[ubuntu-uk] Choo Choo! Beer, Steam and Free Software

[Alan Bell]

One of my actions from the recent Ubuntu UK team meeting was to organise
a evening out on the Real Ale Train.

The Watercress Line is a small steam powered railway line in Hampshire.
It runs from Alton Station to Alresford. Alton is the end of the line
for scheduled services from Waterloo. Every few weeks or so they run an
evening special, the Real Ale Train, or RAT.

Basically the train turns into a very very long bar for the evening.
There are several converted bar carriages and plenty of seating (comfy
old seating in groups of 4). Steam, Beer and Software Freedom seems an
irresistible combination so it sounds like an ideal evening out for the
Ubuntu UK community.

Firstly we need to decide on a date, we have created a poll to find the
most popular date from the dates far enough ahead to be organised, and
skipping the date when UDS-M is likely to be happening. Please vote on
the poll http://doodle.com/2zse7y4uafih5dpn and we will announce the
most popular date on IRC, the wiki page
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/RAT2010 and on the mailing list on
January 24th. When the date is announced you will need to book your
ticket, tickets can be booked online and cost £10 each. This includes a
voucher for your first pint. Beer is not "Free as in Beer", but it is
just £2/pint. Don't hang about and try to book late, they sell out
months in advance.

Beards are strictly optional - it may sound like a male dominated event
(and to be fair, it is) but it has a very friendly atmosphere and all
are welcome.

Other alcoholic and soft drinks as well as snacks are on sale at the
on-board buffet. Hot food can be purchased on board the train with
vegetarian alternatives available. You have to be 18+ to buy beer, but
there is no age limit (at either end of the scale) for joining in.

The RAT starts from Alton at 19.20 and tootles gently up and down the
line a couple of times, returning to Alton in time for the 22:44 train
back to Waterloo. (This is a connecting service, if the RAT is late, the
mainline train will wait for it)

Dress - something Ubuntu related.


Alan