Going loco down in Tunbridge Wells

Well after the excitement of Oktoberfest, which was followed by a relaxing few days in Regensburg, it was back  to earth with a bang. I’ve been back at work two and a half weeks now, and have been catching up on  both the work and domestic fronts.

I have spent the past two weekends tidying up the garden, and getting things put away ready for winter, and Mrs PBT’s and I have had the unenviable task of selecting tiles (far too many to chose from), and a new bathroom suite, for our latest home-improvement project.

This coming weekend is a little different though as I will be involved with the 7th West Kent CAMRA Real Ale & Cider Festival, held in conjunction with the Spa Valley Railway (SVR). The event runs from Friday 20^th to Sunday 22^nd October, and   takes in the preserved Victorian Engine Shed, at the Heritage Railway’s Tunbridge Wells West Station headquarters.

This year’s event will feature 160+ Real Ales, 25+ Green Hop Beers, various Key-Keg/Cask Beers, a selection of Belgian Beers and 30+ Ciders. As in previous years, the beers and ciders will be spread out between the three stations at Tunbridge Wells, Groombridge & Eridge; although the majority will found at Tunbridge Wells.

There will also be bars on two of the SVR’s train sets. To reach all the locations the organisers recommend a day rover ticket, which allows unlimited travel all day, up and down the line between Tunbridge Wells and Eridge. Tickets are just £20 per adult or £10 per child. For CAMRA members there is a special CAMRA Day Rover ticket available for just £15!

I haven’t been involved with the organisation of this year’s festival, but I will be there on Saturday, at one or more of the locations, serving behind the bar. So why not come along and treat yourself to a ride through the beautiful Kent and Sussex countryside, and stop and say hello.

I will also be at Tunbridge Wells West tomorrow, as I’ve been asked to help judge the Green Hop beers which will be on sale at the festival. I’ll be keeping illustrious company, as we will be joined tomorrow, by two luminaries from the world of journalism and beer writing. I can’t reveal much more, at present, but I promise a full report in due course.

The Spa Valley Festival has become one of the largest events of its kind in both Kent and Sussex, and is well worth a visit. It has good public transport links, and can be reached by trains to Tunbridge Wells Mainline, followed by a 15 minute walk along to the West station, via the town’s  world famous Pantiles area. Alternatively, SVR trains depart from Platform 2 at Eridge station, which is served by mainline trains to and from London Bridge. Please check National Rail Enquiries before travelling.

Full details of the festival, including a list of all the beers and ciders, can be found by clicking the link here.

ps. Apologies to Retired Martin for the tenuous link in the title, to a well-known music track.

Rail-Ale Beer Festival Spa Valley Railway Tunbridge Wells

Next weekend sees my local CAMRA branch involved with the running of the Spa Valley Railway Beer and Cider Festival. The festival is a joint venture between the two organisations and combines the often shared enthusiasm that exists between lovers of steam trains and real ale. This will be the second such event for the railway and CAMRA, but the first that I have been involved with. Last year's festival was something of a learning curve, but was nevertheless a great success. We hope to build on what was learnt, so that this year's event is even better.

There  are 44 cask ales on offer. plus 8 traditional ciders. All the beers and the ciders are locally sourced from Kent and East Sussex plus one from Essex and one from Surrey. The majority of the beers will be racked and on sale at Tunbridge Wells West Station - Spa Valley's headquarters, but a small hand full will be available further down the line, at Groombridge and Eridge stations. Beer will also be available on the trains that run between the three stations. The festival runs from 5pm on Friday evening until 6.30pm on Sunday (19th to 21st October).

The Spa Valley Railway is a heritage railway, operating both steam and diesel trains that run for 5½ miles through the picturesque Kent and Sussex Weald between the mainline junction at Eridge and the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, stopping off in between at Groombridge and High Rocks.  

The railway is easy to reach by public transport. Tunbridge Wells West is a short walk, via the town's famous Pantiles area, down from Tunbridge Wells mainline station. Alternatively, visitors can travel on Southern services from London Bridge, or East Croydon to Eridge, on the Uckfield line. Once at the railway, visitors can buy a £10 ticket that will allow them to travel back and forth between Tunbridge Wells and Eridge all day. Alternatively, return tickets to intermediate stations, such as High Rock and Groombridge can also be purchased.  Saturday will see trains hauled by heritage diesel units, whilst Sunday sees steam haulage


Food, in the form of  lasagne, chili con carne, curry, will be available at Groombridge station with a barbecue at Tunbridge Wells West. In addition, sandwiches, snacks and other refreshments will be available on the train and at stations along the line. 

For more information regarding the beer festival, plus the full beer list click on the link here. For an account of the branch's previous trip on the Spa Valley Railway, plus a short history of the line, click here.

The Train Now Standing at Platform One

I wrote in a previous post that it is often easy to over-look attractions on ones own doorstep, in favour of those from further afield. After this point was confirmed, during my recent walk along part of the Wealdway, it was further reinforced during last night's CAMRA social.

Our Social Secretary had arranged a trip for us on one of the Spa Valley Railway's Real Ale and Fish & Chip Special trains. For the uninitiated, the Spa Valley Railway operates part of the former Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge route. The railway plans to open right through to Eridge later this year, but for the time being trains terminate and turn round at Groombridge, on the Kent-Sussex border. The line originally connected with Tunbridge Well's other (and now only station, Tunbridge Wells Central), and closed comparatively recently, back in 1985. The closure was forced on a British Rail management that had been starved of cash by the Thatcher administration. For the sake of a paltry couple of million, this useful diversionary line was axed and the large station site at Tunbridge Wells West sold for re-development. A massive Sainsbury's supermarket now occupies the site.

A group of rail enthusiasts saw things differently though and slowly, and it must be added with some assistance from Sainsbury's, raised sufficient funds to purchase the trackbed, along with a former engine shed at the West station, which now forms their headquarters. Twenty-five years on and the Spa Valley Railway is now a major tourist attraction, and if all goes to plan will soon be linking back up with mainline services at Eridge, on the Uckfield Line.

We were therefore glad to join the railway on their Fish & Chip Special last night, which also had the added bonus of serving a drop of the real thing. Sixteen of us boarded the 18:45 service and after being directed to our comfortable, ex-BR mainline carriage, made our way to the buffet car, Kate, to sample the liquid refreshment that was on offer. The two beers available were Larkins Traditional, plus Best Bitter from the newly opened Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewery. Both of course were racked bright, and were probably slightly on the warm side, but at £2.70 a pint, coupled with a comfortable seat to watch the Kent and Sussex countryside pass by whilst enjoying the beers, this represented excellent value for money.

As we slowly steamed out of the West station, the train staff brought round our pre-ordered fish and chips, safely stored in polystyrene enclosed trays to minimise heat loss. We had just sufficient time to finish our meal when the train pulled in to Groombridge. The package gave the option of remaining on the train and enjoying two return trips back to Tunbridge Wells, or alighting at Groombridge and then waiting for the final return train at 20:25. This was the option our party went for as it allowed time to walk up to one of the best, and least spoilt pubs, in our branch area, the 16th Century Crown, that overlooks the village green.

En route we passed Groombridge's other remaining pub, the Junction Inn, which also looked a welcoming prospect, but unfortunately our itinerary didn't allow sufficient time to call in. Groombridge is unusual in that it straddles the Kent-Sussex border. The older part of the village is on a steep hill on the Medway Valley, overlooking the Green, whilst the slightly newer part is just across the river, in Sussex. The Crown is part of a row of attractive brick and tile-hung cottages that overlook the Green, with a well-worn brick path passing in front. It has a timeless feel to it that continues when one steps inside.

On a beautiful June evening though, most people were sitting on benches and tables outside, and after ordering our beer, we joined them. Harveys Best and Hepworths Pullman were the beers on offer. I stuck to the latter, which was in excellent form. Unfortunately there was only time for a couple of pints before we had to make our way back to the station where the train was waiting to transport us back to Tunbridge Wells. It is quite a stiff climb back up to the railway's terminus, forcing the steam locomotive to work hard as it pulled our train up the steep gradient.

The night was still quite young, so we made our way to the Pantiles, which is the oldest, and best known area of Tunbridge Wells. I am pleased to report that this part of town was buzzing, with crowds of people sitting out at tables outside the numerous cafes and bars along the famous Colonnade walk. We headed for a bar called the Ragged Trousers; a pleasant, single roomed establishment that, like the pavement outside, was absolutely heaving. The only drawback was that the staff had run out of glasses, so we had to settle for plastic ones (ugh!). The Larkins Traditional and Ringwood Boon Doggle though were both very good.

Our final port of call was the Sussex Arms. I have written about the Sussex in a previous post, so I won't repeat myself here. Although the pub is just round the corner from the main part of the Pantiles, tucked away down a side mews, it was quiet compared to where we had just come from. Although the Sussex is a Greene King pub, here were a couple of guest ales on, including Larkins Traditional (again) at £2.50 a pint from a cask perched up on the bar, and Bomber County, from Tom Wood. I opted for the later, which is a dark, full-bodied 4.8% bitter. Later I tried a pint of Greene Kings World Cup offering. I didn't bother making a note of the beer's name, but it was pleasant enough all the same. The bar staff seemed grateful for our patronage, especially as the pub was quiet. The beers we sampled in the Sussex were in fine fettle, so we were quite happy to linger there.

So ended a very pleasant evening that saw us visiting two of the top tourist attractions in Tunbridge Wells. As I said at the beginning of this post, it is all too easy to miss things on one's own doorstep, and once again last night's outing proved the folly of ignoring this observation.

Wadhurst to Tunbridge Wells on foot

On Sunday I took the opportunity to don my walking boots and head off into the clear blue yonder, for a walk in the beautiful Kent and Sussex countryside. I joined up with four friends who all live locally and three of whom are members of my local CAMRA branch.

The plan was to take the train from Tonbridge and alight four stops down the line, at Wadhurst. From there we would take a scenic walk back to Tunbridge Wells, along a number of rural footpaths, stopping off at a couple of pubs on the way.

This was the first ramble I’ve been on for some time, although to my credit I did a fair amount of walking whilst I was in the United States. During my six day stay at my sister’s, I accompanied my brother in law, on a three and a half mile walk every morning. There is a “country park” close to where they live, so every morning, after breakfast, the pair of us would head off to this attractive, wooded recreation area to do a circuit.

I was pleased to have kept this regime up for the duration of my stay, and whilst I have continued with my daily lunchtime walk (weekdays, at least), a mile and a quarter is substantially less than what I was doing in the US. It was good therefore to have the opportunity to be heading out on this ramble.

We caught the 11:10 train from Tonbridge and 20 minutes later were alighting at Wadhurst station, deep in the Sussex countryside. Our initial route took us through woodland, before opening out into some undulating countryside. This was home to several herds of cattle and the odd flock of sheep, but apart from the odd isolated settlement, we encountered very few humans along the way.

One and a half hours, and three and a half miles later, we walked into the hamlet of Bells Yew Green, home to Brecknock Arms. This small Harvey’s pub has long been a favourite amongst local branch members but has changed hands recently, following the departure of Sally and David Fawcett, who had ran the pub for the past four years.

We arrived just after 1pm, to find the pub very quiet, apart from a couple of families who seemed intent on allowing their children to run around inside. We escaped to the garden, where we sat out enjoying our beer in the mid-September sunshine.

Despite the lack of customers, the beer was on top form and I scored my pint of Sussex Best at 4.0 NBSS. According to my friends, the Hadlow IPA was also very good. Given the Brecknock’s  former reputation for good food, we were surprised not to see anyone eating there, which led us to wonder whether or not the pub has a chef at present.

We only stayed for the one pint, as there was still a fair amount of ground to cover between Bells Yew Green and  Tunbridge Wells.  Our route took us along the road at the side of the pub, towards the village of Frant; a distance of one and a half miles.

On the way, we passed the former brewery of George Ware & Son which is now divided up into a number of light industrial units, but still very much retains the appearance of a traditional, Victorian tower brewery. The brewery closed in 1950, following the acquisition of the company and its 16 pubs, by E & H Kelsey of Tunbridge Wells.

Frant is quite a large village with a substantial village green, which faces onto the main A267 Tunbridge Wells to Eastbourne road. Fronting onto the road and just to north of the

village centre, is the Abergavenny Arms Hotel. This 15^th Century, former coaching inn, is an attractive, part tile-hung building with a large and well-appointed bar which serves two large beamed rooms.

Both are primarily given over to dining, but one has an area for drinkers, with comfortable sofas and an open fire. There is also a smaller dining room that can be used for functions. At the front of the pub, there is an outside patio- type garden for use in warmer weather, and this is where we made ourselves comfortable.

Somewhat ironically, my wife and I had driven past the Abergavenny the previous weekend, on our way to Eastbourne. I remarked at time that it had been an age since I had last set foot inside the pub, and there I was, just a week later, enjoying a drink there. I have to say that despite the emphasis on food, I was impressed with this lovely old pub. The food looked and smelt good, and was being enjoyed by plenty of appreciative diners; unlike at the Brecknock, just down the road.

The beer was good too, with Long Man Blonde and Dark Star Hophead joining the ubiquitous Harvey’s Best. I went for the Long Man Blonde, awarding it a 3.5 NBSS. Two members of our party opted for the Hophead, and thought they detected a slight alteration in the taste of the beer, now that Fullers are brewing it. Some might argue this could have been pure imagination, but as seasoned Hophead aficionados, I am pretty certain my friends were correct in their judgement.

Again, we just stayed for the one pint, before leaving to walk back to Tunbridge  Wells. We skirted the village green, passing Frant’s other pub, the George, just before the  church. I don’t think I have been in this pub before, but from the this attractive white-painted building, looked quite busy from the outside. What surprised me the most was just how large a village Frant is, as I have only ever seen it from the main road.

After passing through the churchyard, we descended through an area of dense woodland, before slowly making our way into rear of Tunbridge Wells. It was a further  three and half miles on top of what already walked, and my knees were starting to play up. The left one especially was giving me some gip, particularly whilst going downhill.

Once we reached Tunbridge Wells the plan was to visit a couple of the pubs which were participating in the town’s Beer Weekend – see earlier post. There was the possibility that the strong, 6.0% ABV beer called “Big Bad Trad,” specially brewed by Larkin’s for the Beer Weekend, might still be available.

However, despite the promise of this intriguing beer, I decided not to join my friends in walking up to Sankey’s, especially as it would have meant a further walk downhill to the station, for the train home. In addition, I knew that son Matthew would be knocking off work fairly soon, and if I timed things right, he could give me a lift home from Tonbridge station.

I therefore said farewell to my friends and thanked them for their company. There was  20 minutes to spare before my train, so I popped into the Bedford, opposite the station where I had a swift half  of Gadds Seasider. Matthew was waiting to pick me up outside Tonbridge station which, given my sore knee and aching limbs, was most welcome.

The walk from Wadhurst station to Tunbridge Wells, was just under eight and a half miles, with the ground underfoot, very hard. I was sufficiently recovered after a nice roast pork dinner, to bash out the majority of this post, and also get things ready for work the following morning.

The scenery and the company were both excellent, and I was also very impressed with the Abergavenny Arms. The only downside was finding the Brecknock so quiet. Until the Fawcett’s came on the scene four years ago, the pub had been struggling, and with them now gone there is now concern for the pub’s future. I don’t want to end this post on a downer, so I will keep my fingers crossed that the new licensees make a go of the place. I wish them well, especially as the previous tenants will be a hard act to follow, and trust that Harvey’s will give them all the support they may need.

Toad Rock Retreat - Rusthall

It was a disappointing turnout for last Thursday night’s CAMRA social, with just three of us making the trip over to the village of Rusthall, near Tunbridge Wells, for a visit to the recently refurbished Toad Rock Retreat. Later on we were joined by two other members, one of whom lives locally; but it was still a poor show for a branch which can boast over 500 members!  However, the bulk of West Kent CAMRA members who, for whatever reason, couldn’t be bothered to turn out missed a really good evening, in a nice pub whose appeal is added to by its unique setting.

Rusthall is located approximately 2 miles to the west of Tunbridge Wells, in what is really a continuation of Tunbridge Wells Common. Much of the village is hidden among trees and is surrounded by some quite impressive sandstone outcrops. The latter became quite a tourist attraction in Victorian times, when visitors were brought up from the station in coaches or “charabancs” to see the rocky outcrops.

The most famous of these outcrops is the “Toad Rock”, a natural rock formation which looks like a sitting toad, resting on an outcrop of sandstone, and what makes the “Toad Rock” appear even more impressive is its setting in the natural amphitheatre created by the surrounding rocks. The rock formation is not man-made, but was eroded into its current shape by action of both wind and frost during the last Ice Age. The first known record of the rock's name is in a guide published in 1823; although the rock itself was first popularised in a local guide published a decade earlier. The fencing around the rock's base was first installed in 1882 and was renovated in 1993-94.

The Toad Rock

The Toad Rock Retreat is literally just a short hop from the famous rock formation which gives the pub its name, and whilst I have been there on several previous occasions, I hadn’t realised quite how close it is to the main A264 road out of Tunbridge Wells.  The 281bus provides a convenient half-hourly service into Rusthall from the centre of Tunbridge Wells, and just one stop along Rusthall Road is a footpath which leads down to the area known as Denny Bottom, where the Toad Rock is situated.

The Toad Rock Retreat was refurbished at the beginning of 2016, and has taken on a new lease of life under the stewardship of experienced licensees, Nick and Shelley, who were previously in charge of the Dovecote at Capel. I am unsure as to the age of the pub, as it was completely rebuilt, after being destroyed by a disastrous fire in 1998, but it is an attractive-looking building, nevertheless.

The pub was re-constructed in a style which matched the original, and consists of a brick structure, which is part tile-hung. Internally there is a double open-sided wood burning fireplace which separates the spacious main bar area, from a peaceful snug section containing comfy leather seating set around the fireside. There is a dining area to the left, which includes cosy tables lit by fairy lights intertwined around internal branches attached to the walls.

Local scenery

There were three cask beers on sale; Harvey’s Sussex Best, Taylor’s Landlord, plus a slightly unusual guest ale from Hartlepool-based Camerons. Sleeping Brew Tea is a 4.4% amber coloured pale ale, infused with “Sleeping Beauty Green Tea”. This, according to the pump-clip, gives the beer a gentle raspberry and rose taste and aroma. Two of our party tried it; I stuck with the Harvey’s which was in such excellent condition that it stood out as the pint you could drink all evening (NBBS 4).

We spent around two and a half hours at the Toad Rock Retreat, chatting and enjoying the beer. The pub had been quite busy when we arrived, but towards the end of our stay, people (mainly diners), began to drift off. The food on offer looked good, which is no surprise as Nick and Shelley were well-known for providing good fayre at the Dovecote. Nick was genuinely pleased to see us, but it was a shame there were so few in our party. Still, the couple are happy with the way the pub is developing; as are I’m sure the locals, after the period of uncertainty under its previous tenants.

A few of the beers available at the Bedford

We departed just before 10.30pm, this time walking up the aptly named, Harmony Street to the bus stop. We had around half an hour to wait in Tunbridge Wells for our connection back to Tonbridge, so we nipped in the Bedford for a “quick one”. My drink of choice was Pig & Porter, Slow Black Stout, which turned out to be a cracking beer and just right for ending an excellent evening’s supping!

Footnote: There is another part to Rusthall which is distinct from the Victorian era tourist resort created around Toad Rock. The other section lies to the north-west, and is set around Lower Green; the oldest part of the village and said to date from around the 8th century. There are many attractive walks across Rusthall Common, towards either Speldhurst or Southborough; both walks completely avoiding the built-up areas of Tunbridge Wells. 

It is quite easy to get lost around here though; even with the aid of a good map, as my friend Eric and I found out when we were walking the Weald Way, six years ago.

Full Steam Ahead

The excesses of the weekend’s Spa Valley Railway Beer Festival are gradually fading, and my aching body is slowly recovering. When I say “excesses” I am referring to the sheer physical hard work of getting all the beer racked up, tapping and spiling it and then, once it had reached tip-top condition, serving it to the hordes of thirsty punters. I am not referring to having consumed too much of  the stuff myself, as there just wasn’t time to indulge in more than a few glasses, as it was so busy behind the various bars. Obviously this can only be described as a good thing, and both West Kent CAMRA, and all the volunteers from our Spa Valley Railway hosts, can pat themselves on the back following a job well-done.

So despite upping the beer order by 50% on what we had last year, we still sold out, and had it not been for a handful of gallant suppliers, who came forward at the last minute and replenished some of our stocks, there would have been precious little beer left for Sunday’s festival goers to enjoy! 

The festival opened on Friday 18^th, but owing to work and other commitments I wasn’t able to attend until the Saturday. I had asked to work further down the line, either at Groombridge or Eridge stations, where there were additional bars set up to provide beer to thirsty visitors travelling up and down the line between the latter station and Tunbridge Wells West. The majority of the sixty or so beers were housed in the historic engine shed at Tunbridge Wells West, which acts as the Spa Valley’s headquarters. Six were positioned at Groombridge, in a marquee just along from the booking office, whilst a further four were at the far end of the line, in the waiting room, on Spa Valley’s platform, at Eridge station  - a facility they share with national rail operator, Southern Trains. In addition, four more beers were stillaged in “Kate”, the railways award-winning and lovingly restored dining car.

I ended up at Groombridge, where I joined two other CAMRA colleagues. It was a funny sort of day as we had spells of frantic activity coinciding with the arrival of a train, followed by periods of relative calm. The latter at least enabled me to sample all six of the beers we had on sale, namely Sambrook’s Wandle; King’s Brighton Blonde; Westerham Freedom Ale; Portobello Star; Ramsgate Gadd’s No.3 and Arundel Trident. We also had a plastic cask of Bushel’s Cider, from Biddenden.  Hot food, in the form of chicken curry, lasagne and macaroni cheese, was available at the station, along with cups of tea, coffee, sandwiches and cake at the railway’s refreshment kiosk on the platform. 

As I said, things got a bit frantic at times, but as the day wore on, and the punters started to tail off, so did the beer. By about 7pm we had virtually sold out, although there were a couple of pints of Trident left. It was just as well there was precious little beer left, as no-one had thought to provide lighting inside the marquee. Fortunately one of my colleagues had come equipped with a battery-operated LED light, which at least enabled us to see what we were doing, and to ensure we took the correct tokens and gave the right “change”.

With the beer virtually all gone, and having to fumble around in the dark, we took the decision to close the bar, secure the tent and get the boxes of glasses and other paraphernalia out onto the platform, ready to load onto the 8pm train back to Tunbridge Wells. Unbeknown to us, the down train had suffered a breakdown shortly after leaving Tunbridge Wells. Before going any further, I ought to explain that the festival was also billed as “The Autumn Diesel Gala”, and  because of this the railway had four different diesel locomotives in operation. These ranged from a moderately sized shunter to a large former Inter-City loco. No doubt railway buffs would have described them better, but as I really don’t know the difference between the various types of engine, these descriptions will have to suffice.

Call me old fashioned, but on a preserved railway I much prefer to see steam haulage in operation. Steam locomotives have heart and soul; qualities that seem lacking in their diesel counterparts. The former are also more reliable, once they are in steam and up and running. This proved the case on Saturday evening, and although we were kept informed by the station master, it was approaching 9pm when our train finally arrived to ferry us back to Tunbridge Wells.

In the meantime, things had been equally manic in the engine shed. By the time we arrived back, the stillages were looking very depleted, with around two thirds of the beers totally sold out, and the remaining casks steeply stooped, indicating they would not be lasting long come the morning. It was here that our gallant saviours in the form of Tonbridge Brewery, plus Sankey’s Bar, stepped up to the plate and provided us with some replacement stocks of beer which were hastily racked and spiled, ready for tapping the next day. What was extremely frustrating from my own, admittedly selfish, point of view was that having been down at Groombridge all day, by the time I’d returned to Tunbridge Wells, most of the “interesting” beers I had been keen to try had completely sold out! The four beers stillaged in “Kate” had also been drunk dry.

The following morning I was back at the Engine Shed, a little later than the previous day, but not that much.  Along with a couple of friends, I was dispatched down to Groombridge to collect a cask of Kent Brewery Zingibeer, which was needed for the dining car, and then on down to  Eridge to pick up the remaining boxes of empty glasses. This was my first visit to Eridge during the festival, and I can now see why increasing the number of beers here for next year could be difficult. Due to the confines of the narrow island platform, there is barely sufficient room for the four cask stillage in waiting room, and finding an alternative and secure home for the beer might prove tricky.

After collecting the full cask from Groombridge, and carefully placing it on the stillage in “Kate”, it was back up the line to Tunbridge Wells. I decided to stay on the train and help out with serving the beer. The only one available was another cask of Zingibeer that had been racked up and tapped the night before. Fortunately it had dropped bright and was in good condition. We had somehow ended up with four casks of this slightly unusual, but quite refreshing Kent Brewery beer. It had been part of the emergency supplies obtained the night before, and had arrived courtesy of Sankey’s, in Tunbridge Wells. Despite it being the only beer available on the train it nevertheless proved pretty popular, and my colleague and I were kept quite busy dispensing glasses of it as we travelled up and down the line. The busiest times were just after departing from the stations, when the train had picked up a fresh load of thirsty passengers. It was a bit of a challenge serving beer from our makeshift stillage in a moving buffet car, but the biggest challenge was when I had to tap and spile the other cask whilst the train was in motion. With the help of a couple of bar towels, and a drip-tray on the floor, I managed this task without spilling a drop.

Another couple of volunteers took over from us, mid-afternoon, and I returned to t he train shed to help out behind the bar and enjoy what was left of the beers. A local rock band were keeping the crowd entertained, but we still had our work cut out behind the bar, keeping everyone served. One by one the casks started to run dry, until by just after 5pm, there was no beer left and we were down to two mini-pins; one of cider and the other of perry. Eventually these too were exhausted, and the crowds slowly began to drift away.

That was that and the end of the festival for another year. It is too early to say what we will do next year, but whatever happens the beer order will need to be significantly increased.

Pre-loading before the firm's Christmas bash

Friday 1^st December, saw me in Tunbridge Wells, ahead of a Christmas Party invitation. It’s that time of year, and whilst many will think it far too early to be thinking of the festering season, my firm thought otherwise – or at least some female members of staff did. That might sound slightly sexist, but in my 40 years + experience of such events, it is invariably the ladies who like to plan and organise these get-togethers. There was one memorable year though, when myself and the works engineer, sorted out the party arrangements, but that was only because it allowed us to visit potential venues to check out what was on offer. In pre-internet days, this was often the only way of organising the Christmas Party.

I digress, but this year’s bash broke with protocol by plumping for an evening event, at a different location. Covid aside, for the majority of my 17 years with the company, our Christmas party/meal has taken place at the Little Brown Jug, a large, but cosy and comfortable pub just 10 minutes’ walk along the road, from our factory in Chiddingstone Causeway. The “Jug” is also directly opposite Penshurst railway station – an important consideration for those indulging in a glass or three of something inebriating, with their festive meal.

We have tried various combinations of afternoon or evening events, the latter having the advantage of extending the invitation to the spouses or partners of staff members. However, as the company has grown in size, we have reverted to a mid-afternoon event reserved solely for employees. The Little Brown Jug has invariably laid on a sumptuous, and almost gut-busting, three-course meal for us, and to my mind there was little need to change. Other voices prevailed though, which meant the search was on for an alternative venue. To cut a long story short, we opted for a pub-cum-restaurant in Tunbridge Wells, and for an evening function, and that is why I found myself in Tunbridge Wells, last Friday.

With a 5pm meet-up at the restaurant, I potentially had several hours to enjoy, but after deciding that with an open bar tab at the party venue, I would need to pace myself as far as drink was concerned, I left it until just before 3 pm before taking the train over to the Wells. On arriving in the town, I made my way up from the station towards the main shopping area, primarily because I wanted to stop off at the bank. From there it was just a short hop to Allkin Tap & Bottle, at the far end of Calverley Road. This recently opened establishment is a welcome addition to the local beer scene in Tunbridge Wells, and the people behind the place are Allkin Brewery, who are based in Eridge, which is just a few miles across the border into Sussex.

Allkin Brewing started life as “Good Things Brewing” back in 2018. The brewery was housed in an attractive 17^th Century barn, next door to the family home, and by generating their own electricity, drawing up their own bore hole water, re-using waste products from the brewing process and delivering beer in their own electric van, established itself as the most sustainable brewery in the UK. Things were working out fine, and the even managed to survive lock-down, until on Sunday 25^th July 2021, the brewery was tragically struck by lightning and burnt to the ground.

A period of crowdfunding then followed and has resurfaced as Allkin Brewing Company. I’m not sure if the new brewery is up and running yet, or whether some of the beers are currently contract-brewed, although looking at the website, I suspect the latter situation applies. Looking for a place to showcase their beers, the company acquired a former shop unit at the far end of Calverley Road, Tunbridge Wells, which they opened as the Allkin Tap & Bottle six months or so ago. Initially, opening was restricted to Thursday to Sunday, but recently was extended to seven days a week.

I knew the local CAMRA branch had been keeping an eye on the place, and I had seen some good reports about it on one of the WhatsApp groups. It was no surprise then to find a couple of West Kent CAMRA members sitting there, at a table next to the window, when I walked in on Friday. They were probably surprised to see me, as I don’t get over that much to Tunbridge Wells, but after exchanging a few pleasantries, I ordered myself a beer, and joined then at their table. I’d taken the trouble earlier, to select a couple of beers from the Tap’s website, and started off with Flip the Bird, a 4.5% pale ale from Allkin. It was a keg beer, in common with most of the other beers at the tap. A total of 15 keg lines serves up a mix of beers and ciders from approved brewers, based throughout the UK, but a single cask beer is dispensed by hand pump. The choice of beer changes weekly, to ensure the freshest beer is always available.

I switched to cask for the second beer, and this was Plateau from Burning Sky Brewery, who are based close to the village of Firle, in the shadow of the South Downs. Apart from me plus my two CAMRA companions, there was only a handful of people in the Tap, but as the afternoon drew on, the place started filling up. The pub interior is long and slim with bench and stool seating, looking towards the bar counter and serving area to the right of the building. It seemed quite canine friendly, with canines of varying breeds and descriptions, present, along with their human owners/handlers.

Food, at the moment, seems limited to cold meats, pate, and cheeses, in the same vein really as nearby Fuggles. My companions were enjoying some sort of spread on artisan bread, but I had a meal waiting for me, just down the road. With this in mind, I polished off my final beer, a half of London Black Porter from Ansbach & Hobday, said goodbye to my companions, and set off back down the hill, towards the station.

The venue hosting our Christmas celebration was the Barn, a rebuild of an old barn using some of the original beams and bricks, which lies just off Mount Pleasant in the middle of town and a short walk from the station. There’s not a huge amount to report, on the venue, or the meal, so I shall save that particular pleasure for another day.

 

Fully-fledged bus w*nker

Please forgive the last word of the title; the blame lies well and truly with Mrs PBT’s. It was she who came up with this term of endearment, in reference to the bus pass I acquired back in April. Slightly jealous that I would be off exploring the local highways and byways, whilst enjoying the view from the top deck of a bus, the term she came up with was designed to convey the omnibus equivalent of a “train anorak!”

Somewhat ironically, I have so far turned out to be a rather infrequent “bus wanker,” but that’s all set to change next month when I switch to part-time working. The beauty of my bus pass is that after 10.30am weekdays, and anytime at weekends, I can use it to journey wherever I want to – within reason.

Looking back, I’ve only made around five bus journeys, one of which took place this past Bank Holiday Monday. It was a bit of a whim, but with the weather not looking that great, and with most of the gardening and household jobs out of the way, I decided to take the bus over to Tunbridge Wells. This is where my bus pass came in handy, but as if to super-charge it, I downloaded the Arriva App to help me plan my route and know which buses to take.

Arriva, run the majority of bus services in West Kent, and they also extend into neighbouring East Sussex. I went for the App, initially just to look up the bus times, but soon discovered its inter-active capabilities, that give the user real time information. It tracks your location, but in order to not drain your phone battery too rapidly, only does so whilst, the App is open.

Then by clicking on the “Plan” option and typing in where you want to go, it then gives you a choice of buses, departure times and, should you be interested, intermediate stops. All this is in real time, and the App even calculates the time taken to walk to the nearest named bus stop.

So, like a kid with a new toy, off I went, taking the 291 bus, from the stop nearest to Bailey Towers, to Pembury Hospital. There after a 10-minute wait, I was able to catch a different service into Tunbridge Wells. (Actually, it was the same bus that just changed its number, after the driver had enjoyed a short break). The route taken by the second bus, took me and my fellow passengers through the local retail park, followed by a tour of a large housing estate. This was fine by me as, after all, my journey was completely free! Furthermore, by following the route on the App, I knew exactly where to get off.

I was looking for a new pair of shoes, amongst other things, but I knew there would also be the chance of a beer or two once the shopping had been accomplished. As it happened, the shopping didn’t take long at all, the longest part was queuing at the pharmacy counter in Boots, for various pills and potions that Mrs PBT’s thought she might need on our forthcoming cruise.

As for the shoes, I will probably buy them online. I know it’s bad for the High Street, but my preferred brand of Clarks has an online outlet offering a 20% discount – something not to be sniffed at, when you’re talking around £90 a pair! Their Tunbridge Wells store did give me the chance to look at the various styles, colours and treads available – something you can’t do online.

So, with some ideas in mind, backed up by several photos, the next and most important question was, where to go to for a pint? I had a couple of places in mind, the George or Sankey’s. Both are at the top end of the town, in the area known as Mount Ephraim, and both offer a wide ranging and eclectic mix of beers.

My preference was for Sankey’s, based on the fact it was an absolute age since I last set foot in the place, but according to WhatPub, it doesn’t open on Mondays. I decided to take a walk past anyway, especially as it was on the way to the George, but to my absolute delight I noticed a light in the window, as I approached and with the “A” board in the entrance porch, providing another positive sign, the pub gods really were smiling on m that day.

Leaving the George for another day, I stepped inside. There were a couple of rather charming young ladies milling around the bar, one of whom asked me what I would like as I stood looking at the beer list, prominently displayed behind the counter, more than a little confused by the variety on offer.

I could see no cask, despite there being a hand-pump with a Long Man Brewery clip, set against the back wall, but I was quite happy to choose one or more of the craft offerings. I started off with Wanna Go to the Sun, a 4.6% pale ale from the highly respected Lost & Grounded Brewery.

After suggesting I grab a table to the far left of the bar, the friendly barmaid said she’d bring the beer over for me, along with the packet of crisps I’d ordered. I perched myself at one of the high tables close to the impressively large and ornate Bass mirror. This one was definitely an original, rather than a cheap imitation from that mythical factory in Wrexham.

How do I know this? Well, Sankey’s is renowned for its amazing collection
of old brewery advertising signs, collected over many years, by the current landlord’s father. Given the pub’s location it is not surprising that Kent breweries feature prominently amongst the memorabilia. Long defunct names such as Smith & Co of Lamberhurst, Masons of Maidstone,  Fremlin’s –  one of the largest brewers in Kent, and also of Maidstone, plus Tunbridge Wells’s own sadly vanished brewery, E & H Kelseys, whose Culverden Brewery stood just a few hundred yards away from Sankey’s.

I referred briefly to the current landlord’s father, who as well as collecting all that brewing memorabilia, is also something a local author. For Christmas last year, I treated myself to a copy of Guy Sankey’s book, “Old Breweries of Tunbridge Wells,” published in association with the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society. This fascinating, and well-illustrated publication is worthy of a post in its own right, but for anyone interested in old breweries and the role they paid in the development of Tunbridge Wells, Guy’s book is well worth a read.

I know Guy well enough to say hello to, but I only know his son Matthew by sight. He popped in for a brief check on the pub, whilst I was enjoying my first beer – the hallmark of a good landlord, in my book. The family also run a couple of fishmongers shops – one in Tonbridge and the other in Tunbridge Wells, alongside a champagne & oyster bar situated on the town’s famous Pantiles area.

In addition, below the Mount Ephraim pub, they operate a renowned Seafood restaurant, linked to the bar by means of a staircase, as the rear. I have eaten there on a couple of occasions whilst entertaining visitors from our parent company, in Japan. 

Returning to Monday’s visit, there was a really nice atmosphere in the bar, with a good mix of customers. A chap with his inquisitive and friendly dog, provided the entertainment, as did the athletic barmaid who jumped up onto the rear counter, and then had to stand on tiptoe in order to adjust the hand-written beer list.  writing up the beers

Talking of beers, my Lost & Grounded choice was excellent, so I decided to push the boat out for the next one. Magic Rock, Clown Juice, a White IPA (I think it designates cloudy), proved a good beer to finish on, but at 7% abv, I wisely stuck to a half pint.

After that, it was time to drink up, as a quick peep at my Arriva App informed me there was a bus due in 10 minutes. I said goodbye to the bar staff and wandered back down the hill, to the stop in Grosvenor Road, opposite Fuggles. The return journey was a single ride home to Tonbridge, that I enjoyed from the top deck of the No. 7 bus. It dropped me near the station, which meant a 15-minute walk home, after an enjoyable afternoon out – courtesy of my bus pass.

I will end on that note, as the irony is today, my good lady wife’s very own bus pass arrived in the post, a full 10 days before the date she officially reaches the age of qualification. Work that one out for yourselves, bearing in mind you should never ask a lady her age.

Needless to say I congratulated her on becoming a fully qualified, "bus wanker," in her own right!