The King & Castle, Kidderminster

The sister to the Railwayman's Arms at the opposite end of the Severn Valley Railway, and like there with access from outside and inside the station. It is located at the entrance to the SVR station and just a short walk from the BR one. It is decorated in the style of a GWR refreshment room and is named after two classes of their locomotives. Naturally there is much railway porn in picture form and naturally it's all GWR. The style is vaguely 1930s but not a Deco style apart from the GWR roundels in the carpet. The room is T shaped with the bar counter forming the cross of the T, six handpumps with a selection of local ales plus a couple of summer visitors, not bad condition just a little limp, perhaps the hot weather taking the edge off the beer. Obviously rail passengers, anoraks (myself among them) and tourists as customers but far, far superior to most station bars.

Probably not quite as authentic as it looks and feels, but the Severn Valley Railway has created (or re-created?) a station pub thoroughly in keeping with its heritage railway operation. However, thankfully, it is not over-filled with memorabilia so it has the feel of a proper working establishing rather than a museum (probably helped by it being open to the general public as well as ticket holders). There are six handpumps in total, but as these are scattered along the bar the real ale selection is actually rather better than it initially appears. Good value too, with an excellent pint of Hobson's Mild at £2.30 which went well with a plain but tasty cheese and onion cob (£1.50). Also handy for Kidderminster's mainline station.

Bathams was magic as usual but barwoman was gruff and made it feel like she was doing you a favour serving. A further peg down,if it wasn't for the Bathams who knows......... 18 October 2008 Had the Bathams here yesterday,absolutely perfect as always. The menu though was everything and chips,and the peas were off-green. Glad the beer was so good. Down a peg though. 15 June 2008 I'm not a huge fan of preserved railways,they're normally full of the stereotypicals associated with the hobby,along with Hitler volunteers/staff that can't get a job on the real railway. However i visited the SVR yesterday for the Western and had a great time-and the highlight of the visit had to be the Batham's Bitter served here. Reasonable prices too.