The Railway Inn

When the booking cock up occurred which meant we couldn't stay at Park View in Great Malvern for three nights, only the two, Sis suggested we try her local watering hole for the last night. The Railway Inn is about a mile and a half from the centre of Great M in Malvern Wells where the population likes to think of itself as a bit above the hoi-polloi of Malvern the Great.The place is run by Russell and his partner Terri (sorry if I spelt it wrong); I published a shot of Russell in the posting below. As he was most concerned about us getting his "good side", I'll publish it again here. This is the great man in action. The Jennings Bitter on the hand pump left of shot was scrummy.Sadly, I haven't got a shot of Terri who seemed to be constantly scurrying around sorting things out. Ah, 'twas ever thus for the lady of the household.

The Railway has some new B&B suites, freshly built just to the side of the main building (away from any bar noise if such things might bother you). They're very comfy and spacious, too. This is Mrs The Millbrooker and The Millbrooker-Sis in the sitting room end of our room (Dong and Shazzerooneypoos' was identical).

We paid the old rate of £65 per room including breakfast; I believe it's now £75. This is considerably lower than the bigger hotels in town and the rooms are a great deal bigger and more comfortable than the one that Mrs The Millbrooker and I shared at The Abbey Hotel which is currently priced at £83.80 if you pay up front. Well done to The Railway, say I.

In the evening we assembled back in the bar for pre-dinner slurpings and Russell kindly took charge of the camera. (L-R Shazzerooneypoos, Sleepy-Old-Go-To-Bed, The Millbrooker-Sis, Mrs The Millbrooker, yours truly and Dong).

We settled down for dinner and Sis had accurately predicted that the portions would be on the generous side. Here's Sleepy and Dong about the tuck into their mains of, respectively, Italian chicken and a pie (the contents of which I can't remember). Not only was the food plentiful, it was damned fine too. Good honest pub grub cooked and served with a touch of flair and a gallon of bonhomie. I'll definitely be pleased to return there for munchings next time I get to visit my big sis. Here's Shazzerooneypoos and Sis about to attack their large plateloads.

All too soon, 'twas time to say cheerio to Sis and Sleepy; Mrs The Millbrooker caught the moment of the farewell hug.And so to bed, and a very good night's sleep.

We asked for breakfast as "late as we can get away with", which was 09:30. Dong and Shazzerooneypoos did their usual "small portions, please". When asked what I'd like I told Russell that I'd have whatever he could fit onto the plate. He took me at my word. Beans, a huge portion of tomatoes, EIGHT (or was it nine) big thick rashers of bacon, two eggs and unlimited toast. Mmmm - heaven. I do love a big breakfast.

A taxi whisked us away to Great Malvern station, we indulged in a cuppa in the incredible "Brief Encounter" style tea room there and headed back on the iron horse, via Westbury, to the civilized territories of The Rame Peninsula. Needless to say, we all felt it to be only right to mark the end of the longest celebration in Milbrookian history with a pint or two at The 'Ark.A fine weekend away, to which we should all say "huzzah!"