There’s nothing like the first sip of an ice-cold beer on a summer’s day. Our festival combines a love of ale with live music and good food, tied together with a ride through the beautiful Churnet Valley aboard an impeccably-restored heritage locomotive. Spanning 5 and a half miles, with events on-board and off, the Rail Ale Trail is the perfect way to spend a July weekend with family and friends.
Run in collaboration with the local Brewerys from Stoke, Stone, Stafford, Burslem and more, our real ale train embarks from Froghall, with opportunities to disembark at Froghall, Consall & Cheddleton. The line terminates at Leek Brook station – while you won’t be able to disembark here, you will get to see the locomotive move to the other end of the carriages in order to make the return journey. Our trains will be running frequently throughout the weekend, and the Saturday train will run until later in the evening with ticket discounts after 4pm.
Before you even set out on the beer train, you can begin at the delightful Signals Tearoom at Froghall Station for freshly-brewed tea and coffee, a spot of lunch, and traditional cakes and sweet treats.
Sample 40 Varieties of Ale
Once on board, relax in the vintage comfort of our 1950s-style carriages and peruse our extensive ale list while the stunning Churnet Valley landscape rolls by outside. With over 30 varieties from all over, you can sample your way up and down the country.
Cheddleton station is a throwback to the Victorian era, with an original Grade II-listed building. Hop off here to explore the locomotive sheds, which are, and stroll around the country village. Take a little wander down by the canal to see St Edwards Church and the Cheddleton Flint Mill, before returning to the station and our smaller bar for your next round of beers..
The Ale List... Coming Soon
The Main Event
Our main festival location will be at Consall. The tiny village is only accessible by train, giving it an exclusive, secret-garden feel. Join us here for live music and soak up the buzzing atmosphere. There will also be a variety of food stalls offering tasty treats to festivalgoers. Eat, drink, and dance until late on both days of the festival. Don’t forget to check out the delightful Black Lion pub too!
Walk in any direction out of the village to experience beautiful and peaceful countryside walks in the Staffordshire Moorland. Because of the frequency of our trains throughout the weekend, you can be as leisurely as you like when you explore the stops en-route. This makes for a laid-back day for you to simply enjoy.
Whether you’re a beer lover, virtuoso, or a keen foodie, the Rail Ale Trail festival has something for everyone. Children and dogs are also welcome to come along for the ride, and passengers can enjoy a 50% discount if you pre-book your tickets! What’s not to love?
We can handle bookings of any size, to get the best saving we advise you book ahead.
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Consall will have a BBQ and selection of refreshments.
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