A SPECIAL Arkell’s beer called Hooter is helping the town celebrate the 175th anniversary since the founding of the GWR Swindon Railway Works in 1841.

The dark beer with floral notes is brewed with strong roasted flavours from Brown and Munich malts.

At 173 years old, Arkell’s Brewery grew up alongside the Great Western Railway, establishing itself just two years after the great railway works and is a household name in and around the county.

In celebration of 175 years of Steam in Swindon, Arkell’s is brewing three special cask beers this year. The first, Golden Gooch, was released in September, and from Monday, 7 November, the final beer, Steam Powered, will be available across the Arkell’s estate of pubs.

Head brewer Alex Arkell said: “In the mid 19th century, dark ales would have been extremely popular with a typical brewery.

"Men were doing a lot more physical work then, especially those labouring in the hot engine sheds of Brunel’s mighty Swindon engineering works, and the sweet malty characteristic of these beers was the perfect refreshment.”

“Apart from generally producing lower gravity beer, the way we brew beer at Arkell’s today is much the same as it would have been then.

"What we have improved, through investment in well-engineered brew house equipment, is the consistency of our beer. Now that’s something that Brunel would definitely have understood.”