16th Real Ale & Cider Festival!

• Tunbridge Wells West: 18:00 to 22:00.


• Groombridge: Closed.


• Eridge: Closed.


• Trains: No train service.

Last orders 15 minutes prior to bar closing.

• Tunbridge Wells West: 11:00 to 23:00.


• Groombridge: 11:00 to 20:30.


• Eridge: 11:00 to 21:30.


• Trains: From 10:25 until 23:10. Train bars are open from the first until the last train.

Last orders 15 minutes prior to bars closing.

• Tunbridge Wells West: 11:00 to 23:00.


• Groombridge: 11:00 to 20:30.


• Eridge: 11:00 to 21:30.


• Trains: From 10:25 until 23:10. Train bars are open from the first until the last train.

Last orders 15 minutes prior to bars closing.

• Tunbridge Wells West: 11:00 to 17:00.


• Groombridge: 11:00 to 16:00.


• Eridge: 11:00 to 16:00


• Trains: From 10:20 until 16:30. Train bars are open from the first until the last train.

Last orders 15 minutes prior to bars closing.

We recommend starting your visit at Tunbridge Wells West, the main festival location. Arrive through our main gates to see the Victorian Engine Shed and the main hub of our event.

Upon entering the shed, you’ll find our sales desk. This is where you can purchase a ‘Starter Pack’, which includes your own branded glass, a beer card, and an event guide.

A beer card is our version of money at the bars; you pay at the sales desk, take your beer card and then use it to make payment for the drink you want to enjoy.

Using the event guide, you’ll see a list of magnificent ales and ciders available to you at our main Tunbridge Wells West bar. When you’ve chosen one you like the sound of, take your glass and your beer card to the bar. Ask the bartender for either a half or a full pint of what you’d like, and they will go ahead and pour a delicious drink for you. Hand them your beer card, and they will strike down the amount the drink is worth, leaving you with the remainder to purchase a further drink later on. Take your drink and enjoy!

If you would like to purchase additional beer cards later, return to the sales desk and ask for more. Beer cards are sold in denominations, and with drinks ranging from £4.50 to £8.50, depending on the ABV%, you should always be able to complete a card. Please note that there are no refunds for any unused denominations on the cards.

If you want to explore the rest of the railway, head to the ticket office, purchase a train ticket for just £20, and hop on one of the many trains running during the day.

Alight at Groombridge or Eridge with your glass and your beer card, head to the bar and follow the same process!

We look forward to welcoming you to our 16th Real Ale & Cider Festival.

• These will be announced in September 2026

• These will be announced in September 2026

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• Fullers Butcher BBQ


• Khao Thai Food


• Dirty Fries


• Holly’s Cakes


• Station shop

• Rascalls Event Catering Pizza Stall


• Station kiosk

• TBC


• Station Kiosk

Built at Brighton Works in 1947, the locomotive was dedicated by Air Vice Marshall Sir Keith Park, the locomotive’s namesake, on the 15th September 1947 at Brighton station on the same day as classmate 21C167 ‘Tangmere’.

Allocated to Salisbury MPD, 34053 spent considerable time on loan to Stewarts Lane depot, where it was recorded hauling the heavy Continental boat expresses, including the Golden Arrow on many occasions. Following brief spells at Nine Elms and Exmouth Junction, it returned to Salisbury in 1951, working over the entire South Western network. In November 1958, the locomotive was rebuilt, and its air-smoothed casing was removed. It returned to the Salisbury MPD.

The rebuilding solved most of the maintenance problems whilst retaining the excellent features of the original design. Repair costs were reduced by up to 60%, and coal consumption was reduced by up to 8.4%. A final transfer in 1960 saw it operating out of Bournemouth depot, and at times it traversed the Somerset & Dorset at the head of the Pines Express.

34053 was withdrawn in October 1965 and towed to Barry scrap yard in South Wales the following March. Its arrival was delayed by several weeks, as some connecting rods in 34053’s tender struck a bridge near Chandler’s Ford. The convoy of locos, which also included 76068, was left at the east siding of Romsey station for several weeks. 34053 arrived at Woodham’s scrap yard in Barry during March 1966.

The locomotive, after a period of different ownership, was purchased by Southern Locomotives Limited, which undertook a full restoration. Thanks to the generosity of its shareholders, 34053 returned to steam for the first time since October 1965 in May 2012.

Having moved to Tunbridge Wells West in 2020, 34053 underwent a 10-year boiler overhaul between 2022 and 2023, returning to service in June 2024. The locomotive was temporarily renamed ‘303 Squadron’ from September 2024 for a year, commemorating the Polish Air Force and its men who fought in the Battle of Britain.

Rededicated as ‘Sir Keith Park’ at Eridge station in September 2025, the mighty Bulleid Pacific will take you back to the golden age of steam.

At 126 years old, this Victorian engine is still going strong and putting on some of the best performances you could ever see from a steam engine!

The Caledonian Railway Company built No.828 at their St. Rollox engineering workshops in the Springburn district of Glasgow. She is one of 20 of her class, which were constructed at St. Rollox between May and November 1899^. 828 herself was delivered from the works at the end of August 1899; she has recently turned 126 years old!

Owned by the CR828 Trust N^o. 828 was built by the Caledonian Railway at in 1899. J. F. Mcintosh designed the locomotive to handle a variety of stopping passenger and express goods workings and is usually based at the Strathspey Railway. N^o. 828 has been on long-term loan to the Spa Valley Railway since March 2022 and has undergone routine and heavy repairs during this time. However, the locomotive can regularly be seen operating along the line between Tunbridge Wells West and Eridge.

Throughout the Summer of 2025, the ‘Caley’ has been the mainstay of our steam operations, as 34053 visited the Mid Norfolk Railway. 828 will remain on loan for the foreseeable future.

80078 was built at Brighton at a cost of £17,364 and entered service in February 1954. It was based in the Eastern Region, operating commuter services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Line (LT&S) out of London until the route was electrified in 1962. In July 1962, it came under Western Region ownership when it relocated to Shrewsbury and later to Croes Newydd in Wrexham. While at Croes Newydd, it passed to London Midland Region ownership when Croes Newydd (along with Shrewsbury) was transferred to the London Midland Region in September 1963.

The locomotive was withdrawn in March 1965 and sent to Barry Island the following year. It was saved and restored to operational service by the PROJECT 78 group and Southern Locomotives Limited for its first operational period in preservation before being sold to Stewart Robinson in 2012. Following a significant overhaul, the 4MT returned to service in 2017 and has visited the Spa Valley Railway regularly ever since. We are incredibly grateful to Stewart for enabling the visit of 80078 once again.

Kent Green Hop Beer is a unique seasonal beer brewed using freshly harvested Kent hops, known as “green hops”, rather than the dried hops traditionally used in brewing.

Unlike conventional brewing hops, which are dried and stored before use, green hops are picked at the peak of the harvest and delivered directly from the hop garden to the brewery. To preserve their exceptional freshness, many brewers use the hops within just 12 hours of harvesting.

This rapid journey from field to brewhouse allows brewers to capture the vibrant aromas and natural oils that are often reduced during the drying process. The result is a distinctive beer with bright, fresh flavours, enhanced hop character, and aromas that truly reflect the Kent countryside at harvest time.

Because green hop beers can only be brewed during a short window each autumn, they are highly anticipated by beer enthusiasts and are available for a limited time only. Their seasonal nature makes them one of the most exciting highlights of the British brewing calendar.

At the Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival, we’re proud to showcase one of the country’s largest collections of Kent Green Hop Beers, giving visitors a rare opportunity to sample a wide variety of these fresh, flavour-packed brews while enjoying heritage train travel through the beautiful High Weald.

Fresh from the hop garden to your glass – it’s one of the most authentic tastes of Kent you’ll find anywhere. 🍺🌿🚂

Kent grows some of the finest hops in the world – and great hops make great beer. Often referred to as the Garden of England, Kent has been at the heart of British hop cultivation for centuries, supplying breweries with the essential ingredient that gives beer much of its character and balance.

Hops are often described as the seasoning of beer. They provide the bitterness that balances the sweetness of the malt, while also contributing a wonderful range of aromas and flavours, from delicate floral and citrus notes to spicy, earthy, and herbal characteristics. Without hops, beer would lack much of the complexity and refreshment that drinkers have come to love.

First introduced into British brewing during the 16th century, hops gradually replaced gruit – a traditional blend of herbs and spices that had previously been used to flavour and preserve beer. Their popularity quickly grew, not only because of the distinctive flavours they imparted, but also because hops act as a natural preservative, helping beer remain fresher for longer.

Today, Kent remains synonymous with hop growing, producing renowned varieties that are prized by brewers across the UK and beyond. Every autumn, as the hop harvest gets underway, breweries have a rare opportunity to brew Green Hop Beers using freshly picked hops straight from the bine. These seasonal beers capture the very essence of the harvest, delivering vibrant flavours and aromas that simply cannot be replicated at any other time of year.

At the Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival, we’re proud to celebrate this unique part of Kent’s brewing heritage, offering visitors the chance to sample an exceptional range of Green Hop Beers while enjoying heritage train travel through the beautiful High Weald.

From hop garden to pint glass, it’s a true taste of Kent’s rich brewing tradition. 🍺🌿🚂

Freshly harvested in early September, hop flowers – known as cones – are at their peak of flavour and aroma, but they are also full of moisture. Traditionally, they must be dried almost immediately after picking to prevent them from deteriorating and composting.

This drying process takes place in the iconic Kentish oast houses and kilns that have become synonymous with the county’s brewing heritage. Warm air is carefully circulated through layers of freshly picked hops for up to 12 hours, reducing their moisture content and preparing them for storage and use throughout the year.

The balance is a delicate one. Too little drying leaves the hops with excessive moisture, making them unsuitable for brewing, while excessive drying can remove many of the precious oils and aromatic compounds that give hops their distinctive character.

This is what makes Green Hop Beer so special. Instead of being dried, the freshly picked hops are rushed directly from the hop garden to the brewery and used within hours of harvest. Much like fresh herbs in cooking, green hops bring a completely different character to the finished beer, delivering vibrant flavours, fresh aromas, and a unique sense of seasonality that cannot be achieved with dried hops alone.

The result is a beer that captures the very essence of the Kent hop harvest — bright, fragrant, and bursting with the flavours of freshly picked hops. It’s a true celebration of one of Kent’s most famous agricultural traditions and a must-try for any beer enthusiast.

From the hop bine to the brewhouse in a matter of hours, Green Hop Beer offers a rare taste of the harvest at its freshest. 🍺🌿🚂

Brewing with green hops is a tradition that can only take place during the short annual hop harvest, making it one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the brewing calendar.

Because the hops are picked and used within hours, brewers are able to capture the freshness, aromas, and natural oils that are often reduced during the drying process. The result is a beer with a truly distinctive character — vibrant, aromatic, and bursting with fresh hop flavour.

No two harvests are ever quite the same, which means every year’s Green Hop beers offer something unique. From delicate floral notes and grassy freshness to bright citrus aromas and subtle herbal complexity, these seasonal beers provide a genuine taste of Kent’s hop-growing heritage.

Available for only a few weeks each autumn, Green Hop Beer is a rare opportunity to enjoy beer at its freshest — a true celebration of the hop harvest and one of the most authentic flavours of the Garden of England. 🍺🌿🚂