The South East’s largest Beer & Cider Festival will return to the Victorian Engine Shed at the Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells between 16 and 19 October 2025 with opportunities to enjoy a pint along the 5 mile line between Tunbridge Well West and Eridge Stations.

A whopping 220 Real Ales, 32 of which are Kent Green Hop, 72 Ciders, 14 Keg Beers, make up the festival with discounts available for CAMRA members.

Entry to the festival is free and the railway hopes people will not only buy beer but purchase train tickets too as all profits from this event will go towards replacing an old Victorian bridge on its line which is in urgent need of replacement at a cost of over £400,000.

The Live Music Lineup below has now been confirmed:

Friday 17 October

16:00 – Chunky

17:15 – Bats in the Belfry

18:30 – Rebel Diamond

19:45 – Monkey Trap

21:30 – Hells Divers

Saturday 18 October

13:30 – Mike Wilton

15:15 – Charlie Rivers

17:00 – Wyrd Fox

19:00 – Platform 4

21:00 – Kharma and the Devil

Sunday 19 October

12:00 – TWUNTS

13:15 – Old Mercia

14:30 – Kelly Bourne

15:45 – Oak Folk

17:00 – River Flows

Along with these fantastic acts, duos will perform at Groombridge and solos at Eridge on the Friday and Saturday.

50 different breweries are taking part this year with plenty of Real Ale and Cider to choose from. The Green Hops beers will come from a variety of breweries in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey including Westerham, Madcat, Northdown (with a Green Hop Stout!), Bexley, and Shivering Sands, plus plenty more from Kent and Sussex.

Cider enthusiasts can enjoy at least 70 different varieties this year including Sloe Gin Cider which was so popular it sold out at last year’s festival. Thanks to the support of Fuggles Beer Café there will be 14 different Keg beers on offer at the festival.

Local Butchers ‘Fullers’ will again offer tasty BBQ food and the fabulous Thai Food stall will be back at Tunbridge Wells West Station together with other food options including Holly’s stunning cakes.

A fabulous lineup of trains is expected including the magnificent Bulleid Pacific 34053 ‘Sir Keith Park’, BR Standard 4MT 80078, Caledonian Railway No. 828, Class 25 25185, Class 31 31430 ‘Sister Dora’ and Class 33/0 33063 ‘R.J.Mitchell’.  Train tickets purchased allow travel as many times as you choose on the day of your visit.

You won’t go thirsty on the trains either as the buffet bar and bar car ‘Kate’ will be set up as bars for passengers to enjoy a pint along the 5-mile line between Tunbridge Wells to Eridge.   Don’t forget you hop off to enjoy the buskers at Groombridge and Eridge.

Event times:

Thursday 16 – Tunbridge Wells West only. No trains are operating. Bar open from 6pm to 10pm.

Friday 17 and Saturday 18 – All stations open with bars. Trains run from 9am to 11pm, and bars open from 11am until 1o.30pm.

Sunday 19 – All stations open with bars. Trains from 9am to 11pm. Bars open from 11am until 6pm.

It’s easy to reach Tunbridge Wells West Station (where the steam and heritage trains depart) as the station is just round the corner from the famous Pantiles in the Spa Town of Royal Tunbridge Wells.  Trains from London and Hastings arrive at Tunbridge Wells mainline station which is only a 10-minute leisurely walk down the historic High Street and across the Pantiles to the Spa.  Trains from London also arrive at Eridge station where you can cross the platform to the Spa Valley Railway.

To find out more about the Spa Valley Railway and their events, opening times and how to become a volunteer visit spavalleyrailway.co.uk