The Transpennine Ale Trail. A tale of pubs, trains, delays, cancellations and rail replacement buses

During the recent international football break , The Primemutton embarked upon Northern England's most famous beer and railway trip. 8 stations , 8 pubs in the idyllic countryside of the southern pennines between Manchester and Leeds.
Starting in Manchester just after 1430h , 8 stops and 8 pints seemed a simple proposition with a turn around in Leeds anytime up until 2300h
However in true Mutton style , the journey soon went pear shaped , with a raft of timetable gaps , delays , and ultimately mass cancellations as Mutton struggles to find a way back home to Manchester.
Railway Inn Greenfield
/ railwayinngreenfieldol...
Riverhead Brewery Tap
www.theriverheadmarsden.co.uk
The Commercial Slaithwaite
/ thecommercialslawit
The Shoulder of Mutton Slaithwaite
/ theshoulderslawit
Head of Steam Huddersfield
www.theheadofsteam.co.uk/bars...
The Navigation Tavern Mirfield
www.navigationtavern.co.uk
The West Riding Refreshment Rooms Dewsbury
/ westridingrefreshmentr...
The station bar at Stalybridge which was closed
The Stalybridge Buffet Bar
/ stalybridgebuffetbar
and the final stop that I couldn't; make in Batley
The Cellar Bar Batley
thecellarbar.weebly.com
#realale #beer #britishrailways
#yorkshire #manchester

[@primemutton]

Britain's rail network is in a bit of a mess , but I think I was genuinely unlucky with all the delays , cancellations and timetable gaps. The trip is a lovely trip and all of the pubs featured were very welcoming and offer half pints and soft drinks as well as the usual pub offerings. I don't think the trip needs organising with military precision. Just check your outgoing train when arriving at each stop.

[@pharmajoe990]

Trains and beer are two of my favourite things in the world, and certainly a brilliant combination. This looks like a grand old way to spend a day.

[@pharmajoe990]

I wrote this before the delays and cancellations set in. Have to say, sadly, it's very similar to here in Victoria, Australia.

[@primemutton]

Yes and the dire rail services certainly gave the vlog authenticity.

[@allanscanlon6327]

Really enjoy your videos Mr. Mutton. As someone who lives in Japan, I sympathise with the embarrassing state of British railways, but on the plus side, the picturesque country stations and villages, pub life, footie and European culture and cuisine at least give me a taste of the things I miss about home.

[@primemutton]

The railways in Britain at the moment are about as bad as they’ve ever been . British Rail was much better back in the day.

[@exiledbluemaxonian]

Great video Mutton, I've been to the Head of Steam a few years back as my sister in law lives just outside Huddersfield, some great drinking dens around the station. One had a huge black board with real ales from all over the world with some heavy hitters. Shame about the trains, great insight of the Trans Pennine Trail, would like to do this 👍👍

[@vaanishokar4426]

I’m planning to take on the Tarka Line Ale Trail (Barnstaple to Exeter) later this week, and was looking to do some research on what goes into enjoying an ale trail as this would be my first. Your beer knowledge very entertaining VLOG has definitely given me some much needed insight! I’m glad to say you’ve made a muttonista of me! Keep up the good work and look forward to your future uploads!

[@primemutton]

Let us know how you get on!

[@jontymo]

Great vlog, we lived in Slawit for 2 years before moving to Marsdenn for 10 years!! The Shoulder of Mutton was our local as was the obvious choice in Marsden - The Riverhead, brings back great memories 👍

[@bluemooner1958]

Brilliantly understated! Best laid plans! 🤣

[@faridmarlow3572]

Bonne bière, et bon chapeau ! C'est magnifique.

[@primemutton]

Merci Monsieur

[@chrisbayes2972]

Such a classic ending! Highlighting the farcical nature of life on Brtain's railways. Great video, mate.

[@primemutton]

You'd have thought 8 pubs starting at 1400H would be enough time, but late trains , bizarre gaps in the timetable , and the rail replacement bus without even time or a machine to grab a bottle of water at the end , yes classic Britain on the railways. The railways in the north of England and particularly this line are some of the worst in the country

[@chrisbayes2972]

@primemutton Myself and a friend did a similar thing a few years ago - The Yorkshire ale trail - A pint in each of Yorkshire's eight largest towns and cities. Ended up doing them all, but had to taxi home to Liverpool from Manchester due to cancellations etc!

[@CharlesHart5]

Great video. Sorry it didn’t go as planned but an inspiring journey. Love the Peaks.

[@stuartcartwright]

Excellent, thanks👍🏻

[@jph2856]

Great video Mutton. I bet it is great in the summer

[@primemutton]

I did the eastern half during summer and these places are heaving at weekends /bank holidays

[@maxbryson9419]

Would really like to follow this ale trail. Some of the pubs look absolutely amazing. May take a bit of organisation as I live in London!

[@darrelmorton8511]

Great vlog , I hope there was a toilet on the coach 😀. I did a train pub crawl once from Barrow-in-furness to Lancaster .

[@jonhigginson4096]

I only stumbled upon your vlogs recently, really enjoying them thanks. TPE are hopeless, although used them from Liverpool to Glasgow on Saturday and everything was bang on and a belting day’s drinking was had with pals in Glasgow city centre.

[@primemutton]

Thanks 🙏 glad you’re enjoying the content

[@jonathonhewitt8769]

Great blog as always but bring some rations with you. We all know what the rail service is like.👍

[@GWJUK]

You are a legend! MCFC!

[@superbia75es]

Mutton. Legend in the making. Prefer this stuff to fish head soup. THAT, was a HARD WATCH, Jason.

[@primemutton]

Even as a regular user of the railways , I didn’t except them to be so bad on this occasion!

[@johnomahoney7755]

Love your accent.

[@josephflynn4662]

Love the video, did you have to buy a single between each stop or just one return and get off at each stop?

[@primemutton]

I just bought a Manchester to Leeds return . The guard told me I could get off and on as I liked as long as it’s in a linear manner , so no backtracking . Perfect for the trail . For those starting in Leeds , there’s a West Yorkshire rover but you’d have to buy a Marsden Stalybridge return to do the first 2 stops (both tickets very cheap ) if you do give this trip a try , drop me a line here and let me know how you get on.

[@antiv]

Nice part of England innit

[@primemutton]

Yes. But with some of the worst railway services

[@ketoken]

I really enjoyed your day out, thank you. Sorry, you had such a rubbish British Rail experience, some things do not change. Take care.

[@primemutton]

Thanks , glad you enjoyed it 😃

[@bigmorgan3640]

did boris johnson organise that trip all hassel good vlog tx

[@primemutton]

😆

[@michaelleigh2446]

All that beer, then a bloody train from Hudds, worrabout the loo?

[@carlthornton1892]

Highlighted the very best of Britain; the beers, the pubs, the views and the food, (pork pie with mustard then pie mash & mushy peas). Sadly also Highlighted the very worst of Britain: our rail network. Great vlog though

[@superbia75es]

Privatisation. Who knew. The railways are as bollocksed as pretty much everything else.

[@nickloat7601]

What hat is that you're wearing there, Mutton?

[@primemutton]

A rather extravagant Panama that I bought in Seville . Just the ticket on a cool damp day in West Yorkshire 🥴😆

[@stevetolley6958]

Great vlog really helpful.

[@themelted4614]

Put me right off this ale trail that...flat ale lol

[@primemutton]

Well i suppose not everyone likes cask conditioned ales . I would have thought the awful rail services would be more off putting

[@themelted4614]

@@primemutton i love cask ales and ipa s . Not into cancelled trains abd closed pubs lol

[@ronaldworth4146]

Has to be a cider tour next mutton ?🍎🍏

[@primemutton]

Thinking about one in Bristol

[@primemutton]

But if you know of a rail line and cider crawl pls let me know

[@ronaldworth4146]

I don’t know a tour for you but I’d like to know what you think of thatchers gold cider 🍺 if you have ever tried it ?

[@welsh-3286]

its ron from goodnight sweetheart wheres gary sparrow

[@markkennedy4936]

Bloody mess transport in the north..i know

[@roberthinds3377]

top man mcfc ok x

[@robmarland5276]

Transpennine are an absolute joke. Their trains are like this every day, read customer reviews!