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Detail Pages
Off the Rails, Weston Central, Weston Super Mare
Weston Super Mare
BS23 1XY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Off the Rails
Funny little place, with a compact bar accessed from the station forecourt linked to an old-fashioned café with its door opening onto the 'up' platform. Although I was only there briefly, I got the impression that most of the other customers were locals rather than travellers (and the barmaid didn't go out of her way to stop chatting and start serving). Two Cottage beers on the handpumps: Duchess and Mosquito (£1.60, half).
On 15th April 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Off The Rails
This is very much a pub of two halves – one half has a reasonably traditional pub appearance and has a frontage out on to the street. The other half has the appearance of a station café (which is what it is) and fronts on to the platform.
Starting with the café half, this has a basic run-down appearance, with plastic chairs, a sandwich counter, ice-cream cabinet and a rack of newspapers for sale. Through the stone archway we come to the proper part of the pub. This too has a fairly basic and dated appearance, with some fetching red tile-effect lino around the floor near the bar, some rather worn carpet elsewhere and polystyrene tiles on the ceiling.
The L-shaped bar counter itself is of a traditional dark wood design, with a shelf around the top for storing glasses. There are a number of bar stools here which seemed to be where most of the locals congregated. Some of their language was a little colourful.
I’d always perceived this as being a bit of a real ale Mecca in spite of it’s unusual location, but there didn’t seem to be that extensive a range on when I visited. The only two beers on tap were Gem and Bees Knees. Ciders were better represented with Thatcher’s Gold, Heck’s Farmhouse, Thatcher's Traditional, Thatcher's Dry and Blackthorn.
On 1st June 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Off The Rails
Forming an integral part of the Weston Super Mare main line station building, with entrances both from the platform and the station concourse outside, is Off The Rails, a small single bar free house
The pub has a traditional feel with a dark mahogany small L shaped bar counter, gantry and bar back, fixed padded seating and some exposed stonework remaining from the original station building. There’s the inevitable framed railway engine prints, but the railway theme certainly does not dominate.
As part of the premises, in an adjoining room, there’s a rather old fashioned railway buffet selling newspapers, teas, coffees, rolls wrapped in clingfilm etc which is served by the same staff.
On the basis of my recent Monday evening visit, the pub has a strong loyal local trade with many evident regulars occupying bar stools and who clearly were not waiting for trains. Rather tellingly, the entrance door from the platform closes at 7pm and access can only be gained from outside the station.
Cider is very much the favoured drink of the boisterous, but good natured locals here, but there’s two handpumps which very serving RCH Pitchfork and Cheddar Valley Potholer, both priced at £ 2.80p and in good nick. I was informed that the beer range is rotated weekly. The pub is listed in the 2011 CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
There’s not the same overall experience that you get in the better known real ale station bars at say, Dewsbury or Stalybridge – and the beer range is more restricted as well – but, in a town where decent pubs seem desperately thin on the ground, you might want to look this one out when in town
On 17th October 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Off The Rails
A Good Beer Guide pub for some time now, this station bar is always worth popping into while in Weston. Free juke box playing and music not intrusive. Sky TV on with subtitles. Bath Barnstormer and Cheddar Potholer our beers of choice. Locals can apparantly suggest beers.
On 7th February 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave taylor left this review about Off The Rails
lovely pub one of my locals good range of real ales and well kept
On 1st March 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
graham dunbavan left this review about Off The Rails
Bar/ Buffet on Weston station worth missing a train for. changing real ale range
On 21st March 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 78 recommendations about 77 pubs]