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Submitted on Saturday, 7^th December 2024
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The Railway, Sutton

32 Station Way
Cheam
Postal town: Sutton
SM3 8SQ

Phone: 02083955393

Correct details

Served areas

Cheam

Reviews of The Railway (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Graham Coombs left this review about The Railway

A pleasant local, U-shaped round a central bar with some original woodwork but sadly all painted in that putrid pale green shade. It still has a somewhat retro selection of beers, with Courage Best, Ruddles and TT Landlord to the fore. Fair enough for a pint, and handy for the station, but I wouldn't go for a session here.

On 7^th December 2024 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3641 recommendations about 3576 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Pub SignMan left this review about The Railway

As the name might suggest, this simple traditional pub is located just across the road from Cheam train station. The pub has a J-shaped single room layout, carpeted throughout and with the servery, and perhaps more pleasingly, the handpulls, directly in front of you upon entering. The servery boasts a nice dark wood curved counter with a similarly styled bar back and stands opposite a couple of large bay windows. Each window has a decent padded banquette running beneath it, but aside from these, seating is fairly limited in this part of the room. The left hand side has a truncated feel to it, stopping just a short way past the end of the bar, but this still leaves enough space for a darts area next to a small fireplace. The right hand side of the pub is far nicer, with some old dark panelled walls with modern floral wallpaper above giving the space a proper, lived-in pub feel. Some standard tables and chairs run underneath attractive stained glass wall lamps whilst there are what appears to be a series of fake gas lamps along the end of the servery. A drinking ledge down the right hand wall is served by basic high stools and an impressive Railway Hotel pub mirror hangs on the wall here. To the rear, clapped out old banquettes run in a U-shape around the back wall, with a large trophy cabinet to one side capturing your attention. The cabinet is full of trophies won by the pub's golf society (a recurring theme in Cheam's pubs) and a board above a doorway lists the society's various captains down the years. A sign on the end of the bar gantry reads: 'Ye Olde 19th Hole', as if any further proof of the pub's golfing credentials were needed. Apropos of nothing, an acoustic guitar was propped at the end of one of the banquettes, but more fitting décor in the shape of a huge inflatable Guinness rugby ball and flags of various rugby playing nations hung from the ceiling, seemingly having remained in situ since last year's Rugby World Cup. A fine soundtrack played throughout my stay and I enjoyed eavesdropping on a good-natured post-Brexit discussion between two grizzled old locals and the European barmaid.
This pub used to be Cheam's destination real ale venue and a CAMRA favourite, but it has dropped out of the Good Beer Guide and locals in another pub mumbled something about a problem with the landlord which had resulted in a big drop in their customer base. There were three other customers in when I visited on a Sunday afternoon, in sharp contrast to other Cheam pubs I visited that day. Five ales were still available though - Courage Best and Directors, Taylor Landlord, Brains Rev James and Tetley's Three Lions. I had a pint of the Landlord, which struck me as pricey at £3.90. It was in reasonable shape but I wonder if they're getting the through-pull they need to keep their beers in good condition.
This pub has got character and a bit of charm but felt a little neglected and in need of some care and attention (fixing those banquettes at the rear for instance). It could quite easily be the best pub in Cheam but other venues are currently pulling in the crowds and I left feeling that this place was sadly heading in the wrong direction. I hope to return though and perhaps find its fortunes revived somewhat.

On 14^th July 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Moby Duck left this review about The Railway

A U shaped traditional interior with a central bar boasting five handpumps,unfortunately the beers on offer were a little too traditional as well, Courage Best and Directors,TT Landlord,Brains Reverand James and a beer called Three Lions brewed I believe by Carlsberg, I resisted that temptation and tried the Landlord which I found to be in fair condition. My visit was in late June and it was unseasonably cool, I was however surprised to see the open log fire full ablaze. This is a nice pub without being particularly remarkable but I would call in again should I happen to be nearby.

On 1^st July 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]

View more reviews of The Railway (6)

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