Britain has many Railway Inns, but Penkridge's is unique in being four centuries old and quite a distance from the Railway Station.  It is thought that the building, originally a cottage, was, during the 1830's, converted into a pub to cater for the railway construction workers who were barred from all the other pubs in the village.

Muck quieter and more welcoming now, this original part of the Railway Inn now forms the lounge with three separate areas, and a restaurant.   Some old wattle and daub can be seen in a wall of the restaurant.  As a pub of two halves, the Railway has its public bar housed in a separate building.  This, ar various times in the past, has been a garage, a mortuary and an auctioneers office.

Trevor and Linda Denston took on the Railway in August 1999.  They wasted no time in improving many aspects of the pub and gained owner Pubmaster's Pub of the Year award the first year they were there.  The Banks's Original and Bitter (both electrically pumped) are always superb, but this is hardly surprising given that Trevor had previously worked for over 25 years as a brewer at Banks's Wolverhampton brewery.  Also available is a guest beer which Trevor chooses twice a week from a list of about twenty.  Excellent, good value home cooked meals are served in the small restaurant and lounge every lunchtime and evening.

Based at The Railway are a dozen sports teams which compete at bowls, dominoes, darts, football, fishing and tennis.  The pub also has a beer garden.  The Railway Inn (Tel: 01785 712685) is situated on the main A449 road near the centre of Penkridge.  It opens at noon every day but usually closes between 2 and 6pm (weekdays) and 3 and 6pm (Saturdays).

(The above is taken from "Potters Bar", the Newsletter of the Potteries Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale)