Inspired by a book my brother got me for Christmas, South London South London by the Deserter blog, I decide to have one in the Railway. Or in fact use my days off in visiting many pubs with Railway in the title. After four drafts I devize a nice route which i can start at opening time, allow 30mins+ per pub and end up near home at last orders minimizing Public Transport traveling time.
The first stop is in Hampton called the Railway Bell. I arrive at 11.05 and there are already two customers and a dog in the pub. It is a small pub playing smooth radio. It is also part of the community toilet scheme meaning non customers can make use of it. Here my £5.40 pint of Estrella is consumed leisurely and checking the phone a couple of minutes before the 11.59 to Teddington is on time.
When I get to the station a minute before it is due, the board says it is still on time. I tap in, and suddenly boom - delayed 10 minutes. SWR are a joke! Still it is 8 minutes to Teddington and the Railway is right next door. You could see it being a traditional boozer once, but now is a bar and kitchen. A hot buffett is on the bar as you enter, so I walk round to the right hand side and order a £5.50 Moretti. Having got here at 12.10 I can still make the 12.32 drinking reasonably quickly. This is surprisingly busy but everyone is eating. Looking at their website the express lunch at £5 does look good. Train is on time so after stroking a lovely Golden Retriever on the way out, I get to the station and get the 12.35 to Richmond.
I arrive on time at Richmond at 12.49. The Railway Tavern, is something I used to know as an O'Neills. A spacious sports bar with a rugby emphasis, little has changed from inside since I was last here about a decade ago. They may have increased the ale selection somewhat but with BT Sports on the TV I plump for a £5.60 Peroni from one of the two young bar ladies. A nice enough pub with a few people, though as it is large it still felt a bit empty. Rugby fans would probably like it when showing a game as I would imagine the atmosphere would get a bit rowdy.
The 1.34 train is the best option to get to the next Railway, this time at Clapham High Street. This is slightly later than planned due to the first Overground connection at Clapham Junction being cancelled. This allows some lunch to be bought at the Sainsburys local next to Richmond station.
Making the change at the junction with lots of time to spare, I arrive at Clapham High Street at 14.08. The pub next to the exit, looks out onto the high road and i get a nice window seat to view the traffic and pedestrians with a £5.65 Estrella. There were four other customers in here and a bearded barman in a checked shirt. A decent list of cocktails were advertised too after consulting my pictures to upload. Onwards, I decided it was best to get the Northern Line to London Bridge to make the next destination.
Onto a South Eastern train at London Bridge at 14.58, it takes just under twenty minutes to get to Blackheath and the pub called The Railway. A nice long thin bar, with a barman in a Wheres Wally outfit I get a £5.40 Estrella and again perch myself a window seat overlooking the road outside.
The next train is due at 15.58 which I make perfect timing for to get to.....
Lewisham where I changed trains for.... (below view of some brutalist architecture and moon from Lewisham Station)
The Railway Tavern in Lower Sydenham. This is a rough & ready pub about a five-sic minute walk from the station. I get to the pub at 16.30 where the locals are watching Tipping Point on a big screen. However, the first dartboard of the day is found and out of three legs my best is 27 darts whilst supping my bargain £4.20 San Miguel.
Planning how to get to the next venue I leave as The Chase's opening titles start, to get the 17.08 train away. As this is last of the daylight pubs, we will meet again in part two.
# posted by Rich @ 3:29 PM
