. Bet you can't guess my favourite loco. Gon on 'ob', give it a shot. Two clues, it's Southern and it ain't a 4-6-2.


Filthy 'rail porn' perverts! Clear off the lot of you, or I'm calling the police.
That takes me back, well, the calling the police bit does. Often declaimed by Stationmaster Jack Northrop. He never did, he never meant it anyhow..........:drinkup::drinkup:..lads...:drinku p::drinkup: Bring on the Beast..........

oldboots
14-02-2010, 19:29
Bet you can't guess my favourite loco. Gon on 'ob', give it a shot. Two clues, it's Southern and it ain't a 4-6-2.


With your background I would have thought a 'BoB' (never of course a West Country :D) but as we're not talking spam cans, maybe a Q1... off the wall, short and fat but very strong or..... just maybe a Greyhound?

(appologies for the anoraks galore interlude)

runningdog
14-02-2010, 20:46
[QUOTE=oldboots;7356] but as we're not talking spam cans, maybe a Q1... off the wall, short and fat but very strong...
Bluidy well done, mate. The Q1 it is. The prize..I'll buy you a couple next time we me up:whistle:...:drinkup::drinkup:

Wittenden
14-02-2010, 23:18
I've PM'd you about this, the plan is now Friday 26th Feb in Sheffield (Valley of Beer)

This thread has got me really excited-not the trains!, but my step son has had offers from Sheffield and York universities, so we might be following in your esteemed footprints. Next job, ween him onto ale!