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Railway Tavern, Chelmsford
Chelmsford
CM1 1HT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Railway Tavern
Long and narrow pub immediately opposite the entrance to Chelmsford railway station. It currently opens at either 10am or 10:30. So, it made a good first stop for us in Chelmsford after leaving the station. We were the first in shortly after 11am on a Friday morning.
There is a seating area at the front as you enter and a larger area to the rear beyond the bar. Beyond that was a door leading to an outside seating area.
Handpumps are used at either end of the bar. But ales are also listed on blackboards, also at each end.
Ales are mostly from East Anglia. Greene King Abbot is a regular beer. So is Red Fox IPA. Wily Ol' Fox was another Red Fox beer on offer. Other guests were Dartmoor Jail Ale, Maldon Puck's Folly & Woodforde's Mardler's Mild. The real cider was Weston's Rosie's Pig.
What struck me most about the pub was the friendly nature of the 2 barmaids. We told them we were doing a tour of the town's pubs and they invited us back for a nightcap at the end of the day.
Certainly a pub I will go back to at some point and a fitting start to our crawl.
On 13th October 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Railway Tavern
Just across the road from Chelmsford station, this is a nice old fashioned pub that must’ve been serving visitors to the city for decades past. The pub has a long, narrow interior that is squeezed even further when the servery appears on the left hand wall, midway through the building. There is a cosy small seating area to the front which was packed when I arrived on a Saturday evening, but seating options are severely limited until you get beyond the far end of the bar. This narrow space sees the dark wood servery dominate, but it is worth stopping as you pass through in order to admire the attractive windows with their patterned decorations on the opposite wall plus the bar canopy which has been decorated with various train themed landscapes. The rear part of the room has recently been refurbished and I’m told that there used to be furniture inspired by old Pullman carriages, but this has now all gone except for some partitioning screens which still bear old ‘LMS LNER’ and ‘GWR SOUTHERN’ plaques. Now we just have some striped back banquettes and standard chairs, which were admittedly nice and comfy. Rail enthusiasts can still admire the old railway themed paintings and photos which are dotted around the entire pub and keep the theme alive. There is a patio garden to the rear which I didn’t get around to exploring, staying indoors instead where I was subjected to an 80’s pop soundtrack.
The barman here was extremely friendly and talked me through the pub’s ale policy and their current range of beers which comprised Red Fox IPA, Greene King Abbot Ale, Tiny Rebel Beat Box, Woodfordes Mild, Adnams Broadside, Sharps Special and St Peters Porter. I had a pint of the Red Fox IPA which I had to neck pretty quickly as my train home was due sooner than I’d expected, but it was in decent shape, so that was no real hardship.
This is a pretty nice station pub with very friendly and helpful staff, good natured customers and some decent ale. The place needs to keep on top of its game with the Ale House a short distance away offering a wide selection of ales in contemporary surrounds. This place makes a compelling case for a more traditional drinking environment and Chelmsford is therefore blessed with two high quality station pubs – one for when you arrive and one for when you leave!
On 7th November 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Railway Tavern
This is a long and narrow one bar pub which extends back a fair way. The bar is towards the front, set along a side wall, the front area has colourful magenta and green boarded walls with complimentary striped banquette seating, the area then narrows naturally along the bar area where the panelled walls become blue, then extends out again to the rear which is set out as a period Pullman first class railway carriage with authentic seating in booths, lots of railway memorabilia and an incongruous bit of 70s style modern art. There are some risqué framed prints, stepped up a level in the gents.
The beer range was excellent, Mighty Oak IPA, Woodfordes Wherry, GK Abbot, Sharp's Special, Red Fox Mild, Truman's Runner, St Austell Proper Job, and Milestone Mosaic. Prices were good too, generally being at the lower end of the £3+ range. Meals are served however I didn't check out a standard menu, chalkboard specials included Battered haddock, chips and peas for £8.95 and Italian beef and tomato soup for £4.95 including a roll.
Service was very friendly and the landlady (I assume) helpfully pointed out that there were further ale choices at the far end of the bar before we ordered.
A great pub, we pondered hard as to our preferred choice near to the station between this and the differently styled Ale House but we couldn't split them, so it is another rare 9 from me too for this place. Well deserved.
On 26th April 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Railway Tavern
This is one of several Gray's houses in Chelmsford, a small pub chain based as far as I am aware just in Essex. It's an old building and is long and narrow with a public bar area at the front with a wooden laminate floor and a saloon bar area at the rear, carpeted and fitted out like a railway carriage. I sat in the public bar area under a dart board. There were a couple of blokes having a game of cribbage which is something you don't often see nowadays. The bar was in the middle of these two areas and had eight beers available, Oxfordshire Ales Pride of Oxford & Winters Inn, GK Abbot, Woodforde Wherry, Sharp's Special, Mighty Oak IPA & Oscar Wilde Mild and Wibbler's Spiced Porter. I went for the Spiced Porter which at £3.50 was the most expensive beer on the list but was an excellent pint. I quite liked this place and it has improved greatly since the days when Gray's pubs sold mainly Greene King beers.
On 18th January 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Railway Tavern
Another gem close by to the station. Looks a small pub from the front but goes right back. They display their beers on a board out in the front of the pub. Opens as early as 10 on a weekday. There's a replica of a passenger carriage to the rear, the only thing missing is the luggage racks. Beyond the toilets is an enclosed garden. There are 8 handpumps with Mighty Oak IPA, Sharp's Doombar, and GK Abbott the permanent ales. There are two Draught ciders with the slightly unusual Addlestones Cloudy on handpump. Will defo call again
On 17th June 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Railway Tavern
Gets a good selection of real ale.Some of the bar is like sitting in a railway carriage.Music can be loud.
On 31st January 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]