Rail Ale Festival celebrates 15th birthday

The popular Rail Ale Festival at atmospheric Barrow Hill Roundhouse is set to celebrate its 15th birthday in style this weekend. Supported by CAMRA, this year’s festival takes place over three full days, with over 300 beers and ciders on offer, making it the biggest Rail Ale yet.

The of number of beers on the Craft & Continental Keg bar has also increased substantially to reflect the growing popularity of this way of serving beer. There will be a wide range of bottled beers from around the world, a comprehensive selection of fruit wines and several gluten-free beers too (subject to availability).

Classic steam and diesel locomotives will once again form the dramatic backdrops to the bars. Steam trains will run until 5pm on Friday and Saturday and there will, of course, be plenty of great live music and good food.

This year’s musical treats include New Orleans Heat Jazz Band, Shaun Byrne Open Mic, The Shaydes, Redwood, The Moode and Facsimile (Friday) and Ashover Brass Band, Shaun Byrne Open Mic, The Shaydes and Red Ruff, Flint, Moore & Byrne, Danny Smart and Doc Marten & The Ill Fitting Suits (Saturday).

Steam trains will run throughout the day on Friday and Saturday until 5.00pm and visitors can also take a ‘brake’ in one of the Roundhouse’s restored brake vans on the platform.

The Rail Ale Festival takes place at Barrow Hill Roundhouse in Chesterfield on Thursday 19th May, Friday 20th May and Saturday 21st May and will be open from 12 noon to 11pm on all three days.

Further information, including details of the free bus service from Chesterfield Railway Station can be found at http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/rail-ale-festival/.

(Images courtesy of Paul Bigland)