Railway Telegraph, pool in Forest Hill

Photo: WhatPub / CAMRA

Railway Telegraph: Pool & Snooker in Forest Hill, London

FreeWalk-inPool tableLive musicGroups

112 Stanstead Road, Forest Hill, London · SE23 1BS · Mo-Th 16:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 15:00-01:30; Su 15:00-23:00

The Railway Telegraph is a big Victorian corner pub on Stanstead Road in Forest Hill, and it is one of the spots where the Lewisham Wednesday Pool League plays. If you want a proper local boozer with a pool table, live music and a beer garden rather than a polished bar, this is your kind of place. The table sits in the main bar, so you can get a few frames in alongside a pint, darts, Sky Sports on the big screen and the odd quiz or karaoke night.

It is a Shepherd Neame house, so expect a solid range of ales and lager. Playing pool here is free in the casual sense, you just turn up and put your coins in the table, no booking. It is busiest in the evenings when the league and the music crowd are in, so come earlier if you want a quieter game.

The pool setup

There is a single pool table in the main bar, the kind you feed coins into rather than book ahead. It is the home table for the Lewisham Wednesday Pool League, so on league nights the venue plays its fixtures here and casual play takes a back seat. Any other time you can just rock up, wait your turn and rack them up between pints. Alongside the table there is a dartboard, so it is a proper games pub rather than a dedicated hall. If you specifically want a clear run on the table, aim for a quieter weekday afternoon or early evening.

Good to know

It is a Shepherd Neame pub, so you will find their ales and the usual lagers on tap. Pool is pay-as-you-go on the table, no charge to get in and no need to reserve. Opening is afternoons into the evening on weekdays, with later Friday and Saturday finishes around 1:30am and a Sunday close at 11pm. Beyond pool there is live music, DJs, Sky Sports on a big screen, a jukebox and occasional quiz and karaoke nights, plus a beer garden for warmer evenings.

Getting there

The pub sits on the corner of Stanstead Road in Forest Hill, SE23. Forest Hill station, on the Overground and National Rail, is the nearest stop and an easy walk away, which makes it a simple one to reach from across south east London. Several bus routes run along Stanstead Road too. It is a destination local rather than a town-centre bar, so it suits a planned games night with mates over a passing pop-in.

Get directions

Common questions

What is the Railway Telegraph?
It is a large Victorian corner pub at 112 Stanstead Road in Forest Hill, SE23 1BS. It is a Shepherd Neame house with a pool table, darts, live music and a beer garden, and it hosts the Lewisham Wednesday Pool League.
Is pool free at the Railway Telegraph?
There is no entry charge and you do not need to book. The pool table is coin-operated, so you pay on the table itself per game.
Do I need to book to play pool?
No. It is walk-in, you just turn up and wait your turn for the table. The main exception is Wednesday league nights, when the home team's fixtures take priority.
How many pool tables are there?
There is one pool table, set in the main bar. There is also a dartboard if you fancy a different game.
What time does the Railway Telegraph open?
Roughly 4pm to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 3pm to 1:30am Friday and Saturday, and 3pm to 11pm on Sunday. Check ahead as hours can change for events.
What is the nearest station?
Forest Hill station, on the London Overground and National Rail, is the closest and is a short walk from the pub.

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