Thursday 13 December 2018

Brunellian Beer Moment...

On a final visit (probably) before I retire (definitely) to the company office in Reading, I let the train take the strain...
... which enabled me to partake in a couple of beers at the team Christmas lunch (no silly hats, jumpers, or other Christmas tat in evidence by the way).

While the restaurant didn't do cask, it did offer smaller containers of quality craft.  The Wild Beer Co. Millionaire - salted caramel chocolate stout was a very good example of the craft art, and though the Beavertown Neck Oil was only slightly behind on taste, the entertaining artwork on the can made up for it.

Setting off home after the lunch, with my retirement rose bush in 5 litre pot in tow (just one of the lovely presents from my lovely colleagues), I was in plenty of time for my train at Reading station - so couldn't resist popping into the station pub The Three Guineas.
IKB's magnificence...

 This magnificent grade 2 listed building was built in 1840, by the Great Western Railway (GWR) man himself Isambard Kingdom Brunel, not as a pub or a railway hotel - it was originally the railway's central ticket office.

Fullers, the pub owner, explain that the name is a reference to the prize money offered in a 1904 competition held by the GWR to name an express train, which ran 245 miles non-stop from London to Plymouth, quite a feat in those days (as well as today).

For you railway history buffs, the winning name was 'The Riviera Express' and the winner was a Mr A. Norack, of Gayton Engine, Lincolnshire
(ok, only part of that is true)....

Despite the new modern station having been redeveloped around it in recent years, the building still manages to look imposing despite the less than sympathetic modernist station architecture...

Brunellian versus Grimshawlian architecture....(image Wikipedia)
...not to mention one or two other bits of classic street art which have sprung up on the station plaza recently, like the gigantic screen - adventurously named 'Reading Light', (which may be a play on words depending on how you 'read' it)...

...turkey you've been waiting for...
...and the giant squid on a stick...celebrating Reading's historic association with the sea, before it receded in the last ice age (the sea that is, not Reading - possibly)...

...is this the way to Brighton Sea Life...?

The Three Guineas, sits sensibly and calmly amongst  all this modern madness.   The grand front entrance is adorned with a classic station canopy which now shelters customers using the outside tables, and still displays signs that direct the way to railway related locations that no longer exist...

Signs of old railways....

Inside, the elegance of the old Great Western continues, high ceilings with plaster friezes, fluted square columns, and a wooden cased four-sided GWR clock hanging from the ceiling...

Elegance from a past age...'Gods Wonderful Railway' just visible on the tiled area behind the bar...
There were quite a few customers on this late Wednesday afternoon, all undoubtedly railway travellers, luggage in tow, grabbing a drink or bite to eat, passing the time reading a book, before it was time for their train.  Despite the ebb and flow of travelling customers, the sheer scale of the pub made it feel quite empty.

At the bar there was the full range of traditional Fullers beers, plus one or two of their new ones...so I had one of those...

Dark Star Hophead - new Fullers beer...

The Dark Star Hophead was a good pint...

Marble effect table tops free of beer mat clutter...

I spent a very pleasant half hour drinking my beer in this calming  environment from a past age, and, looking through the window on to the station platforms,  could just imagine the smoking and hissing Great Western steam locomotives standing there in earlier times...
Window onto the station platform...

....but probably not like this one...

Not the Riviera Express....
I could have happily stayed longer, and was in two minds whether to have another beer as I returned to the bar with my empty glass, but then I saw that the departure screen was showing a train for Southampton departing from platform 3 in a few minutes time...

...so leaving the past glories of the GWR behind...I ran for it....

Pub photo - another busy day as the delivery of Bass casks arrives in the GWR goods shed...



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7 comments:

  1. Russtovich15 December 2018 at 16:56

    "The Wild Beer Co. Millionaire - salted caramel chocolate stout was a very good example of the craft art"

    My mouth is watering already. Sadly I can't find many decent stouts/porters in this area. Or at least ones that don't cost an arm and a leg.

    "the entertaining artwork on the can made up for it."

    That actually reminds me somewhat of a mobile game I'm playing. :)

    "with my retirement rose bush in 5 litre pot in tow "

    And here was me interpreting your first sentence as retiring to the company office after being out and about for the Christmas party. ;)

    So; congrats on the retirement. :)

    "Isambard Kingdom Brunel, not as a pub or a railway hotel - it was originally the railway's central ticket office."

    Love the name; and the man himself was pretty good too.

    "held by the GWR to name an express train,"

    Was the winner Trainy Mctrainface? :)

    "quite a feat in those days (as well as today)."

    (slow golf clap) well done sir!

    "Brunellian versus Grimshawlian architecture....(image Wikipedia)"

    Yikes!

    "(which may be a play on words depending on how you 'read' it)..."

    Indeed. (LOL)

    "...turkey you've been waiting for..."

    Sigh. And from the looks of it an M&Ms advert. I have one within walking distance of me.
    (the shop, not an advert) :)

    "...and the giant squid on a stick"

    Bloody hell. Apparently it's to raise awareness about ocean sustainability and offers the chance to become a plastic activist. Sheesh

    "'Gods Wonderful Railway' just visible on the tiled area behind the bar..."

    Clicking on the photo makes that easier to read.

    "Dark Star Hophead - new Fullers beer..."

    I thought you were kidding but apparently not. ;)

    "free of beer mat clutter..."

    Oooooh. Those could be fighting words to some. :)

    "...so leaving the past glories of the GWR behind...I ran for it...."

    Obviously you're not quite in 'retirement mode' just yet. (LOL)

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. garden hermit16 December 2018 at 00:21

      Thanks Russ - the big R day is next Friday 21st - not long now...

      Some good research there into some of my post topics - I never knew that about the squid or Trainy Mctrainface. Trainy sounds like someone from one of Si's pub posts, but I guess he was an early railway enthusiast...

      I think the turkey advert might be Tesco - but I can't quite see it clearly enough to be certain. I guess M&Ms is a store on your side of the pond, in the UK M&Ms is more associated with these:

      http://www.mms.com/

      Yes - it's the truth about Fullers owning Dark Star - it's their craft micro-brewer acquisition...

      I'm guessing that you think the Grimshawlian architecture is a bit grim (like me)...

      Beer mats - being a mixture of ironic and controversial there - I'm a big beer mat fan really - disappointed that BeerMat hasn't commented in protest though ;)

      There's a bit more to the 'journey home' story by the way....

      Having run down the platform (with rose), and jumped on the train as the doors were closing I walked down the carriage looking for a non-reserved seat. I found a window seat and had to ask a young female passenger in the aisle seat to allow me to squeeze into the seat.

      Though I had little time to consider it, I decided not to try and put the rose bush on the overhead luggage shelf in case it tipped it's compost onto passengers below.

      So I sat down, ruck sack on floor between my legs, rose on my knee. There was no prospect of being able to move to take my coat off without causing major disruption to other passengers (you've probably been there)...

      I sat there overheating from the exertion of running, in my suit and outdoor coat in a very warm carriage.

      Halfway through the train journey I thought I'd better give my wife a call to pick me up from the Hythe ferry - to avoid walking the mile home with the rose bush. When I got my phone out of my pocket I was just in time to see the last bit of the battery power bar fade away before it shut down with a flat battery...
      ...and so with no way of contacting my wife - I did the mile walk home with the rose (in the rain)...

      I though I was going to expire - rather than retire....
      ;)

      Delete
    2. Russtovich16 December 2018 at 15:06

      Blimey! That train ride in itself is reason enough to retire!

      I think you're right about the turkey advert. I clicked on the photo to get a larger image and what I took to be the M&M logo on the top left is really some wine glasses with orange lighting behind it. For the record, this is the M&M I was referring to:

      https://www.mmfoodmarket.com/en/home

      It's all frozen food but to be fair some of it isn't that bad.

      As for the beer mats and Mr. BeerMat himself, I quite agree! :)

      And now I have to go and assist my dear wife with yet more Christmas party catering. The poor woman has had catering every day so far this month (besides doing food for her lunch truck, which I've been driving non-stop for the past two weeks).

      Here's hoping your home brewing is enough to keep you busy in retirement. :)

      Cheers

      Delete
    3. garden hermit18 December 2018 at 10:01

      Certainly sounds like you’re busy but it must be good for business. I hope you both get the opportunity to rest and enjoy Christmas :)

      Yes I’ll definitely be looking forward to some relaxed ‘retirement’ brewing...

      ...and some pub visits...
      :)

      Delete
    4. Russtovich19 December 2018 at 16:57

      "I hope you both get the opportunity to rest and enjoy Christmas :)"

      Most definitely! Her lunch truck goes on hiatus after this Friday until January 2nd. We plan to spend at least Sat/Sun/Mon before Christmas doing sweet bugger all. Between Christmas and New Year's we'll drop in on the nearby neighbours for an hour or so; and in between will continue to do sweet bugger all. :)

      "...and some pub visits..."

      LOL! Good man! Have one (or two!) for me.

      Cheers!

      Delete
    5. garden hermit20 December 2018 at 10:44

      Will do...

      ...and it sounds like you’re in for a lovely restful Christmas (the best kind IMHO).

      A very Merry Christmas to you!

      :)

      Delete
    6. Russtovich21 December 2018 at 16:40

      Right back at ya!

      Merry Christmas Glyn. (inset Christmas tree smilie here). :)


      Cheers!

      Delete

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