Help planning Uk trip.

[FrankieC]

Hello all,

I am planning a trip to England in the spring. I am from Chicago and have done some bike touring around the midwest. I have trainhopped a bit. I am a huge lifelong railfan. I have a particular interest in Steam in the UK, the steam preservation movement there is way ahead of its US counterpart.

I play in a few bands in Chicago, and do wanna check out the scene in London. I am planning on staying and travelling very cheaply there. I want to bike tour between museums and mainline excursions. Please share your experiences travelling cheaply around England. I hear it is very easy to squat there. Any information that you don't wish to share over this forum, please shoot me an email at franklinc55 at gmail dot com

 

[iSTEVEi]

In regards to Squatting this thread has some information regarding the recent squatting law change and it has some information centered around Brighton in a posting near the bottom of the thread.

Wish I could help you in regards to London but I've only been there a few times.

 

[landpirate]

it's getting harder to squat in the UK, due to it becoming illegal to squat residential property (commercial property is still ok) with regards london I don't have any definite info. my cousin currently lives there and she is squatting a derelict pub. let me know when you're over here and I'll see what i can find out for you.

If you are interested in rail travel you might well be interested in this museum http://www.nrm.org.uk/ its the UK national rail museum. With regards to steam rail. I don't know much but both these places I have been to and are awesome (although I thought kinda expensive to visit) http://www.watercressline.co.uk/Home and http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/

Also, as a side note. I was in Surrey, England the other day and I was waiting in my car at a level crossing and I saw my first ever UK freight train. It was at Bramley Station, This Youtube video shows the sort of thing I'm talking about at 5 mins 56 secs and 6 mins 46 secs (although on second viewing, this video is clearly sped up)

Ugh I will try and think of something more helpful to tell you but I have had a fair bit to drink and typing is becoming hard work. bye!

 

[landpirate]

I totally failed to post the youtube link, sorry! here it is:

 

[suzie fox]

I am currently looking for someone to take me with them to Europe. Would be considered work exchange because I am a first-class five star traveling companion, and will offer my wide medley of jokes, fun facts, and card games, in exchange for payment of passage across the atlantic.

***People who are wanting to go to europe, but don't have anybody to go with and don't want to go by themselves, this is your chance!!!!!***



vamos

 

[Sam and Laura]

London, Brighton, Bristol and Norwich are all cities with big alternative moments. Train hopping is more difficult than any other places in Europe, but you can ride the Underground for free. Even if there are guards 9/10 they will let you go through if you ask them. Hitching is easy as long as you use a sign with the road number on it (opposed to the town name).
I assume ASS (Association for Squatting or something) still do weekly meetings, so it's worth going along to that (London) and meeting some like minded folk. In all of the above listed cities, there are various anarchist groups/community centers, check out hitchwiki or trashwiki or send me a PM.
It's always worth getting out into the country side as well. We started squatting on a Farmer's field a few months ago, and have literally stumbled onto several alt communites in like a 3 mile radius.
Northern England is full of Bothies which are free to stay at. Read the above comments and work out what is legal and what is not since they change the law.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[Stinkyyy]

If you come thru Bristol hit me up and we can grab a beer