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2^nd Ale & Steam Weekend on 22^nd & 23^rd May 2010

North Cotswold Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale

North Cotswold GWR Beer Festival Sells Out

The Second Beer Festival held at Toddington Station with Glos/Wark Railway on the weekend of 22/23^rd May was a great success. In glorious warm sunshine the crowds turned out and demolished 20 barrels of beer and 2 tubs of cider.

The event was put at risk in early May when a landslip between Cheltenham and Gotherington cut the rail link from Cheltenham Racecourse the main access point for the bulk of potential customers.

Festival Director Martyn Herbert responded by organising free buses for the Saturday directly to Toddington Station for access to the rail transport to the festival.

A second mishap occurred prior to the festival when Martyn was involved in a serious road accident and Festival Coordinator John Stocks had to take charge of final arrangements and set up. Martyn is now recovering and is taking phone calls.

Thanks are due to North Cotswold committee members and Glos CAMRA for rallying round and helping with set up and serving.

The numbers of beers were reduced from 24 to 20 due to the landslip which were split between two platforms served from the respective waiting rooms. The home bar (Photo 5) in the old waiting room provided 8 local Glos beers and the new waiting room was called the Away Bar (Photos 9 & 13) with the 12 regional beers. Gwatkin cider was available in both bars.

GWR provided a marquee next to the away bar in case of bad weather but this was mainly used as shade from the heat together with the established fir trees along the south facing grass bank. It was reminiscent of the atmosphere at Postlip with less beer. A number of additional trains were running practising for the subsequent Festival of Steam adding to the attraction for rail buffs.

Thornbridge Hopton Pale Ale was voted Beer of the Festival and we will be organising a helpers trip in the near future to the brewery much to the delight of John Stocks (Photo 7) who selected the great range of beer and remembered to put his voting slip in this time.

GWR picked up significant additional business and we doubled beer throughput also gaining 8 new members over the weekend. This event will be run again next year and we will increase beer quantities in response to the demand.

Thanks to everyone who attended and to the magnificent helpers.

Report & Photos Roger Price

Branch Chairman

(1) The 1^st train of the day was the 10:30 from Toddington. Some thirsty drinkers got off at Winchcombe, who broke the ice in sampling the first beers of the day. The engine is 7903 Foremarke Hall.
	(2) A thirsty Austrian Mountain Dog does not want to be left out.
(3) A visitor to our Ale & Steam weekend was no. 4612 from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Alas it mistook the water column for our beer supply, but there is always next year!
	(4) Due to the sunny weather the outside seating was much in demand.. This the bank near the “home” bar.
(5) The “home” bar, with Wye Valley and Stanway beers, amongst others, on offer.
	(6) One of the several free buses that substituted for the trains not being able to get to Cheltenham.
(7) Festival Co-ordinator John Stocks & wife Maureen.
	(8) The station taken from the footbridge.
(9) The “away” bar, serving amongst others the winning beer: Thornbridge Hopton Pale Ale.
	(10) The green area on the “away” bar platform, equally popular as the “home” bar.
(11) More happy drinkers and friends on the “away” bank.
	(12) Not to be outdone more happy drinkers and friends on the “home” platform, including Jim & Claire on a day off from the Ebrington Arms (Our 2010 POTY). They are showing off their poster for the forthcoming Ebrington fete – see link on our home page.
(13) Finally the “away” bar at the end of the day. In reality the new waiting room at Winchcombe station.