ONE PUB ONLY? Slubbers                 CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND? Station, Head of Steam and then Slubbers  SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT? Star Inn                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Head of Steam St Georges Square, HD1 1JB   T 01484 454533   W www.theheadofsteam.co.uk G David Mansfield   F Wide range of locally sourced home cooked food 11.30 to 9, 11.30 to 5 Sat, 12 to 7 Sun   MP   TV   BM   D O 11 to 12.30 Mon - Thu, 11 to 2 Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun            At the other end of the Station platform is the Head of Steam, a pub chain that has a great real ale reputation, and, in the case of the Huddersfield version, great buildings in which to enjoy the ale and rail kick.            The rooms in this pub are stunningly grand. Each has unique character. The rear houses a fantastic set of Live Aid photographs that are for sale from the Landlord and also has access to the platform, should you be waiting for a train. I frequented the locals’ room that had impressive collections of railway memorabilia and curiously, toy vehicles. It really is a bit of a sweet shop if you want to sample good ales in a distinctive location. Those locals and not so local regulars will include the inevitable rail and beer tickers. It is also very useful for those heading off to Leeds for the night as there is ample room for groups of all sizes to meet. On matchdays there is likely to be restrictions on entry, enforced by the local constabulary and door persons. Come here without colours and you will meet some great local people, the sort who make the drinking of real ale the benefit for football fans who enjoy mixing with the locals. Blues and jazz gigs are held on Monday and Wednesday evenings. For me it was on to a similar bar in Dewsbury that made for a great evening train - driven session. BWV 2.3.06:  Archers Admiral Lord Rooney,  Bradfield Brown Cow,  Black Sheep Bitter,  Brakspear Bitter,  Highgate Dark Mild,  Holt Bitter,  Weston’s Old Rosie                                                 Rat and Ratchet 40 Chapel Hill,  HD1 3EB   T 01484 542400   W www.ossett-brewery.co.uk G Sam Birkhead   F Good value traditional pub food 12 to 2 Wed - Sat   CP   TV   JB   P O 3 to 12 Mon - Tue, 12 to 12 Wed Thu, 12 to 11.30 Fri - Sat, 12 to 11 Sun             The facade of the Rat and Ratchet suggests a town boozer, the interior a country farmhouse. The range of beers is large and the quality I sampled particularly good. Each level and nook of the pub has a distinctive character as it rambles away from the main road. For me I enjoyed the selection of music posters from the 60’s and beyond, especially the Bob Marley photo near the toilets. Go on have a go at an Ossett fest, the full range is available and just asks to be sampled.  You might have to compete for the leather sofas, forget them, get to the bar and get into a chat about the Terriers, Yorkshire cricket or rugby league, not necessarily in that order. UPDATE:  David has refitted the garden and a new bar will soon follow. It may have a younger feel. BWV 13.3.05:  Copper Dragon Black Gold,  Jarrow Palmers Resolution,  Mordue Millennium Bridge,  Ossett Excelsior, March Hare, Pale Gold, R+R, Silver King,  Slaters Original,  Timothy Taylor Landlord, Best,  Weston’s Old Rosie Cider. BWV 2.3.06:  Leatherbritches Goldings,  Mighty Oak Indian Pale Ale, Oscar Wilde,  Newby Wyke England Expects, Kingston Topaz,  Ossett Excelsior, Pale Gold, Silver King,  Pictish Brewers Gold,  Timothy Taylor Best, Landlord,  Farmers Tipple Cider Star Inn 7 Albert St, Lockwood,  HD1 3PJ   T 01484 545443   W www.thestarinn.info  G Sam Watt   SP   D O Closed Mon, 5 to 11 Tue - Fri, 12 to 11 Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun            Sam’s pub is more than a refurbishment, it is a four year old rebuild, but you would never know by the style of the place. I arrived on the Sunday of the beer festival where 40 plus ales had been reduced to just 8 or so. The marquee in the back yard still attracted the regulars who had made it such a success. There is purposely no music and the design encourages conversation throughout the house. The conversation, often ale related, is what makes the ambience so good. It holds numerous CAMRA awards and serves 15 to 20 different ales a week six guests at any one time to its unusual regular list. The Hydes poster claims “Everyone likes a quick one”. Nonsense, this is a place to savour at your leisure, a top boozer with top quality management that makes the place something special. UPDATE:  Check the website for details of the March, July and December festivals. BWV 13.3.05:  Archers Spring Blond,  Brunswick Pilsener,  Cottage Jack’s Bitter,  Copper Dragon Black Gold,  E + S Best,  Empire Strikes Back  Leyden Referee,  Pictish Brewers Gold,  Timothy Taylor Best, Landlord BWV 2.3.06:  Archers Pie Eater,  Cottage Between the Posts,  Goose Eye Over and Stout,  Halifax Possibly organic, Jamaican Ginger,  Pictish Brewers Gold,  Purity Pure UBU,  Timothy Taylor Landlord BWV 19.1.10 Ilkley Black, Kelham Island Premium Blonde, Moorhouses New Years Resolution, Oldershaw Newton's Drop, Prospect Clementine Christmas Ale, Timothy Taylor Best, Landlord. Slubbers Arms 1 Halifax Old Rd,  Hillhouse,  HD1 6HW   T 01484 429032  W www.timothytaylor.co.uk       G Mike Parrish   F Pie and peas on matchdays, new home cooked menu on other days 12 to 2   SP O 12 to 2.30, 5.30 to 11.30  Mon - Sat, 12 to 3, 7 to 11.30 Sun            The Slubbers is a Timothy Taylor house on the main Bradford Road, about ten mins walk from the ground and with ample street parking nearby. That is far too simple a description of this wonderful triangular street corner local. It is the characters and the Landlord that make this pub so special. Mike and the locals have made this a bit of a football institution. He arrived relatively recently but has continued the tradition of welcoming all to this pub and encouraging the traditions of good old Yorkshire honesty when discussing ale and football, or in his case, rugby league.            The pub consists of three quirky little rooms, the best being the flag - stoned tap room at the apex of the triangle. Scarves from clubs hang from an airing frame in the second room. This too was where the business people were found enjoying a late liquid lunch. I became engrossed in a conversation with Mike at the bar, that chat being enlightening to me as to the future of the pub business and the joys of this pub. I would have loved to have met the two Bob’s, “Wobbly” and “Body Builder.” I had to move on before those regulars came in to test the next guest ale or two. The Slubbers name is related to the removal of knots from wool and silk. Not much has changed here since the loos were enclosed in 1992, the planned redecoration should only add to the character of this fantastic friendly pub. BWV 2.3.06:  Empire Longshanks,  Timothy Taylor Best, Golden Best, Landlord Station Tavern RENAMED THE KINGS HEAD St. Georges Square,  HD1 1JB   T 01484 511058   W www.the-kings-head-huddersfield.co.uk     G Bruce Travis and Michelle Pursell   F   Sandwiches now available   MP   TV   BM   D O 11.30 to 11, 12 to 10.30 Sun           So often a station - related pub is full of railwayiana, not this Tavern. It is just as the waiting room would have been. It has large, open fires, high ceilings and a window on to the platform for checking arrival times. It is like a church village hall complete with stone walls, stained glass windows and a reverential echo on first arrival. Bruce discovered the gorgeous floor tiling under the carpets, and they make a fine sight. It is the beer; however, that makes the popularity of the Station Tavern. Rarer Yorkshire beers including a mild, plus quality that is guaranteed, plus great Yorkshire humour; all make this the perfect starting or finishing point to Huddersfield’s real ale scene. Harold would no doubt approve of this pub in the square that is the birthplace of rugby league. (George Hotel opposite) My visit found locals getting a quick pint or two before the St. Patrick’s day parade leading to a quicker than usual departure. A year later it seemed the same locals were still drinking here and the welcome was equally friendly. UPDATE:  Music is now on a Wednesday evening, nothing has changed. BWV 13.3.05:  Daleside Blonde,  Golcar Dark Mild,  Goose Eye Golden Goose,  Newby Wyke Grantham Gold,  Timothy Taylor Landlord,  Wold Top Bitter,  Yorkshire COTY BWV 2.1.06:  Bradfield Farmers Stout,  Dark Star Old Ale,  Empire Strikes Back,  Holme Valley Old Forge Bitter,  Salamander Bandana,  Timothy Taylor Landlord   LOCAL BREWERY Anglo Dutch Brewery Unit 12, Savile Bridge Mills Mill Street East DEWSBURY WF12 6QQ www.line-studio.co.uk/yorkshire-ale/anglo-dutch/index.html  WETHERSPOONS The Lord Wilson Unit 27, Kingsgate Centre  King Street  Huddersfield  HD1 2PZ  Opening Times:  Sun-Wed 9am-midnight; Thu-Sat 9am-1am The Cherry Tree  Pearl Assurance House  14-18 John William Street  Huddersfield  HD1 1BA  Opening Times:  Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am