November 2025. Leeds.
A few minutes at bucolic Bramley station,
waiting for the train back to Leeds. It’s late, but is it late enough to Delay Repay ?
In Leeds, which is one of the most confusing stations in the UK to escape from, I head towards Swinegate,
the Calls, and a pre-emptive recommendation 5 minutes through the drizzle.
Rockin Rich is one of my newer “mates on the internet“, a term that women on MumsNet would deride as “not real friends” who they can slag off on the, er, internet.
I’ve yet to meet Rich (or “tick the tickers” as we like to say) but he’s been a mine of local West Yorkshire information, and just recommended a new bar under the arches that had opened a week ago.
Loads of keg bars round here, the Crown Street Tap a bit like those micros around Newcastle Station, and I sense it’s not going to appeal to the folk on the CAMRA Curated Exploration of Public House Trail looking for bench seats.
But it appealed to Rich, and it appealed to me. Owned by Talking Tides of Marske-by-the-Sea, whose Winkies Castle and coastline we’d loved 2 years ago.
The staff, brought down from that Cleveland coast, were wonderfully chatty and positive about their town and their beers, including a 3.4% cask stout that tasted much stronger, a rich, silky 4.5.
Eclectic soundtrack,
six flavours of Pipers, a mixed crowd.
An absolute joy. Well done Rich.
retiredmartin 
Re internet pals…I always remember when I told Mrs TWM I was meeting you and the other pub tickers in Buxton. She said, “how do you know they are what they say they are?”. My response, “what do you think they might be, young women posing as old blokes who like a beer”. Thankfully I was correct.
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You told us you walked to Buxton that day and some of us believed you.
Do you remember Will ignoring me ? I had to move to Sheffield to get him to talk to me.
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I don’t remember much but it was a cross-legged bus ride home.
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“I don’t remember much but it was a cross-legged bus ride home.”
(slow golf clap)
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My most recent use of Leeds railway station was an 11.12am train in April to Manchester Victoria. The £6.65 Delay Repay meant I only had to find another 35p for two pints of Holts Bitter in the Hare and Hounds. I don’t understand why you get Delay Repay vouchers after fifteen minutes from some train operators but after thirty minutes from others.
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“A few minutes at bucolic Bramley station,”
(looks down)
I hope that’s not the actual train (no wonder the toilets don’t work!).
“In Leeds, which is one of the most confusing stations in the UK to escape from, I head towards Swinegate,”
Hopefully it wasn’t so confusing that you wound up in Swinegate, York.
“I’ve yet to meet Russ (or “tick the tickers” as we like to say) but he’s been a mine of local West Yorkshire information,”
I thought for a second, ‘hang on’, but then realised you meant Rich and not me. 😇
“and I sense it’s not going to appeal to the folk on the CAMRA Curated Exploration of Public House Trail looking for bench seats.”
The times, they are a changing.
(as long as some of the past remains hopefully)
“But it appealed to Rich, and it appealed to me.”
Hey, good company and good beer? The bench seating can take a… back seat.
“six flavours of Pipers, a mixed crowd.”
Are you still talking about the Pipers when you mention a mixed crowd?
“An absolute joy. Well done Rich.”
Huzzah!
Cheers
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I was writing Russ instead of Rich throughout the post and despite reviewing it twice I still missed that one !
Never met Rich, or you, or Mark from Michigan or (The Real) Mark from Corby. Gaping holes in my life
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No to worry Martin. It’s part of that ‘middle-age’ thing that is always creeping up on us, but never catches us. 😁
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Love the bridge shot! When I get to return to Leeds one day I will allow enough time to get lost around the station then. My sense of direction has never been good.
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