Lovely pub/hotel with comfortable seating and an excellent range of real ale, mainly from the Lancaster Brewery range and all those we tried were in excellent condition. Only stayed for one but shall certainly return if I'm in Lancaster again.Why would I go anywhere else when i'm in Lancaster. Clean, warm and friendly staff / setting, great selection of drinks that you just don't get anywhere else.

Staying is perfect and far cheaper than i've paid for anywhere else of this standard and I travel a lot.Excellent, very busy, modern cask ale pub. Wins lots of awards.

there a lot of old reviews here.
suggest you give it a visit as the current owners have restored it back to its former charm
decent little boozer with great ales.visited pub for the first time yesterday (9-2-11), what a pub made to feel very welcome, your staff deserve a medal for customer service skills,as a stranger to the area this is what customers need, the food was very good, must try the scellun scink, next time i come in, which is next week, nice to see such glowing reports from other customers, see you all soon, good luck.Nice to see the old place getting back on its feet. Just one small 'whinge'. I went in for last orders; bought a pint,sat down only to be surrounded by chairs being put on top of tables. I felt about as welcome as 'a turd at a swimming gala'.Nice beer ,though; just a pity I wasn't able to enjoy it 'at my leisure'.

Having only been here once before it re-opened I cant really comment on the food service at present. However when I did go I found it quite charming and had a nice relaxed afternoon with friends and relatives. My only gripe being that the pub only served beer from the Cains (Liverpool) Brewery.

I must try it again seeing as it has re-opened. What real ale is available since the re-opening?After three more visits...I refer to my previous review from Nov 2010, whilst the food is lovely (I rate it at the best pub food in this area) and the real ale is excellent too, I'm afraid the service still continues to let the pub down. On two of the occasions when the pub was relatively quiet the food took an excessive amount of time to arrive (Note: I'm quite prepared to wait for freshly cooked food) and specific requests were not followed.
There seems to be a lack of communication between the young serving staff and the kitchen. I'm sure if the management read this they can review and sort it out, as it's a shame when the food quality is excellent. It is great to see this renowed pub back in business , it has been closed and through a disappointing period, but is one of the most famous pubs in the region, it has its own railway station for good measure, there does not appear to be anybody else living round there!

Visited early Jan 2011 and was not disappointed, first visit for about 2 years when it was in decline. Had Black Sheep and the menu was extensive - you are not going to get the vast range larger pubs can offer, but its certainly quality over quantity. Advise any old regulars to pay a vsit, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Actually the Railway is now very tired inside, fake beams on the walls with painted rough plaster in between - you know the theme. Wires everywhere in the music half, pool bit is really tired. Atmosphere seems good with decent clientele but they do get the odd rough ones in (full Adidas tracksuit in 2011? Get a grip!)
They seem to be sticking with regulars Golden Pippin, Deuchars, Bombadier and Tiger Rut, plus a guest or two. You don't often get chance to make a direct comparison but we did tonight - I've thought before that the Tiger Rut's nice here, which it is, but it's twice as nice at the Rising Sun up the road in Mossley. The Old Pec was syrupy tasteless crap but then Old Pec is these days.
Only real good thing is the live music on Fridays - bring your axe and have a go; it's a good atmosphere.
If the continually-slamming front doors don't drive you mad.
Otherwise, go somewhere else.Very popular pub. Locals and a fair amount of customers who arrived by train pack the tap room and bar. Excellent well kept beer which obviously benefits from a quick turn over. Free live music regularly on in the bar. A proper pub.Nice pub with scenic views of surrounding countryside. Ideal if you have just missed your train as the station is literally just across the road! Aswell as the real ale it boasts a large selection of real cider too!

I could not agree more with boltonbloke. The management of this pub is a disgrace to the licenced trade. I notice the previous poster has only posted on this pub and no other, rather lacks credibitity, doesn't it?
landlady is always pissed and no longer fit to run a pub, fact. I understand you are probally a regular and feel the need to defend her out of some miss guided loyalty but you reaaly are wasting your time. Anyone who goes in this pub can see it for themselvesThis pub is an authentic local with a selection of well kept beers and at week end can become quite lively. It has a good mix of people and ages. If you know it is busy on Friday night, and you don't like it why go in? There are plenty of pubs in Horwich where you would be guaranteed a space at the bar.
Some reviewers [bolton bloke & yamoto] have been rather unkind and somewhat insulting, with personal comments about the Landlady.
It has to be the best pub in Horwich and Eileen the landlady has been in charge for over 20 years so she must know what she is doing.
Being the best pub in Horwich may not be high praise, but it is the best we have. May I respectfully suggest that bolton bloke & yamoto excercise their consumers right to spend their money in a place which is more suited to their taste and keep their snide comments to themselves.

Yes, the opening hours are at long last displayed at the front entrance. Which is at least an improvement. I'm glad to hear that Vivaronaldo is content with his visits to the pub, that's fair comment. Personally, I still find the place a poor relation to the stalybridge wetherspoons .Comment made by Kastanza if they truly had their eyes open when in this pub they would see the times have changed for opening and closing these are shown in the window they seem to be more interested in the tables, which I find always clean. Guest ales are always of good quality and a great athomphere.Well done to the management !opening hours update:
Sunday to Thursday 7am - 11pm
Saturday and Friday 7am - 11.30.

loads getting turned away.

If your not in 15 mins before the last orders bell , there is a good chance they wont serve you. Keep an eye on your watch, as often the bell is very gently rung, as one or two staff seem to delight in saying you've missed last orders. -hopeless.

i go in less and less these days, but for all the scrubbing and cleaning that goes on, rather than serving , the tables in this place stay dirtier longer than they once did.

It seems the management are determined to drive customers away. And its not that cheap either now.