FREE (or where applicable, Pay as You Go),
proceed irrespective of the weather,
open to all over age 12 (persons 13-17, must however be with a responsible
adult),
are via public transport (so bring any Travelcards/Railcards/Freedom-Bus
passes, permits etc - BR travel cost (on the Sat events)will be worked out
on the day and
averaged out amongst all attendees).
Re walkabouts, wear comfortable shoes. All Studio/venue visits are outside
only. For ID, watch out for (and carry) a Penny Farthing logo. Try to
watch the relevent DM/DM-SA/Priz/TA episodes before travelling. Opt in/out
at any point.
If joining us at a BR Rail Stn, meet us at arrival times just outside
Station ticket barriers (and wait for us if we are delayed: we will
eventually be there!). Bring your stills camera (compare locations then
and now) but remember any video/sound recording of tours is only allowed
for personal use
(no commercial use please).
Accommodation (these are suggestions not recommendations):if doing the entire
weekend on a tight budget, look up (on search engine):
"budget accommodation" ("+central london"),
"YMCA" "+stockwell",
"accommodation" "+baden powell house"
or
"+ london school of economics"
or
"+kings college london" (or any other london university site).
Also "40 Norfolk Sq W2 1RT""+hotel".[These people advertise
budget accom
daily in Londons Ev Standard.]
Also check out "railbreaks" (joint rail+accom).
Again-none of these is a recommendation-we have not checked them out!]
----////// Watch out for Prisoner ID - to help find us! We will have a large Prisoner penny-farthing logo with us. All events in themselves proceed irrespective of the weather. All events are FREE- but of course one pays for one's own food / drink / accom / transport. Re Walkabouts - wear comfortable shoes : approx distances given where applicable.
*** Please: no-one under age 12 and no unaccompanied persons between 12-17. You --as an adult attendee-- are responsible for anyone between 12 - under 18, with you. ? ? ?***
/////// VERY IMPORTANT : The health + safety of all attendees is paramount and over-rides all other matters. So, w e reserve the right to refuse admittance to anyone attending any event. ? ? ?//////
Re outside areas: probably no covid masks need be worn BUT BRING ONE WITH YOU and of course if you have covid or covid-like symptoms, PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP AT ALL. Also don't turn up if you have a cold or flu (or symptoms like that..) . Covid masks will --however-- probably apply in enclosed/inside areas. If you are covid mask exempt - please carry written, printed-out, data re this (we will ask to see that). Also if ye have received a covid vaccination (one or two jabs) please carry such written, pre-printed, info with you.
[ We hope to repeat all these events ---in Diaries now-- in late April- early May 2022 (ie Thu 28 April - Bank Holiday Mon 2 May 2022 inclusive). We hope then there will be far fewer covid restrictions. There may --then-- be up to two book launches also as additional events! And we then may also be able to admit under 12s - esp re the Death Star! ]
******If you are in an eligible group for vaccination (esp if older) and have not yet had any, we will want to know why and if so and we are unhappy, we may refuse you admittance!!! No ifs or buts here !!!****** //////----
(a) October Day/Date //// (b) Event/ start time/location etc //// (c) Covid aspects
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(a) Day 1-Thu 14
//// (b) Early arrivals pub get-together: 18:00 ->closing. FREE - but of course, one pays for one's own food / drink. Central London: "Crown" pub -New Oxford St WC1 - beside the famous Umbrella Shop and opp Giotto Italian Restaurant [ Tube: Tottenham Court Rd- (Central --red-- Tube Line and Northern --black-- Tube Line (Charing X branch) ] . Probably outside tables (at back) if still nice, otherwise inside upstairs (comfy chairs). Good beers (Samuel Smith)/hot basic food (eg chips etc) available. (Forbidden Planet SF bookshop is nearby in Shaftesbury Ave -open till 6pm.) //// (c) Pub covid mask rules probably apply inside.
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(a) Day 2-Fri 15 { All in Elstree+Borehamwood ("E+B") am/pm. All events are FREE . } [ Remember: this is on a working Friday. ]
//// (b) -- 1030 for 1045 prompt start- by ticket barriers: E+B Rail Station (on Thameslink : local train service to/from Central London-Oyster Zone 6 (NOTE A )). E+B walkabout. You will stand on the site of the "Death Star". Incl some Priz locations - also OUTSIDE (only) visits to still working (i) BBC Studios (Eastenders / Holby City / BBC News South East) , (ii) Elstree Studios (Avengers(Steed etc) /The Saint / The Baron / Randall+Hopkirk (Dec'd) / Star Wars / Indiana Jones / Kings Speech / Strictly Come Dancing /(!!) Big Brother etc etc). We end up at Toby Hotel/Restaurant, Studio Way- site of Prisoner: "Living In Harmony" (for quick carvery lunch) //// (c) Since all events are outside-relaxed covid mask policy (but Toby rules apply re inside lunch venue) . [ Distance: ~ 3 + 1/2 miles. ] ---------------------------------- //// (b) ---pm (after lunch: outside Toby and no earlier start than 1430) expert-led tour of the old MGM Borehamwood Studios site (now a housing estate with many Film/TV names). Productions: 2001 / The Prisoner (these two were in production at the very same time, side-by-side!) / UFO (1st 19 eps) / Quatermass +The Pit (1967-colour film) / The Shining. We end up at a local (also Priz location) pub: The Mops +Brooms (Prisoner car chase scene: "The Girl Who Was Death") till prob closing. [ Distance: ~ 2 miles. ] //// //// (c) outside so relaxed covid mask policy (but in the pub, their covid rules apply).
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( a) Day 3- Sat 16 //// FREE. (b) A visit to the location site ("Hamden New Town") of the most Prisoner-esque ep of Danger Man (Secret Agent) : "COLONY THREE". Actually South Hatfield Shopping Centre. THIS AREA IS NOW THREAT OF DEMOLITION - SO POSSIBLY LAST CHANCE TO SEE THIS ICONIC LOCATION. Meet at 1100 (for 1130 start) at ticket barriers Queensbury Tube Station (Jubilee --grey-- Tube Line: note NOT Queensway Tube Stn!). Outside that Tube Station, we catch the local bus (all in fare of £8 -currently) to Hatfield. (We also look at one UFO nearby location and possible --using our all day (Uno bus Co) ticket some other ITC/Avengers locations.) In the end we always return to one Tube Station. s//// (c) covid mask applies on board the Tube and on the bus. [ Internet search : "Danger Man" +" Colony Three" -also "UFO" +" Confetti Check A-OK" ]
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(a) Day 4-Sun 17
//// BOTH EVENTS FREE. (b)---am from 1045 (prompt start 1100) Danger Man (D-M)/Secret Agent Walkabout. Meet outside Burger King : Victoria Main Line Rail (not Tube) Station- close to Platforms 1-7 and opp Camden Food Co (NOT the one between Platform 2 & Gatwick Express). Have with you a travelcard/Oyster card which covers Zones 1+2 (see NOTE B). Walkabout includes some bus travel. We cover --inter alia-- Clough Williams Ellis' London office and ("every govt has its secret service.!") John Drake's HQ and his D-M house in London. We end up nr to Marylebone Main Line Rail Station (lunch there). [ Distance about 2 miles, bus travel excluded.] // // (c) All outside so relaxed covid mask policy (but covid masks MUST be worn on the bus).
(b)---from 1400 underneath Marble Arch itself (nearest Tube: Marble Arch)-Prisoner locations Walkabout. We visit --inter alia-- the resignation tunnel and No 6's house. We end up near to Victoria Main Line Rail Station. (Optional pizza/drinks afterwards.) ////(c) Mostly outside so relaxed mask policy but Masks MUST be worn (unless exempt) when we visit the (inside below ground) resignation tunnel.
[ There are no events scheduled for Monday 18. ]
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NOTES: (A) (i) Elstree+Borehamwood ("E+B") is NOT (repeat NOT) on the London Tube. It is instead on the local, stopping, "Thameslink" National Rail service and Oyster travelcards and debit/credit cards may be used on the ticket barriers to/from that Station (Zone 6 Oyster). IMPORTANT: there are two northbound Thameslink services -outer (OTL) and inner (ITL). Outer (OTL) does NOT stop at E+B -usually the end destination shown is Bedford. Inner (ITL) services stop at E+B and usually show St Albans as end destination. They usually alternate on the line. Outside rush hours they are usually every 1/2 hour and it takes ~ 1/2 hour from Central London to E+B. ////Also northbound, do NOT catch or stay on any train with final destination (these also stop at the Stations below marked * ): Cambridge, Stevenage or Peterborough -wrong line altogether!//// One may join Thameslink at the following Tube Stations (south to north): Elephant+Castle (ITL only-get to the Northern --black-- Tube Line exit then turn right and then "follow the signs"), Blackfriars (both + *?), City Thameslink (both +* and trains stop at the southerly end of this long station-nrst Tube: St Pauls), Farringdon (both +*), St Pancras Intl (both), Kentish Town (ITL), West Hampstead Thameslink (both). If you arrive and a northbound service is there anyway, catch it. Then aboard, double check if it is ITL or OTL. If the former, stay on to E+B. If the latter get off at the next station and wait for the correct one. Of course do NOT do this at West Hampstead since that is the last station where both stop.
---If in North London one may travel by Northern --black-- Tube Line to the end of the line and there catch a local bus to E+B Bus Station (right outside the Rail Station). From both ends of the Northern Line, one may catch London Red Bus 107 from Edgeware or from High Barnet. That same bus leaves from //New// Barnet Rail Station (NBRS). Note that using the Red London bus option will take longer and double double check on tfl(dot)gov(dot)uk that they are running and re times and journey lengths.
(ii) Also one can get to that Rail Station (NBRS) --with usually a change at Peterborough or Stevenage from Inter City Main Line Rail Services (East Coast Main Line: eg Leeds / York / Newcastle / Edinburgh etc). Double double check train times on nationalrail(dot)co(dot)uk.
(iii) Re Inter City West Coast Rail Services (eg from Glasgow / Manchester / Liverpool / Birmingham etc etc) change at Watford Junction and then outside that Station catch Red London bus 142 to Stanmore Tube Station. Then go one stop on the Tube to Canons Park and outside that Tube Station, catch London Red Bus 79 to Edgeware (then see (i) above). This will take longer!
(iv) Re SW England and S Wales-get to Paddington and then catch the Circle/Met Tube Lines eastbound to Kings X/St Pancras then upstairs to ITL (as above in (i)).
(v) Re SE England, catch any train to London Bridge and then OTL to Blackfriars and then change onto ITL.
(vi) Re S England, catch any train to Gatwick or Brighton and then an OTL northbound and then change at Blackfriars onto an ITL.
AIRPORTS: (if coming from abroad, double check the covid rules coming into the UK and then on your return home.) HEATHROW-catch the (fast but expensive) Heathrow Express to Paddingon then as per (iv) above. Or if coming earlier the (slower/cheaper) Piccadilly --dark blue-- Tube Line direct to Kings X/St Pancras. GATWICK: easy -do not catch any train to London Victoria. Instead catch any northbound OTL to Blackfriars and change there onto an ITL. STANSTED: get a thru Rail/Tube ticket to King Cross/St Pancras (or even E+B). Catch the Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale, change there onto to the southbound Victoria --pale blue-- Tube Line. CITY (Docklands): Catch the DLR to Bank (may have to change trains at Westferry) then go northbound on the Northern --black--Tube Line to Kings Cross/St Pancras. LUTON: easy -get a through Rail ticket to E+B (above). Catch the shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway, catch any southbound train but change at Bedford and/or St Albans.
EUROSTAR-easy : get to London St Pancras , go outside into the Main Rail Station and there catch the ITL northbound to E+B.
BUT NOTE to get to E+B at that early Fri start time may mean a very early start on these Main Line services -at possible max (peak) fares. It might be better to set off later on Thu (at off peak fares) down to Central London, stay over there (even join us at the Thu evening event) and then on Friday come up on the ITL. And if ye have suitable Rail Card, use it, to get lower fares. Also if one has an ENGLAND Bus Pass (not anywhere else), the bus --on the Sat event-- and the buses --on Sunday-- are free. If one has a London Freedom Pass, all Tube, Red London Bus and the ITL service (to/from E+B) are free. ----- (B) On all Red London Buses, no cash is accepted at all. One MUST use a Travelcard or Oyster Card or a UK-based debit or credit card to "zap" in. (There is no "zap out"-the fare is the same whether going just one stop or to the end of the route.) On Tubes and Thameslink, "zap" in and "zap" out (with the very same card)-even if the gates are open : otherwise you may be changed the maximum fare -ouch! Overseas based debit and credit cards may ? be accepted on Red London Buses, Tube and Thameslink but there will probably be a 2nd charge (for exchange from your own currency to UK£).
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