The Bristol Railway Archive

From the Bristol Evening Post

Cheers! ALE lovers soaked up sun and beer at the Bitton Beer Festival.

The popular annual event, held at Avon Valley Railway, was a chance for visitors to sample more than 40 guest beers and ciders from across the country.

Cotswold Spring Brewery even produced a special beer for the event, called Off The Rails.

More than 1,500 people packed into the site over the course of the three-day event.

Avon Valley Railway commercial manager Bill Miller, who helped organise the festival said: "It was a very busy weekend and we were always full.

"It was a brilliant atmosphere. Holding it at Bitton Station is great because it is a unique venue for a beer festival and visitors can go on the trains or on a boat trip on the River Avon."

And guess who forgot all about it until they read the evening post and my relative is the assistant station master!!Shame on me!
Perhaps next time any interested archive members could meet up at Bitton and share an ale (and memory) or two?

Tim wrote:Perhaps next time any interested archive members could meet up at Bitton and share an ale (and memory) or two?

Great idea! A meet at Bitton, a ride on the train, and a strange brew or two to keep cool in the summer sun.

As far as I'm concerned any idea involving booze and trains is great-one of my favourite pubs is the Mount Pleasant at Dawlish Warren,good views,beer and trains.It was better when I was younger,more variety of trains then.

Are they still using their 07 on Saturdays at Bitton?

John

John Ball wrote:Are they still using their 07 on Saturdays at Bitton?

The 07 is probably the most-used engine down there, but I think the service is steam whenever possible. The 07 is usually shunting stuff around in the yard.