On many a cab trip to Tullamarine, I’ve looked longingly at an awesome looking pub that rises above surrounding buildings next to North Melbourne train station. This afternoon I was able to stop in albeit briefly and I remain an ardent fan of this pub.
As you can see from the photo, the Railway Hotel is an absolute throwback. A spectacular 3 story special, it reminds me of many great buildings in Sydney’s glorious inner west. I wish I could attach multiple photos to an iPhone post, because the horseshoe bar is also an absolute classic. One can imagine what the throng must have like at 6 o’clock swill time in the old days and how many barmaids would have been required. I’m a hopeless judge of distance, but Bob Beamon would required at least 2 and maybe jumps to go from one end to the other.
There’s a small restaurant and a tiny beer “garden”, but for me it is about the public bar. It was about 5 when I arrived (and 5.08 when I left) but the small crowd looked regular.
The cider range was more diverse than the beer range, but in a joint like this it’s got to be Carlton Draught. Didn’t disappoint. Ice cold, crisp and clean. Gold, just like the pub.
Hopefully our Melbourne readership can explain why http://www.melbournepubs.com would have the pub listed in West Melbourne when it is opposite North Melbourne train station.
back of the ferry 
That would be becuase the North melbourne Station isn’t really in North Melbourne.
I believe that anything south of Victoria street is actually West Melbourne.
Oh and that bar is 87 foot, 3 inches long.
And Bob Beamon’s long jump world record was 29ft 2 inches, so it’s actually about 3 jumps (not sure where he would do the run up from though)
What a fantastic looking grand old pub – excellent work
[…] long, I’m not sure if it still that long, but it is still probably longer than the bar at the Railway Hotel, West Melbourne. It is a fine looking place and you can’t last 5 minutes without a very keen […]