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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 month 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). There is a RAT train on the 7th of November, a week after the launch of Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala. Steam, Beer and Software Freedom seems an irresistible combination so we are making this one a Karmic Release Party.

You need to book your ticket before arriving (and fairly soon, they sell out several months in advance), 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.

Sorry. The Tickets are now sold out (As of 18/07/09)

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 at Alton 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.