Home Page

Diary

Pub News

Walking

Contacts

Map

Links

2^nd Summer Ale & Steam Weekend Report

North Cotswold Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale

The ever popular Ale and Steam Weekend run by North Cotswold CAMRA held on 8^th and 9^th August was a great success and once again blessed with very fine weather. Repeating the two station concept held at Winchcombe Station with 20 beers and 4 ciders it also included Toddington Station where 11 beers and 3 ciders were served from the No 2 Waiting Room on the North Platform.

James Fry our new Cider Coordinator provided a fresh look at our cider offerings with more local emphasis. There was more train travel between stations for customers to experience the full beer and cider range and also avoided any delays in serving the beers.
	<< Set up ready to go Winchcombe
Tasters turned up in strength prior to opening. Here outside Winchcombe Bar .
	The second bar at Toddington proved very popular with a particularly interesting range of beers and was signposted from the main platform achieving record sales for this station.
George standing in for the regular entry team Dick and Dawn at Winchcombe
	Hot Weather dictated a gazebo for the first time at Winchcombe for the staff. Not needed by the more weather resistant Toddington staff,
Our flag was deployed again at Winchcombe and most tables occupied
	Tickers sheltering from the sun in the tent at Winchcombe
Membership Secretary Garry Hayward recruited 5 new members for CAMRA. Veronica standing in for Garry on the membership stand >>
.	We were also delighted to welcome the North Oxford Chairman and Vice Chairman with 15 members on Saturday who were attending for the second time and as promised returned with more members this year. The group is shown here posing in front of our flag
Phillip our Pubs Officer and wife Lynn with Bobby embark on first round rail trip
	Toddington Bar gets busy with some Cirencester staff resting
Even the trains get thirsty on a very hot day
	<< Jonathan visits Toddington and helps count the takings Most of the beer was sold with Saturday the busier of the two days with two running out on Saturday with most available through to Sunday.
Winner of the Festival, the first to run out, was Lagonda IPA 5% apv from Marble Brewery served from Winchcombe closely followed by Summer Light 4% apv from Otter Brewery served from Toddington Platform. Ragged Stone Medium Cider was first to run out again at Winchcombe so is the cider winner. Birthday girl chooses GWR for her special day and drinks the last pint of Marble Lagonda IPA on her return from Toddington >>
	29 Gloucester hash harriers boost attendance at Winchcombe on Sunday
Early Hash finishers get to the bar first at Winchcombe
	The group move to Toddington later in the afternoon and boost the beer sales there.
Donnington supplied one of the last 150 years anniversary brew and George returns the pump clip by express transport from Toddington to Winchcombe
	<< The Winchcombe Helpers Congratulations to Festival Coordinator Martyn Herbert and Good Beer Co supplier Rob Brady who again provided a great range of beers including 6 locals with the furthest from Liberation in Jersey brewed 192 miles away.
The Toddington Helpers >> The Railway were delighted with the extra custom and rail travel. Andrew Smith from GWR felt it had been a huge success with this new format settling down very well. This second Summer GWR event achieved 90% of the turnover of the very popular Spring GWR festival and was 18% up on the 1^st Summer GWR last year.

Both bars were emptied and reconverted to waiting rooms by 6pm on Sunday night and all empties and racking removed offsite.

Thanks to all helpers for a very successful event and particularly the Toddington Team of Peter Rowe, Martin Jones and Rob James who have raised the game at Toddington successfully.

Report by Roger Price, North Cotswold CAMRA branch Chairman. Photos by Roger and Peter.