Friends desperate for pint ride 5mph steam train to pub after car runs out of fuel

Kitty McConachie, 18, from Hadlow, East Sussex, had been on a day out with friends but diesel shortages left them no way to get to a pub for a cheeky pint – so they took a steam train instead

A group of friends desperate for a pint rode a 5mph steam engine to the pub after fuel shortages left them low on diesel.

Kitty McConachie had been out for the day with friends a fortnight ago when one of the group realised they didn’t have enough fuel to drive to the pub.

Showing that ‘nothing will stop Brits getting to the pub’, 18-year-old Kitty and the group of pals use friend Will Mansi’s steam engines for a scenic ride.

The group of 30 drinkers then drove down main roads with cars crawling behind them all the way to their local pub.

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The journey – which should have taken just 10 minutes – ended up being over an hour.

The nursery worker’s video has since attracted more than 389,000 views and 50,000 likes on TikTok, with people joking ‘nothing will stop Brits from getting to the pub’.

Kitty, from Hadlow Down, East Sussex, said: “The fuel shortages have been a nightmare the last few weeks.

“One of our friends said ‘I’ve no diesel to get back’. We were taking the mic out of him.

“We thought it was quite funny. There were all these people trying to get fuel and there we were going past in steam engines.

“It’s not something you expect to see every day. Some people were laughing and others were stuck behind us getting annoyed.

“We couldn’t miss going to the pub. We made a bit of a taxi service for our friends.

“People online were joking ‘nothing would stop the British from getting the pub’.”

The group of mates, including some from the farming community, had all been to an agricultural show and decided to go for a bite to eat afterwards.

After one member of the group admitted he had no more fuel left in his car, Will and his dad Dave agree to drive them to the pub via steam engine – even returning to take them home later.

Kitty said: “My friend George [Carver, 19] jumped off the engine and needed a wee, then had to run all the way up the hill to get back on. There was no stopping for anyone.

“The steam engine was going about 5mph. It took us just over an hour to get to the pub and it’s about a 10-minute drive in a car.

“We even had a few dogs on there as well. A Dalmatian and two puppies.

“The video at the end with one of the engines overtaking is on the way back when it’s dark.”

Social media users all reacted to the clip pointing out the video showed ‘what it was like to be British’ and that nothing would get in the way of a trip of the pub.

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Nicola Hodgkinson said: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way to the pub. Nothing will stop us Brits.”

Connor said: “Trust the Brits to find the best solutions to problems with caused ourselves.”

Miss McIllwraith said: “Tell me you’re British without telling me you’re British.”

Arceus Jinx said: “Anything for the pub. Us Brits have our ways.”

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