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The Sidings, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 6PL
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Sidings
Since my previous review, this has been renamed and undergone an extensive renovation. It is now almost unrecognisable and had a lively and buzzy atmosphere being full to capacity on our recent early evening visit, perhaps with after work drinkers grabbing a pint before catching their train.
Whilst the basic layout is largely unchanged, it’s a single room pub so there’s a limit to what else could be achieved. Décor wise they are perhaps aiming for a slightly rustic look with rough wooden boards on the wall at one end and there were various station names stencilled on to this. Elsewhere, the flooring was laminate boards with tiling around the bar area, pale grey paintwork and dark grey boards on the wall at the opposite end. This had a large drawing of an old steam train on it, and the train theme continued around the pub with various signs such as “Mind the Gap”, “Beware of the Trains” and so on. Seating was a mixture of booths along the front with padded benches at right angles to the window to make the most of the outlook, curved booths at the rear and tables and chairs elsewhere. We didn’t inspect the menu, but it would appear that pizza is something of a speciality.
Beers on tap were Bass and Bath Ales Gem, whilst a third pump appeared unused. A board behind the bar listed a number of craft beer options, although these were all of the bottled or canned variety. Ciders meanwhile were Thatcher’s Gold, Thatcher’s Haze and Stan’s Big Apple.
On 11th April 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jonathan Wilde left this review about Reckless Engineer
This pub is currently closed. Expected to reopen Sept 2017 after a refurbishment and reportedly coming back as Sidings.
On 30th July 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 365 recommendations about 347 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Reckless Engineer
The Reckless Engineer has lost its new signage and now sports its old Isambard Brunell signage along with its old Ind Coope brewery signage.
The pub looks like a wreck inside and was closed when i tried to do it yesterday.
Attempted visit 29/7/2017
On 30th July 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pete Yeates left this review about Reckless Engineer
Due to close in a few weeks for what is rumoured to be a refurbishment?
On 29th March 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 7 recommendations about 6 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Reckless Engineer
A faceless exterior but being this close to Temple Meads the pub will always bring in transient custom,and I had half an hour to kill.It's open plan with two raised sections guarded by scaffolding poles.Nothing interesting to note (even the darts board has been removed),and although there are 6 handpumps only two were clipped with Otter Bitter and Salopian Hop Twister.However on ordering the Hop Twister the bar man poured from a barrel on stillage,and to be fair the ale quality was good.I noticed that the Otter Bitter was also racked up and two unmarked barrels were settling,so despite the depressing interior you may get lucky on the real ale front.
On 25th July 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Reckless Engineer
A fairly unappealing looking place at the bottom of a nasty 60’s/70’s tower block outside the rather more attractive Temple Meads station. The name is in acknowledgement of Isambard Kingdom Brunel (who was responsible for Temple Meads amongst a number of other Bristol landmarks) and his perceived recklessness. The interior is a very dated, spartan and tatty affair that concentrates on live music and biker-types. A raised area with industrial scaffolding-style railings for the bands. It was packed on my visit as it looked like a gig was about to take place. Beer-wise, six pumps but the two actually available were on from stillage - Otter and Butcombe. The Otter was, in fairness, pretty good and quite cheap. Not sure why anyone would want to come here outside of the live music evenings really, but if there’s a gig on then it looks a fair bet.
On 6th October 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Reckless Engineer
This should really be a prime spot right opposite the station and without much competition around, but it was very quiet on a recent Monday evening. For most of the time we were there, there were just four other punters in there playing darts, but we subsequently discovered that even some of them were the staff when they stopped their game to serve us.
Maybe the place needs a bit of investment. It's a bit rough around the edges and could certainly do with being a bit more welcoming. There's a couple of raised areas (one often used for bands) with the sort of iron railings around them that you would expect to see at a subway entrance, not in the middle of a pub. The toilets were dirty and smelly which is pretty inexcusable given how quiet the place was.
There were six hand pumps on the bar, but only four in use, and these were all duplicated. So just two beers on, namely Butcombe and Otter. Slightly better choice of ciders with Stowford Press, Blackthorn and Addlestones.
On 20th April 2010
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pete Yeates left this review about The Reckless Engineer
Butcombe Bitter very well kept and not over priced @ £2.70. Otter beers also available as well as a guest beer. Staff are friendly too!
On 27th February 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 99 recommendations about 92 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brian McCulloch left this review about The Reckless Engineer
NOTE: The pubs name "The Reckless Engineer" relates to Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his reputation for taking risks both physical and financial! The pub is appropriately sited opposite the train shed of the GWR terminus at Temple Meads.
On 15th August 2006
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 33 recommendations about 33 pubs]