Chase Line Ale Trail: 20 Pubs by Train, Rugeley to Walsall

A new Chase Line Ale Trail links 20 real ale pubs by train from Rugeley to Walsall, with a bus extension to Aldridge, about seven miles from Lichfield.

A new ale trail links 20 independent pubs, micropubs and a brewery tap along the Chase Line railway between Rugeley and Walsall. It has been put together by Scott Spencer of Micropub Adventures, who wants people to reach the pubs by train rather than by car.

The railway never comes into Lichfield. The trail’s nearest points are Rugeley, about seven miles north-west of the city, and the optional bus extension to Aldridge, about seven miles south-west. Walsall, where eight of the pubs are, is about nine miles away. Scott names Lichfield among the places he hopes people will travel from.

“I’ve put together a new Chase Line Ale Trail, designed to encourage people to use public transport to explore some of the excellent independent pubs and real ale venues across Staffordshire and the Black Country,” he told Lichfield Today.

Poster for the Chase Line Ale Trail. A route diagram lists Rugeley 4 pubs, Hednesford 1 pub, Cannock 2 pubs, Landywood 1 pub, Bloxwich 1 brewery tap and Walsall 8 pubs, with a dotted bus extension to Aldridge for Turtles Head, Lazy Hill Tavern and Hop Station. Panels read 6 main rail stops, 20 pubs in total, 3 extra pubs in Aldridge, start from either end — The Chase Line Ale Trail route, stop by stop. Photo: supplied by Micropub Adventures

The route

The full guide sets out six main rail stops:

Stop	Pubs on the trail
Rugeley	4
Hednesford	1
Cannock	2
Landywood	1
Bloxwich	1 (a brewery tap)
Walsall	8
Aldridge, by bus from Walsall	3

That makes 20 in all. There is no fixed direction, so the trail can start at either end.

Scott is clear that nobody is meant to do the lot in a day. “It isn’t intended as a challenge to visit all 20 in one go,” he said. “People can choose sections of the route or use it to plan several different days out.”

Each pub has its own page in the guide. “Alongside opening times, beer information and travel details, I’ve also included a little local history for each area,” he said.

Getting on and off the train

The guide says West Midlands Railway runs the Chase Line and that trains normally run about twice an hour on this section. Evenings, weekends and engineering work can change that.

Two station points from the guide are worth knowing before you set off:

Rugeley Town, not Rugeley Trent Valley, is the station for the Rugeley pubs. Trent Valley is the northern end of the line.
Bloxwich North is on the route but is not a pub stop.

Aldridge is a bus ride rather than a train ride. The guide says the 6 and 7 run from Walsall towards Aldridge centre for Turtles Head. Lazy Hill Tavern and Hop Station are next door to each other further out, on Walsall Wood Road.

Suggested routes

The guide offers four ways to tackle it:

Southbound: Rugeley to Walsall, finishing with the biggest choice of pubs, with Aldridge as an optional extra.
Northbound: Walsall to Rugeley. The guide says this direction suits Saturdays, because of New Invention’s afternoon opening in Bloxwich.
Shorter trail: Cannock, Landywood, Bloxwich and Walsall.
Add Aldridge: the bus extension at the start or the finish.

The stops

Opening hours and beer below are as listed in the guide when we checked it on 4 October 2026. The guide itself says times, beer, trains and buses can change, so check before you travel.

Rugeley

Four pubs, the guide’s northern end:

L A Taphouse, Anson Street: a compact micropub with a cask focus, particularly Hobsons. About 9 to 10 minutes’ walk from Rugeley Town. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Rusty Barrel, Fernwood Shopping Centre: a one-room micropub opened in 2016, with four changing cask ales, craft keg and real cider. About 20 minutes’ walk.
Trubshaws, Lodge Road, Brereton: opened in May 2026, with Bass as the house beer and up to four changing cask ales. About 25 minutes’ walk.
Vine Inn, Sheepfair: a traditional pub with its own brewery on site, usually pouring three or four of its own ales. About 10 minutes’ walk.

Hednesford

Heddin’s Ford, Market Street, is about four minutes from the station and usually has four changing cask ales. It is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Cannock

Arcade, Mill Street: an independent pub in an 1880 building, with up to three changing cask ales and a wider craft range. About five minutes from the station. Closed Monday.
New Hall Arms, Newhall Street: opened in 2016 as Cannock’s first micropub, according to the guide, with one regular and six changing cask ales. Allow about 15 minutes’ walk from Arcade.

The New Hall Arms in Cannock, a painted brick shopfront with a sign reading New Hall Arms, Cask Ales and Craft Beers — The New Hall Arms on Newhall Street, Cannock. Photo: Micropub Adventures

Landywood

Andys’ Ale House, Quinton Court, Hilton Lane, is a one-room micropub with five changing cask ales, about nine minutes from Landywood station. It is open every day.

Andys' Ale House, a micropub in a brick-fronted shop unit with a blue-framed window and a bench outside — Andys' Ale House at Quinton Court, Great Wyrley. Photo: Micropub Adventures

Bloxwich

New Invention Brewery and Taproom, Pinfold Industrial Estate, opened in 2019. It pours the brewery’s own beers alongside guest choices. It is about 12 to 15 minutes from Bloxwich station.

Plan this one carefully. The guide lists it as open on Friday from 5pm to 10pm and Saturday from 2pm to 10pm, and normally closed from Sunday to Thursday, except on the last Thursday of the month.

Benches and a Taproom Open A-board outside the New Invention brewery unit in Bloxwich, with people sitting at a table in the sun — Outside the New Invention taproom in Bloxwich. Photo: Micropub Adventures

Walsall

Eight pubs, the most of any stop. The guide says you do not need to visit them all, and suggests picking the ones that suit your timing.

Black Country Arms, High Street: two regular and twelve changing cask ales, one of the biggest selections on the route. About five minutes from the station.
Pretty Bricks, John Street: a back-street pub from the 1840s, known for its coloured glazed-brick frontage. Two regular and seven changing cask ales.
Fountain Inn, Lower Forster Street: a traditional two-room pub with eight changing cask ales.
Victoria (Katz), Lower Rushall Street: a two-room 19th-century pub, known locally as Katz, with four regular and three changing cask ales.
Lyndon House Hotel, Upper Rushall Street: a hotel bar with two regular and two changing cask ales, open daily from 11.30am.
Walsall Arms, Bank Street: a back-street pub with three regular and three changing cask ales.
Wheatsheaf, Birmingham Road: serving Walsall since at least 1801, according to the guide, with four cask ales usually on.
AJ’s Ales Brewery Tap Room, Long Acre Street: normally open only on the last Saturday of each month, from noon to 9pm. In October that is Saturday 31 October.

The Black Country Arms in Walsall, a red-brick and cream-painted pub with hanging baskets, steps up to the door and a lamp post outside — The Black Country Arms on Walsall High Street. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The Pretty Bricks in Walsall, a two-storey back-street pub with a dark tiled frontage and white upper floor — The Pretty Bricks on John Street, Walsall. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The Fountain Inn in Walsall, a cream-painted pub with bay windows on a quiet road — The Fountain Inn on Lower Forster Street, Walsall. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The Victoria in Walsall, a three-storey red-brick corner building with a black and white ground-floor frontage — The Victoria, known as Katz, on Lower Rushall Street, Walsall. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The Lyndon House Hotel in Walsall, a brick building covered in red creeper with a green and pink painted ground floor — The Lyndon House Hotel on Upper Rushall Street, Walsall. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The Walsall Arms, a green and white painted pub with hanging baskets on a terraced back street — The Walsall Arms on Bank Street. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The Wheatsheaf in Walsall, a white-painted corner pub with black window frames and lit bay windows — The Wheatsheaf on Birmingham Road, Walsall. Photo: Micropub Adventures

The AJ's Ales brewery sign and tap room notices on a fence beside a street at night — AJ's Ales Brewery Tap Room on Long Acre Street, Walsall. Photo: Micropub Adventures

Aldridge, by bus

The three Aldridge pubs are optional:

Turtles Head, Croft Parade: a micropub in the centre with three changing cask ales, a couple of minutes from the town-centre bus stops. Closed Monday, except bank holidays.
Lazy Hill Tavern, 196 Walsall Wood Road: a family-run pub and Indian restaurant, with Holden’s Golden Glow and Wye Valley HPA plus two changing cask ales.
Hop Station, 198 Walsall Wood Road: a single-room micropub next door, usually with five changing cask ales.

The Turtles Head micropub in Aldridge, a shopfront under a parade canopy with tables and chairs outside — Turtles Head on Croft Parade, Aldridge. Photo: Micropub Adventures

Lazy Hill Tavern in Aldridge at dusk, a cream-painted pub with festoon lights and people at picnic benches outside — Lazy Hill Tavern on Walsall Wood Road, Aldridge. Photo: Micropub Adventures

What it means for you

If you are in Lichfield and want a day out without driving, this is a ready-made plan. Rugeley and Aldridge are the closest ends. Pick a section, check the opening days first (several pubs are shut on Monday and Tuesday, and two only open on certain days), then check train and bus times on the day.

For more ideas closer to home, see our things to do in Lichfield and the Lichfield What’s On round-up.

Suggestions welcome

Scott is asking for help to improve the trail. “If you spot anything that could be improved, or know of somewhere locally that you think should be considered for the guide, I’m always happy to hear suggestions too,” he said.

The full guide, with every pub’s opening hours, beer, walking distances and links, is at micropubadventures.co.uk.