Railway Hotel, Dartfordback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Railway is another pub no longer standing, and no sign of it ever being there . The station enlarged car park on recent changes, with more changes yet to come.
Another for Dartford's History books
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I first went to the Railway Hotel in 1967 and had many a good day there with many friends over the next 20+ years. Doris the landlady sold it to Peter around 1969 and the bar staff Peggy and Tim got there own pub, the Star Inn at Eastbourne.
Peter and his wife Edna turned the railway into a really nice friendly place to socialise and me, my friends and all the regulars were always welcome, whether on our own or together. A folk club was held every Thursday in the function room off the public bar and another club on Sunsdays. Peter was a very likeable landlord and we eventually became very good friends. I had my tankard behind the bar, a stool in the corner and eventually met my wife to be there, and happily had our reception in the function room.
Christmas day opening for a couple of hours became a regular visit for me and my relatives and we kept this going for many a year. Sadly it tailed of as Peter became ill and eventually passed away.
I re-visited the "Railway" a few years later when train travelling but it was just a shell of what it was. It did improve later, when we had a funeral reception there and it seemed to have recovered some atmosphere.
I am told that it is now, just a hole in the ground, being demolished for renovations of the Station, the old station approach road and buildings on it. I will miss it but will keep the memories of many happy - and sometimes too happy hours spent there with the family and the many friend I made.
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Demolished this week!
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Closed to make way for a new car park as part of the station upgrade
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Seems to be closed, not sure why, didn't seem to be any warning. Shame, was half decent. Nowhere convenient to go if the trains are cancelled now.
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Nowhere near as bad as people are saying. I stopped here waiting for a train expecting the worse but really friendly bar staff. No real beers,Stella on stop so all not lost. Rather bizarrely they have most of their Xmas decorations up.
tanky - 16 Nov 2011 18:05 |
Every time I go in here, I'm confused as to why there are "regulars" - it's so off the beaten track I don't understand who'd go there just for a drink (if you're not actually getting on/off a train). If it was the only pub within a couple of miles then fair enough, but there's loads of pubs (some good, some bad) just a couple of minutes away.
I've had vastly different experiences of this place when I've visited - so it's a bit of a lottery.
At best, it's been "average". The staff were efficient, if lacking in personality and the customers weren't too annoying.
At worst, its a hell hole. Miserable staff (actually, "defeated" is probably a better expression) and full of gobby chavs who think they're the funniest geezers in the world.
In summary: Cheap beer = cheap clientele.
Not exactly the jewel of Dartfords watering holes.
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A toilet to be honest, as mentioned before full of tracksuited baseball cap adorned chavs.
Much better pubs in Dartford, so if you're stuck at the station take a short stroll into the town centre.
Used to be alright.
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A station pub, especially with one with as big a station as Dartford, has usually a high number of people waiting for trains etc.
Not this one. This is very much a locals pub and pretty unsavoury locals at that. Always shouting, always noisy, always dank, dark and depressing.
The beer is cheap if you're not fussy about what you drink and if you enjoy pool, there is a large dedicated area with three tables. The whole place is uncared for and surprisingly run down considering it is a chain pub.
The staff always seem relatively helpful and do the best they can with what they've got. Considering the amount of times i've been in there and been subjected to selfish, noisy, attention-seeking idiots, I haven't seen any trouble which, considering the potential, surprises me enormously.
Overall, if your train is delayed and you strongly fancy a quick pint, this isn't desperately bad but it really isn't somewhere where you should consider going for a night out.
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Many a disgruntled smoker has been yapping on of late about how pubs suffer from the unpleasant whiff of bad BO since July 1st and yet, until a very recent visit to The Railway Hotel, had failed to notice it. Blimey was the stench potent in here! An air-freshener is most definitely required within and may I recommend a clothes-peg to anyone intending to pop in for a pint! Shame, as it feels a lot cleaner inside than before.
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All i can say about this pub, is it provided somewhere to have a piss when the station bogs are locked shut after getting of a train from Charing Cross.. This really is the original template of a deadbeats pub. Loud gobby tossers, who can't spell work, let alone understand the concept. during the hotter summer months you can always see a gaggle of deadbeats sitting outside showing off their cheap and unprofessional tattoo's leering at people leaving the station on thier way home.
One night inparticular springs to mind; After coming home on a Friday night from London, walking passed this pub there were two meat head bouncers (one of which used to go the the same gym as me and wa soooooooooo up his own ringpiece and had other sad and desperate people haning out the back of him, hogging all the weights. Tossers!) on the main doors, however the side doors of the pub were also open, but with no one stopping people coming in or out.
TBH, i'm glad i no longer live in Dartford or have to walk past this eyesore anymore, though i feel sorry for those that still do.
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Built in 1851, 2 years after the railway came to Dartford, the Railway Hotel is a rather down market pub but typical of the many pubs built primarily to service the short term requirements of rail travellers. The Railway is basically 3 rooms knocked through although they do have a separate identity. The main area nearest the station is a carpeted lounge albeit rather basic in approach with a couple of TV�s largely used for sport. Down a few steps is a smaller central bare floor area with just a couple of high chairs and tables and another small TV. Beyond the pillars, in what used to be a totally separate function room (and home to the Dartford Folk Club for many years) is a games room containing 3 pool tables. The pub is quite vibrant and with all the plasma screens, fruit machines and video jukebox, they must burn enough electricity to light up a small nation. The clientele can be a mix of the occasional suited and booted just off the train types to a more permanent regular base of rather unsavoury looking stereotypical characters wandering around shirtless and flaunting their tattooes although to be fair, I have never witnessed any trouble in here. The beers are keg bitters and lagers only (no real ales) and sold at discount prices. The food is also basic and cheap (2 burgers for �5.45). If your idea of a good pub is cheap beer, a game of pool and Karaoke on a Sunday then you could probably spend a good evening here. Otherwise, you will find the pub rather lacking any class or finesse but OK to meet someone for a quick pint before / after getting off a train.
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Situated just opposite Dartford train station, this is a fairly run-down locals pub with a loud jukebox and a couple of pool tables. The prices are reasonable however and I'd recommend it as a meeting point or a drink before getting the train home.
HTM69 - 16 Jul 2006 23:24 |
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