REAL ale buffs can banish the blues with a pint or several of winter warmers this weekend.

The Chappel Winter Beer festival is steaming into the East Anglian Railway Museum today and tomorrow.

Festival organiser Brendan Sothcott said: “This is the Winter Chappel Beer Festival, smaller than the much bigger summer festival, but still offering around 75 different real ales.

“These are mainly from East Anglia, but from the smaller less well-known brewers – none of the big boys are here.

“The event features live music with the Machine Shed Band on Friday and local band 33RPM on Saturday evening.

“We are looking forward to the event, as it is much calmer than the busy festival in the summer, but still with a excellent choice of beers, strengths and styles to enjoy.”

Unlike the summer festival, this weekend’s event gives visitors unlimited access to the railway museum and its exhibits.

Revellers can get a behind-the-scenes look at the Restoration Shed where engineers work to bring old and historic locomotives back to life.

The main event is held in the museum’s heated Victorian Goods Shed.

The festival is run jointly by the museum and Campaign for Real Ale, and is open from 11am to 11pm both days.

Admission to the Friday night session, after 5.30pm, is by advance ticket only and costs £17 (£14 for Camra and museum members) which includes the admission charge, a refundable glass deposit of £2 and £10 worth of beer tokens.

Admission at other times is £3 (free for Camra and museum members).