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Detail Pages
The Railway Tavern, Richmond
Richmond
TW9 1DN
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Railway Tavern
A gloomy Nicholson’s place, dark bluey/green paint glooped over the woodwork though at least ostensibly tidy. Six sticks sporting five ales, mine a fair serve of Gypsy Hill Hepcate (NBSS 3) but a brew that doesn't translate to cask. Barman tried to charge me for a pint, which gives you an indication of the service. Maybe I was a bit worn-out and grumpy by this point having got on the wrong train after the Feltham fisticuffs, but basics are basics…maybe the O’Neill’s influence still lingers after all these years?
On 6th December 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Railway Tavern
Nicholson's house on several levels with an interior broken up by large columns creating discrete areas.The decoration is in dark painwork ,while the furniture is dominated by thick butchers block high tables with a few bench seating elsewhere.There are BT Sport flatscreens on mute during my lunchtime visit,the rear lounge is however dominated by the screen.There is a beer garden at the rear.
The 8 handpumps includes several double clipped but outside the ubiquitous Fuller's London Pride,on my visit the selection was dominated by Cornish beers namely Sharp's Doom Bar,St Austell Tribute,Proper Job (NBSS 3) and Nicholsons Pale.There was a solitary Weston real cider.
Very close to the station,there aren't many good real ale pubs in central Richmond,so this pub is functional and worth using.Pleasant when quiet,it maybe more challenging when busy.
On 27th November 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Railway Tavern
A Nicholson's pub close to the station, done out inside rather typically of the chain with a fair amount of dark woodwork throughout the interconnected rambling interior.I counted eleven pumps in total, I didn't note down all the beers but among the ones I did were Thornbridge Wild Holly,Bad Company Whiter Shade Of Pale,Doom Bar, Moorhouse Special Reserve and a particularly fine Phoenix Cafe from Brains Craft Brewery ,a rather gorgeous Coffee Porter. A good pub.
On 29th December 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Railway Tavern
Big improvement from whence I was last in here.Absolutely mobbed with rugby fans.Great range of cask beers.Redemption -sunshine was as usual from this brewer very good.
On 26th September 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Railway Tavern
Nicholson's pub with quite a quirky shaped interior serving 11 real ales.
On 2nd May 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Railway Tavern
As is usually the case with Nicholson pubs, there were a number of ales available here - Doom Bar; Tiny Rebel One Inch Punch (a very hoppy and bitter American Pale Ale); Nicholson's Pale Ale of course (brewed by St Austell); Truman's Runner (£3.65 a pint); Liverpool Craft Beer Co Quokka; Sambrook Speakeasy Pale Ale; and Bragdy Conwy Beachcomber Blond (£3.55 a pint). They do a weekday lunch deal which gives a burger or sandwich for £9 - £10, with a drink that includes a pint of Doom Bar or Nicholson's Pale Ale. As the beef sarny I wanted was £7.95 on its own, it made sense to pay the extra £1.05 for a pint of the pale ale. The Truman's Runner, Nicholson's PA, Beachcomber Blond, and One Inch Punch that I had were all in excellent nick. One of our group had downloaded the "app" for various discounts, which seemed to work OK with us getting 25p per pint discount.
This is clearly a large old Victorian pub. It's understandably fairly corporate in here now. There are loads of those solid butcher's block tall tables/tall stools along the front by the window, and a few normal tables and chairs along the sides, but the majority of the standard seating is reserved for the large dining room at the back on the right. The walls are mainly painted that greenish/indigo colour (the colour probably has a poncy name but I don't know it); some pop music was playing not too loudly, and some books on brewing plus pewter tankards, old bottles of beer and the like, were in a shelving unit near where we were sitting. But the most interesting thing for me was the plan on one of the walls detailing the fitting that was undertaken in the 1890s. It is hard to imagine it, but along the main road frontage there once was a shop (off-sales presumably), a vestibule, a saloon bar, a public bar, and a private bar. None of them remain now of course, except the old billiards room, complete with skylight, is now the dining room.
The ale selection's very good in here, and at the reasonable prices you expect from the Nicholson branding. But otherwise it's typical Nicholson's, although undoubtedly a quantum improvement on its O'Neill's days. It's a shame there are no heritage features remaining, but it's definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in Richmond.
On 26th April 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Railway Tavern
This former O'Neills has reverted to the original name of The Railway Tavern and is now under the stewardship of the Nicholson's chain. Inside there is lots of that dark grey paint we see these days, wooden flooring throughout, a white wooden boarded ceiling and mostly mainstream seating apart from the butchers' block high versions at the front. The place meanders around a bit, there are two bars, the main one near the front with a mini version towards the rear with a lesser choice, the handpumps on the main bar today had Thwaites Wainwright, Otter Bright, St Austell Proper Job (£3.55), Truman's Runner, Pride, Doom Bar, Bombardier and Nicholson's PA. A decent if partly mainstream range. The aforementioned sign and policy of a large head seems to have been abandoned, I looked for and didn't see said sign and there were no short measure issues with my pint.
It's not a bad spot really, very central and a hop from the station, if you can see past the modern grey paint look there are a few bits of local interest including railway related stuff such as cases of old Hornby train sets. There is a Tv, it was muted today with the SSN feed running today but live sports, in particular rugby are advertised.
There is some sort of "app" you can get on a smartphone that will get you a discount. I tried the free WiFi but it wanted to know my blood group and everything before accessing so I sacked that one off.
On 6th March 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tom Fairburn left this review about The Railway Tavern
The good ol' Railway Tavern is still serving short measured pints, with an inch of froth/bubbles on top of your pint. Unless you ask otherwise. So I don't go in there as much these days, I get fed up asking..! :o(
On 16th February 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 78 recommendations about 59 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tom Fairburn left this review about The Railway Tavern
As much as I like this pub (Railway Tavern), and I do. PLEASE BE AWARE:- The building & venue itself is fine & dandy. I luvvit! The barstaff are generally quite good & efficient. However... The Railway Tavern is a "Nicholson's Pub" and they have a policy (as depicted & described in a poster/notice high up behind the main bar) that they will serve every pint with a "Traditional head", unless you ask for otherwise! That means, you will get 2-3 centimetres of froth+bubbles on the top of your pint, whether it's ale, beer or lager. And that's INSIDE your glass, not on the TOP of your drink where it should or could be! In other words, they are not serving a full pint. Bar staff will argue that its all part of the modern drinking experience, and the 3cm of head adds to the flavour, etc, etc...!! When in fact, all they are doing is serving short measures. Don't let me put you off going to this pub, because it is now actually quite a nice venue, and very useful for Richmond train station! But just be aware of Nicholson's policy, and ASK for a full pint (...afterall, you're paying for a FULL pint)! God bless railway pubs...! TJ
On 20th January 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 78 recommendations about 59 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tom Fairburn left this review about The Railway Tavern
All those previous reviews seem a bit dated, so here's some up-to-date news: O'Neills is now called "Railway Tavern", which is kind of appropriate as it is the nearest pub to Richmond railway station! :o) It has just undergone a major refurb, and should be open today (27/11/14), looking all clean+sparkling, and with a total new look. I look forward to the new experience. God bless railway pubs...! :o) TJ
On 27th November 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 78 recommendations about 59 pubs]