Spooner's, Porthmadog

Spooners ( or "Y Tren Bach" to give it its Welsh name ) describes itself as a cafe bar. Before that makes you automatically decide to give it a miss, I ought to explain that "cafe bar" here means a cafe and an adjoining, but separate bar, and not what a young trendy urbanite would understand by the phrase. It's located on the platform of Porthmadog Station - not the main line station, but the one by the harbour that is the terminus of the well known steam trains that run between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog. The pub is based in what appears to be the original station building. Whilst the pub is traditionally furnished and comfortable and has much railway memorabilia, it seemed to me to lack that pubby feel and atmosphere. I think that is mainly because the staff seem to be shared with those serving in the adjoining cafe and consequently there appeared to be no real interaction or rapport across the bar that you might otherwise get. No review of Spooners could fail to mention its most memorable feature - a disused former working engine called "Princess" standing proudly and prominently in one corner of the bar. We learn that Princess first made her debut as a working engine in 1863 and that 80% of what you now see is original. We are also told that Prince, her brother, is still working and is now the oldest working steam locomotive in the world. The pub is a keen supporter of real ales and there's some CAMRA certificates displayed behind the bar. There's 6 pumps which, on my visit, were serving Wye Valley Butty Bach, Ludlow Best, Theakstons Paradise, Ringwood Filly Drift, Purple Moose Myrtle Stout and Worthington Cask Ale. My pint of Butty Bach was past its best, but not bad enough to take back. The Ludlow Best was, however, really good. The pub has been a GBG regular in recent years. The pub is well worth visiting, irrespective of whether you're going on the steam train or not.