Stations with a Pub on the Platform

[reb0118]

Popped into the pub upstairs in Manchester Piccadilly a few weeks ago and almost had a coronary at the prices. I'd expect higher rates at a transport hub but £9 for two beers seemed a bit OTT.

Yes, but it keeps the riff raff out!

Was that with or without a "bite card"?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Judging by the assorted bottles, cans, flagons and kegs brought on board the last stopper towards Leeds tonight, I can only assume that Mirfield has an ad-hoc pub or at least a beer garden on the platforms now...

 

[Howardh]

First, and a most enjoyable, visit to The Trackside yesterday, that's the pub on East Lanc's Railway Bury (Bolton Street) Station. Real ale savoured!

 

[bnsf734]

Nuneaton will be joining the ranks soon as the much missed coffee shop on platform 1 will be reopening as a micro pub before Christmas all being well.

It will be called the "Real Ale Tavern" or the RAT for short.

 

[afyutr]

Yes, but it keeps the riff raff out!

Was that with or without a "bite card"?

Cant have those pesky riff-raffs disturbing my quiet drink now...

It was without a bite card (should I have one of those?).

 

[Controller1701]

No one has mentioned the Bistro at the station on the up platform at Etchingham yet.

Paul

 

[Chris Wallis]

Nuneaton will be joining the ranks soon as the much missed coffee shop on platform 1 will be reopening as a micro pub before Christmas all being well.

It will be called the "Real Ale Tavern" or the RAT for short.

Oh man......I enjoy spotting at Nuneaton, now i wont be able to remember it the next day!

 

[reb0118]

It was without a bite card (should I have one of those?).

Yes, it is free to apply for and may give up to 20% discount (the discount may only be 10% now ) in certain station bars.

 

[kermit]

Manchester Victoria used to have a nice little pub - was it called The Dome?

If it has closed, I can't imagine what would be a better use for what must be a listed building?

 

[Searle]

Yes, it is free to apply for and may give up to 20% discount (the discount may only be 10% now ) in certain station bars.

If my quick maths was right, I still got 20% at Burger King last week, so it's still that with some, if not all places.

My brother was very impressed when I got him 20% off a pint at Piccadilly a year back too!

 

[afyutr]

Yes, it is free to apply for and may give up to 20% discount (the discount may only be 10% now ) in certain station bars.

Gleaming. Can't get the website to work atm though!

 

[Spamcan81]

Sad to say this is true. Back in the 70s / 80s Manningtree buffet was much smaller, much more quirky, with good grub and beer. Today it is functional, does a good breakfast (but if you can't do a fry up....) and only has Greene King beers.

If that's all they can offer then it's really gone downhill. Shame as it was a nice little boozer when I last visited. CAMRA listed too back then.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

If that's all they can offer then it's really gone downhill. Shame as it was a nice little boozer when I last visited. CAMRA listed too back then.

Afraid it has - no longer worth stepping back a train or two on the way back from East Anglia.

 

[Spamcan81]

In amongst all this I don't think the Bluebell has got a mention. Good ales at the Bessemer Arms at Sheffield Park and the Horsted Keynes buffet.

 

[Dave1954]

Has the Snug at Carnforth been mentioned on here before ? Well only last Wednesday my wife and I got off at the station to view the brief encounter museum which was worth the visit , as we only had time for a coffee in the famous tea room before our next train back to Lancaster there wasn`t enough time to visit the Snug aswell , love to hear some reviews about the place please as we might be returning that way again in October .
regards Dave1954.

 

[telstarbox]

Wetherspoons are opening a pub on the concourse at London Cannon Street in February 2015, which will be handy if my trains are cancelled This makes sense as the station will soon have later weekday services and permanent Sunday services as a result of the Southeastern changes.

http://www.wetherspoonjobs.co.uk/home/new-pubs#

 

[Spamcan81]

Something that kind of came up last Saturday.

Can think of five to start off with -

Stalybridge
Huddersfield (has two)
Downham Market
Urmston
Worksop

I was in the Railway Arms at Downham Market on Sunday. A most excellent little pub.

 

[bicbasher]

Not on the platform but The Pheonix at Denmark Hill is in the old station building.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Cardiff Central (or General as it probably was then) used to have a pub in the building but not connected to the station.

This was the Red Dragon Bar, which probably closed in the 1980's or early 1990's. After the pub closed, it became a very dodgy club - no, I didn't go there (!) until it was in turn shut down by, I think, the magistrates and / or the police.

The building is still there, on the right hand side of the station entrance. It is now used by M&S Food - and, yes, I do go there now!

 

[reb0118]

This book may of use to readers of this thread. Christmas lists &c..

 

[306024]

Back in the 70s / 80s Manningtree buffet was much smaller, much more quirky, with good grub and beer. Today it is functional, does a good breakfast (but if you can't do a fry up....) and only has Greene King beers.

In a shock development it appears the Greene King beers have been replaced by Woodfordes. Result :razz::razz:

 

[Dave1954]

Sorry if this has been mention before but have they published any books about station platform bars/buffets , love to know if there has as I have fond memories of them down the years ..... Regards Dave1954 .

 

[sprinterguy]

Sorry if this has been mention before but have they published any books about station platform bars/buffets , love to know if there has as I have fond memories of them down the years ..... Regards Dave1954 .

The one linked to two posts above yours is very well put together and an interesting read.

 

[Dave1954]

Well Thank you Sprinterguy , how I missed the post is anyones guess
I must investigate and buy myself a copy , Thank you .... Dave1954

 

[davetheguard]

Reading sort of (you can't get into from platform side)

I visited the Reading station pub last week. Unfortunately, the pub has been taken over by Fullers since my previous visit. There are still a couple of guest beers and there are still a lot of handpumps but most of them are now dispensing Fullers/Gales products.

Obviously Fullers are finding railway stations to be a lucrative place to trade: they already had a pub at Paddington & at Kings Cross. So, now Reading too. Not bad beers; just not very unusual this close to London.

Where next, I wonder?

 

[Tangent]

Wetherspoons are opening a pub on the concourse at London Cannon Street in February 2015, which will be handy if my trains are cancelled This makes sense as the station will soon have later weekday services and permanent Sunday services as a result of the Southeastern changes.

http://www.wetherspoonjobs.co.uk/home/new-pubs#

It's open now. I thought I might pop in for a drink after work on of these days - but, like most City pubs, it's as packed as the trains once the evening peak begins. It's a pity they couldn't secure more space.

 

[Parallel]

Porthmadog

I was at Porthmadog station this month and the pub seemed fairly busy. Definitely brought one of the platforms (which must otherwise be a sleepy station) to life!

 

[Mikey C]

It's open now. I thought I might pop in for a drink after work on of these days - but, like most City pubs, it's as packed as the trains once the evening peak begins. It's a pity they couldn't secure more space.

And the seats are narrow and hard, and crammed in with no legroom. Whereas back in the days of Mark 1 pubs, the seats were big and padded with lots of legroom

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Thisbook may of use to readers of this thread. Christmas lists &c..

I've nearly finished reading this, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes two of the best subjects of all: Trains and Beer!

It begins with four "over view" chapters:

Refreshment stops on the early railways;
The development of stations pubs and buffet cars;
How the railways changed the brewing industry; and
The story of the Hop Pickers.

A Gazetteer of Unsusual railway Pubs, Refreshment Rooms and Ale Trains follows, with 74 entries.

This is followed by three Appendices covering:

Breweries producing "Railway Ales" ;
An Events Calendar; and
A "Stop Press" giving details of an additional seven Pubs or Refreshment Rooms.

Worth a read ... it's given me a few ideas, that's for sure!

 

[Gwenllian2001]

Cardiff Central (or General as it probably was then) used to have a pub in the building but not connected to the station.

This was the Red Dragon Bar, which probably closed in the 1980's or early 1990's. After the pub closed, it became a very dodgy club - no, I didn't go there (!) until it was in turn shut down by, I think, the magistrates and / or the police.

The Red Dragon was just one of the facilities stripped away from Cardiff General/Central. The first to go, in the early Sixties, was the Gower Resaurant. Railtracks refurbishment resulted in the closure of the excellent Buffets on the platforms. There's now a piddling little place in the main concourse. The Red Dragon did not become a club but a 'Gay Bar'. This drove most of the regular clientele elsewhere. No, I am not anti gay, just stating a fact. My guess is that it closed because other gay venues opened nearby.