Gathering at East Anglian Railway Museum, on Saturday 17th April, 2010

[Mr Addams]

The Steampunks of East Anglia are planning to hold their inaugural gathering at The East Anglian Railway Museum on Saturday 17th April, 2010.
If anyone is willing to travel to the wilds of North Essex, you will be more than welcome.
Please register your interest here so that I can keep a rough idea of numbers.
 
For more details, please see THIS THREAD.

[Capt. Dirigible]

The Countess and I aren't in Essex..we're in East London. However, if Rockula is going along then I'm pretty much certain we'll be there as well..

[Rockula]

The Countess and I aren't in Essex..we're in East London. However, if Rockula is going along then I'm pretty much certain we'll be there as well..

Yup. Definitely. In the diary.

[Capt. Dirigible]

Well that four for def, then!

[Capt. Dirigible]

So is this only going to be me and The Countess, Rockula and Melissa Forethorpe and Mr Addams? Are there no others who are planning to come along?

[vampyresheep]

Myself and Rob might be coming!  Need to plan timings/distance though as we've got to be back in London for the evening.

[Capt. Dirigible]

Myself and Rob might be coming!  Need to plan timings/distance though as we've got to be back in London for the evening.

Is Rob driving or are you taking (gulp) Public Transport ? Getting around/in/out of London at weekends is becoming a nightmare so do check to make sure which Tubes are running and if you have to take a bus be prepared for diversions and delays due to roadworks. What would normally be a 20 minute journey (when the Overground is running)  for me and The Countess last weekend took us nearly an hour and then we got off and walked the rest.

[vampyresheep]

Goodness, what a thought!     We'd be driving of course!   Living on the Jubilee line, we've been pretty much held hostage by public transport at the weekends for the past year; getting quite used to having to drive everywhere.

[ladyelsie]

The Major and I would love to have joined you but having checked it, we are over 3 hours away  and the same back. A bit too far for a day trip and we are unable to stay over. So this time we will not be joining you. But we will try again if you meet a little further north, Towards Gods country.
Lady Elsie.

[Mr Addams]

I have just spoken for to the Railway Museum, the admission fee is £4.00, with a reduction of 10% for groups of 10 or more.
We will probably be joined by a contingent from my Historical Enactment Society.
The Museum opens at 10, so I propose that we meet in the car park between 10:00 and 10:30.

The catering is limited, but they have made a note of our visit, so they will be sure that Tea and Cakes will be available. They have also said that if we request it, and give adequate notice, they will open the catering, and provide hot food, but of course they will need a commitment from us to dine while we are there.

I shall repost this message in the East Anglia Steampunk thread.

[Capt. Dirigible]

Do you know if they have any objections to us bringing picnic type food? or are we obliged to use their catering if we want to eat?

[Mr Addams]

I do not know, I shall ask, next time I make contact.

[Rockula]

FORGET THE FOOD...WHAT ARE THE PUBS LIKE?

[Capt. Dirigible]

Do you know if they have any objections to us bringing picnic type food? or are we obliged to use their catering if we want to eat?

I've just had a look at the map of the museum and  they have a designated picnic area so I'm guessing picnics are OK...

[Mr Addams]

FORGET THE FOOD...WHAT ARE THE PUBS LIKE?

To the best of my knowledge, they do not normally sell alcohol at the museum, but for future reference, the do host a VERY GOOD BEER FESTIVAL, in September.

The closest pub is The Swan, about 500 yards down the road.   

[Angus A Fitziron]

Edit for correction

Yep, count me in. I may even use public transport as I now have a bus pass and live on that side of town! The pub is just down the road and does lunches I think. At great personal cost I shall investigate and report back! The location of the museum is adjacent to the Chappel Viaduct and the walk to the pub takes us down to the foot of this majestic wonder!

In the above picture, the railway museum is just off to the right of the shot. The pub is just beyond the white building to the left of the cross roads (spot the car-park) just beyond the viaduct. In fact I may even take the train at least one way as I don't recall ever crossing the viaduct which you do if you catch the Sudbury train from Marks Tey junction and then alight at the museum.

[Angus A Fitziron]

Oh dear - double posting or something ... 

Well, the Swan public house is only about 3¹₂ miles from where I live and it could become my local after one brief visit! The pub is a nice period location, next to the New Bridge (built 1905) in Wakes Colne. They had Adnams bitter on draught at £2.95 per pint as well as Adnams Gun Hill, Broadside and a guest beer. They have the usual assortment of fizzy beer and claim to have a good selections of wines (a chap can manage only just so much in a lunch time).
There is a good lunch menu, with sandwiches from£4.90 to £5.75. There seems to be a good supply of fishy options, a bowl of mussels with 'half a baguette'! is £6.65 and good old fish and chips is £8.75 for hake or haddock. For those of a less piscine bent they have a selection of home made pies and gourmet style sausages with a choice of mash (3 varieties I think). There was a veggie option today (wild mushrooms with garlic and herbs in a whisky sauce IIRC). Apparently the chef will do something special (it was emphasised that all meals are prepared fresh) but I guess some warning would be polite if your requirements are very special!

There seemed to be plenty of room, but we are visiting on a Saturday lunchtime when the lounge bar is likely to be busy and although this is Essex, we can't guarantee a dry day at this time of the year so we shall probably be in the restaurant and therefore booking will be highly advisable if you don't want to spend all day in the bar drinking whilst waiting for a table (I know its a plan, but the chef goes home at a quarter to three ...)

I have a copy of the lunchtime menu and will be happy to take questions via PM. In the meantime, please can those who know they will be attending and joining us for lunch at the Swan, please post here and I will make a booking, say, middle of next week.

[Mr Addams]

I am expecting two or three people to come along from my historical group, I have asked if they are picknicking or if they want a place at the pub, I will let you know as soon as I get a reply.

[Capt. Dirigible]

Well myself, the Countess, Rockula and Melissa Forethorpe will be pic-nicking (don't worry Rockula..I have the ale supply covered )

[Rockula]

Well myself, the Countess, Rockula and Melissa Forethorpe will be pic-nicking (don't worry Rockula..I have the ale supply covered )

Hobgoblin one would presume?

[Capt. Dirigible]

Hobgoblin one would presume?

I have  a selection....some you may be familiar with..some you may not

[Mr Addams]

We can Always go to the pub AFTER the picnic. 

[Mr Addams]

Two Days to go.
So the plan is to gather in the car park at 10ish, with a view to mustering enough bodies for the group discount. and entering at around 10.30.
So how are we doing for bodies.
The Following have expressed the intention to attend.

Mr Addams party.
Mr Mr Addams and four Steampunk novices from the Colchester Historical Enactment Society.

Mr Angus A Fitziron

Capitan Dirigibles party
The Captain,
Countess,
Rockula
and Melissa Forethorpe

vampyresheep
Party of two?

Ignasis

Lady Ruff-Diamond

fluffybat
Party of two

Have I missed anyone out?

Mr Fitziron, Did you get any response to your suggestion of booking a table at the pub? I think that most of us will be picknicking.
What about having a Pot Luck Picknick?
Everyone brings something to the table, and we all have a wizard spread. (Dumbledore on toast?)

[vampyresheep]

Sorry, not going to be able to make it this week after all - the sensible part of me worked out that it would be too much of a challenge to be back in central London by early evening.

[Mr Addams]

Thats a pity, still, that is what you get for being sensible.
For the record, for anyone else in the same boat, Liverpool street station to Colchester station takes about an hour.