Reading–Taunton line marketed as the "Kennet Line", follows the River Kennet through the outer suburbs of Reading to Theale. The line passes through Berkshire countryside and local stations at Aldermaston, Midgham and Thatcham. Newbury race course lies alongside the line on the left and has its own station a short distance east of the main Newbury railway station, where the town centre is close by on the right of the line. The station has a bay platform on the right for local terminating trains, and the through platforms are on loop lines that allow fast trains to overtake the local services that
R. O. B. Manley O. B. Manley did not actually enjoy the taste of honey. Faced with the problem of drips of honey running down the sides of jars, the 'production line' featured an ordinary vacuum cleaner to 'suck' the last drops away. Rumour has it that this was the domestic vacuum cleaner from the house and that Mrs Manley was entirely opposed to this, but this rumour appears to have been started by R. O. B. Manley himself, so may lack veracity and is included here rather more to provide an insight into the dry wit of this man. R. O. B. Manley