The area of New Barnet is one of
many commuter towns built in London during the rapid expansion of the railway
network in the mid-19th century. The area was originally part of the
Lyonsdown Estate, when the GNR (Great Northern Railway) approached them with
intention of buying some fields to lay their railway line through the area,
they were forced to buy up the whole estate. They subsequently sold it to the
British Land Company shortly after the opening of Barnet Station in 1850. The
station was meant to serve the town of Chipping Barnet, however it was over 1½
miles. The developers were buoyed in constructing roads (initially Lyonsdown
Road and Station Road) and subsequently residential side streets and housing.
This became an attractive investment from homeowners hoping to escape from the city,
and by the late 19th century, the area became one of the most densely
populated parts of East Barnet. In order to cash in on this new population boom,
a number of pubs were constructed to serve the local population, a number survive
to this day, including The Railway Tavern, The Railway Bell, The Builders Arms,
and The Lord Kitchener. When the station was built, a goods yard was also constructed.
In order to cater for the railway workers, two pubs were built either-side of
the rail bridge. Unusually both pubs have Railway in the title which in unique
in itself, they embody the rapid development of ‘railway’ pubs during this
period, where across the country breweries with sizeable estates sought to capitalise
on the railway boom by building their pubs near stations. While most towns
generally have one pub near a station, New Barnet has two. This is a result of
the intense competition of large breweries Charrington’s and Thomas Clutterbuck
& Co. who acquired lucrative plots of land located near the station, establishing
within the space of a decade following the opening of the station. Rather surprisingly
both pubs continue to operate till this day, so I decided to visit both pubs
and check out this curious phenomenon.
THE RAILWAY TAVERN
Located on the eastern side of the
railway bridge on 3 East Barnet Road, it was constructed in 1862. It was formerly
a Charrington pub, at one time the brewers were one of the largest in London
with a sizeable estate across London and the home counties. The pub has since
passed through a series of owners and is currently a Wells & Co pub. A compact-corner
pub, it was built after the side roads were constructed, the exterior is a
simple two-storey asymmetrical arrangement with a row of identical sash windows
on the top floor separated by pilasters, and two bay windows on the ground floor
with lattice adornments and some stained-glass features. The hanging sign has a
picture of steam locomotive, in keeping with its railway links. The exterior is
largely unchanged since Victorian times, though the entrances into the former
public bar area have since been bricked over. The interior retains many of its
original Victorian features, centred around a bar replete in dark oak with fielding
panelling and distinct sloping corners, surrounded by stools. Some of the
original stone tiling is present near the bar, interspersed with more contemporary
slatted wooden flooring. The long bar counter is a throwback to its days when
the pub was divided into multiple serving areas, the north face of the bar
still has its original gantry that looms over the pump clips. The fireplace adjacent
to the bar is also an original feature. The abundance of seating in this
section of the pub, implies it would have served the saloon bar, while towards
the public bar was located towards the rear, the lack of seating and tables in
this area is a throwback to this. The walls are combination of fielded panelling
below window height and plain walls painted in Salmon and Cream. Going towards
the rear of the bar, the walls are replete in fielded panelling which suggests
a later 20th century addition. While there is table seating towards
the entrance, most of the seating around bar consists of stalls and high back
chair set against oak beer barrels repurposed as tables. This is broken up by
charming looking snug adjacent to the bar, yet most of the dining seat is
located at the rear of the building. A room at the back is a more recent addition,
built to accommodate extra dining seating and functions. There is also an extensive
beer garden, though part of it has sheltered seating near the rear entrance. The
pub is in very essence a sport bar, with sports themed paraphernalia covering
nearly every inch of the vicinity from football team flags on the ceiling to
walls replete with signed shirts, framed photos of various rugby, football,
horse racing and golf clubs, with some fascinating curious in between including
a Guinness sign featuring a Toucan balancing two pints on its beak while holding
a football, an illustrated tribute to the iconic managers and players of
Tottenham Hotspur and a photo of the pub’s sponsored golf team based in west
Ireland. The Irish theme is predominant in this pub from its heavy use of
Guinness merchandise, flags and its collection of Irish sporting memorabilia. While
the menu boasts a selection of traditional pub fare from a wide range of
sandwiches, jacket potatoes, roasts, salads and contemporary flourishes like serving
platters. The are two bars at adjacent sides of the counter, with north featuring
three handpumps for cask ale, though only two were available on my visit. In essence
despite it being a traditional sports bar, the pub exudes a cosy and homely,
community atmosphere and on a quiet afternoon it is a great place to hide away
from the bustling streets.
THE RAILWAY BELL
Located the other side of the rail
bridge at No. 13 East Barnet Road, the pub was built shortly after the
construction of the nearby station as was originally commissioned by Thomas Clutterbuck
& Co, a Stanmore based brewery that owned a vast number of pubs around
Middlesex and Hertfordshire around this time. In 1990 it was acquired by JD
Wetherspoons, which at the time was a rather unusual acquisition by the pub
chain who normally used to buying out former commercial shop premisses. In the
summer of 2013, over a two-month period the pub was extensively renovated, at
the cost of £1million with a large conservatory added at the rear to cater for
dining, an open plan kitchen, an expanded garden with decking and new
furniture, split into smoking and non-smoking areas respectively. This led to
the removal of the car-park to facilitate the extension of a larger garden
area. The exterior maintains much of its original Victorian features, featuring
an asymmetrical set of lattice bay windows, interspersed with a double pair of
doors which would have led into the saloon and public bars originally, with a pair
of brass Victorian lanterns hanging above each door. The upper floors continue
the asymmetrical setup with rows of sash windows, while the hanging sign features
a cut out of locomotive bell. There is an extension to the left side, while on
the right side there is a covered gated entrance leading to the pub garden, which
in times gone by once housed a barn. The interior is split into three identifiable
sections, the former public bar is now devoted to rows of dining tables
arranged to resemble an airport bar. On the adjacent side, the saloon area has over
a dozen sets of high chairs and tables, interspersed with the odd slot machine
or two. This section of the pub is clearly devoted to drinkers, though dining
options are available across all tables. Tartan floor designs give this section
a homely appearance, whilst the modern light fittings feel rather out of place.
In keeping with its railway links there are numerous paintings and photos of steam
locomotives on the wall, while a more recent addition features a picture of a locomotive
that displays a detailed step by step guide to the brewing process represented
by different platforms. There is little trace of the pub’s original features at
any point in the interior, even the bar has been covered up with modern matchboard
panelling that wouldn’t look out of place in a sauna. A brass rail surrounds a
polished countertop, while pillars are interspersed along various points along
the counter, supporting a gantry that features sets of circles that evoke the
wheel lineup of a steam locomotive, which I found to be a neat touch to its
railway links. Towards the rear of the bar is the expansive conservatory with scores
of dining tables devoted to restaurant service, although the addition of this
added seating area doubled the pub’s turnovers, it somewhat takes away from the
traditional pub like feel that the place once had. Unlike the pub down the road,
this pub was heaving with customers, with virtually every table and stool taken
up, most of the tables were occupied by families who were out for lunch, which is
understandable given that Wetherspoons is generally a family orientated
enterprise. The pub’s devotion to real ale makes up for its shortcomings, featuring
an impressive number of cask ales, up to 10 at the time of counting which surely
must be a record for the Barnet area. Indeed, a few years ago back in 2022 the
pub appeared in the CAMRA beer guide. While three of the ales were Spoons
regulars, the other 7 were from various London microbreweries as on the day of
my visit the pub was hosting a London themed beer festival. Since it was only a
flying visit, I only had time to sample two halves, I sampled some Biscuit
Town Porter (5%) – Southwark Brewing, and Wit’s End (4.7%) –
Sambrook’s, both equally scrummy beers bursting with flavour and quality,
highlighting the very best qualities of their respective beer styles.
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