Selling Booze on a Train

[Greenback]

I am sure I am not the only one who remembers the very popular evening "beer train" which ran on Sundays on the Ffestiniog Railway,leaving Porthmadog around 1830. Until not that long ago,most of N Wales was "dry" on Sundays,and this was the only way you could legally buy a drink.

I think it's been sixteen years since the last 'dry' Sunday area in Wales (Dwyfor if memory serves) became 'wet'.

There wer eother ways to get alcohol on Sundays if you were so minded, though. Hotels could serve alcohol to bona fide travellers, and clubs were allowed to sell alochol as well.

My father informs me that the Merchant Navy Club in Swansea was very popular, although most of it smembership only seemed to apepar on a Sunday!

All that aside, trains were a legitimate way to have an alcoholic drink on the Sabbath, and I'm sure the Festiniog was providing a valuable public service, as did the BR HST's in the 1980's that my friends and I used to enjoy a couple of Stella's on during the afternoon while travelling to Cardiff and back to Swansea again!

 

[kjhskj75]

I seem to remember this subject was a plot point in the "Titfield Thunderbolt".

The local squire was encouraged to invest by being told the train bar could serve booze at any time, even when the pubs were closed.

 

[scotsman]

I think it's been sixteen years since the last 'dry' Sunday area in Wales (Dwyfor if memory serves) became 'wet'.

There wer eother ways to get alcohol on Sundays if you were so minded, though. Hotels could serve alcohol to bona fide travellers, and clubs were allowed to sell alochol as well.

My father informs me that the Merchant Navy Club in Swansea was very popular, although most of it smembership only seemed to apepar on a Sunday!

All that aside, trains were a legitimate way to have an alcoholic drink on the Sabbath, and I'm sure the Festiniog was providing a valuable public service, as did the BR HST's in the 1980's that my friends and I used to enjoy a couple of Stella's on during the afternoon while travelling to Cardiff and back to Swansea again!

Ah, Stella! Is there any other tinned lager that's sold on intercity trains?!

 

[SS4]

I think it's been sixteen years since the last 'dry' Sunday area in Wales (Dwyfor if memory serves) became 'wet'.

There wer eother ways to get alcohol on Sundays if you were so minded, though. Hotels could serve alcohol to bona fide travellers, and clubs were allowed to sell alochol as well.

My father informs me that the Merchant Navy Club in Swansea was very popular, although most of it smembership only seemed to apepar on a Sunday!

All that aside, trains were a legitimate way to have an alcoholic drink on the Sabbath, and I'm sure the Festiniog was providing a valuable public service, as did the BR HST's in the 1980's that my friends and I used to enjoy a couple of Stella's on during the afternoon while travelling to Cardiff and back to Swansea again!

I seem to remember a story about a hole dug in the ground being used as a member's club so people could drink. Alas I can't find a link

 

[merlodlliw]

I think it's been sixteen years since the last 'dry' Sunday area in Wales (Dwyfor if memory serves) became 'wet'.

There wer eother ways to get alcohol on Sundays if you were so minded, though. Hotels could serve alcohol to bona fide travellers, and clubs were allowed to sell alochol as well.

My father informs me that the Merchant Navy Club in Swansea was very popular, although most of it smembership only seemed to apepar on a Sunday!

All that aside, trains were a legitimate way to have an alcoholic drink on the Sabbath, and I'm sure the Festiniog was providing a valuable public service, as did the BR HST's in the 1980's that my friends and I used to enjoy a couple of Stella's on during the afternoon while travelling to Cardiff and back to Swansea again!

The old Manchester boat train from Holyhead ex 1630? was interesting on Sunday, friends of mine met me in Rhyl at around 1830 off the train,we then waited until 1900 for the pubs to open, my friends already had a couple of cans since leaving Junction, this was in 1958 I think when Flintshire was the first County in North Wales to go wet, lots of others made the same journey to sinful Rhyl on Sundays on the same train
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I seem to remember a story about a hole dug in the ground being used as a member's club so people could drink. Alas I can't find a link

Correct it was featured on TV a while back, I am sure it was Cardiff area.

 

[broadgage]

Presumably though heritage lines 'dining specials' are allowed a good time for 'after dinner' drinks?

I think that some shorter heritage lines MAY be stretching the point a bit !
If the train makes only a very short journey (that could easily have been walked) and almost everyone remains on board and returns to the starting point, then it is open to debate if that is really a journey at all.
After all, fairground rides move, and no no one seriously expects that drink should be sold on such.

A journey on a longer heritage line, such as the West Somerset is fine.
I see nothing different in principle between a day trip on the WSR from say Bisphops Lydreard to Minehead, and a day trip between say Reading and Paddington.

In the case though of a line of half a mile or less, with nothing much of interest at the other end ?

 

[eastdyke]

I think that some shorter heritage lines MAY be stretching the point a bit !
If the train makes only a very short journey (that could easily have been walked) and almost everyone remains on board and returns to the starting point, then it is open to debate if that is really a journey at all.
After all, fairground rides move, and no no one seriously expects that drink should be sold on such.

A journey on a longer heritage line, such as the West Somerset is fine.
I see nothing different in principle between a day trip on the WSR from say Bisphops Lydreard to Minehead, and a day trip between say Reading and Paddington.

In the case though of a line of half a mile or less, with nothing much of interest at the other end ?

A fairground ride would not fall within:
"aboard an aircraft, hovercraft or railway vehicle engaged on a journey" and the further clarificatons within the Licensing Act 2003.

 

[krisk]

Ah, Stella! Is there any other tinned lager that's sold on intercity trains?!

Kronenberg

 

[chuckles1066]

Also cant buy alcohol within 30 mins of departure or arrival.

You're getting confused; that's the "duty frees" that you can't buy.

You can board half an hour before departure and head straight for the bar