Line & Whistle, York

Indifferent station bar, which curiously feels slightly better when it gets busy. It does at least boast a couple of handpumps, sadly only offering Sharp's Sea Fury and Doom Bar and of variable quality. The main value of the place is to keep the riff-raff out of the Tap.

An horrible station bar with as much charm as the present royal incumbent of the title. A big square bland room divided by a couple of walls, the counter is an L shaped one in the rear left. Three pulls on the face before you on entering and there’s another two round on the other face. Theakstons Best Bitter, Doombar and Greene King IPA on the front just Greene King IPA on t’other. Average quality on the Theakstons as expected. With the York Tap next door and the Maltings over the road why on earth anyone other than a simpleton or demented pub ticker would go here is beyond me.

Fairly typical SSP station pub, albeit one with a bit more space in the partly opened-out 'L'-shaped interior than some. Just Greene King IPA (£3.94, less 10% BITE card discount) and Old Speckled Hen from the four handpumps. Obviously no comparison with the nearby York Tap for an ale drinker, but still serves its market I suppose.

4 real ale taps( 2 on during my visit) and food served. Bite card valid.

The ‘other’ York station pub. Had a look-in to see if it was worth a quick half before settling down in the York Tap to await my train. It wasn’t – a bland interior with just Greene King IPA as the solitary ale and a gaggle of screeching Mackem lasses getting leathered for company. Usually I’d just grin and bear it but with the York Tap ten seconds away, I couldn’t summon up the enthusiasm.

The Duke of York is found to the right just after entering York Railway Station. The interior is L shaped with seating at the front and down the right hand side. During my visit on a recent Saturday afternoon it was fairly quiet in comparison to other pubs in the area. There was some background music playing and someone was getting a little upset with the fruit machine that had decided to ‘steal’ his money. I found the service to be very friendly, but unfortunately two of the four hand pumps were unused and the Sharp’s Doom Bar was off leaving Greene King’s IPA as the lone cask ale option. I ended up opting for an Amstel which was flanked by other standard draught suspects. I’m not sure why anyone would drink in here rather than the York Tap around the corner.