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Today there are 25 train operators who run the services. One infrastructure company - Network Rail and operating companies that own and maintain railway engines and carriages. There are also a number of government organisations like the Strategic Rail Authority and the Health and Safety Executive which are involved in running the railways, making the whole structure extremely complicated.

British Rail introduced a special train, the 'Imp Special', in October 1963. It could carry a 100 cars at a time, being a quarter of a mile long (400 meters). These overnight trains travelled from Linwood to the Midlands

Boats

The Romans came by sea and they moved goods around Britain by water. At the start of the Roman era in Britain there were native skin craft and dugouts or dugout canoe - is a boat which is basically a hollowed tree trunk. A narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of England and Wales. The term is extended to modern "narrowboats" used for recreation and occasionally as homes, whose design is an interpretation of the old boats for modern purposes and modern materials.

Now boating activities became an entertainment, people like having so-called canal holidays -Canal Boat Trip

Boats and sport  The British Dragon Boat Racing Association (BDA) is the UK governing body for dragon boat racing in Great Britain. Dragon boat racing is one of the fastest growing and most exciting water sports you can take part in. 

Bikes

A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle.

1^st was made of wood, this was basically like a bicycle with the pedals, gears and chain removed - you pushed it along with your feet, but was faster than walking.

Since the 1980's there has been a lot of technological innovation. New materials have become widespread. Combined brake and gear systems have been developed.

In Britain and elsewhere in Europe there is a growing awareness that cycling is a fun, healthy, and non-polluting activity. That's why Britain's 6,000-mile National Cycling Network (NCN) is being laid along city streets and on minor country roads, woodland paths, abandoned rail lines, canal tow paths, and the like. The vast network is accessible to hikers and the disabled as well as cyclists.

Subcultures

      Young people have a particular relationship with the world. A particular cultural grouping is a way for young people to express their individuality (identity). By the mid-60s teenagers had begun to form distinct cultural groupings. Most young people in Britain follow some kind of youth culture: rocker, skinhead, hippies, Goth, punk, baker…

      The inspiration to form a youth culture comes out of a combination of fashion, style and music. A subculture is group with a distinct style and identity. Different subcultures have their own beliefs, values, fashions…

      Nevertheless, members of different subcultures may have something similar in their image, behavior, etc… 

Rockers, leather boys or ton-up boys are a biker subculture that originated in the United Kingdom during the 1950s. It was mainly centered around British cafe racer motorcycles and rock and roll music.

Until the post-World War II years, motorcycling held a prestigious position within British society and enjoyed a positive image, being associated with wealth and glamour. Starting in the 1950s, the middle classes were able to buy inexpensive motorcars, and motorcycles became transport for the poor. The rocker subculture came about due to factors such as: the end of post-war rationing in the UK, a general rise in prosperity for working class youths, the recent availability of credit and financing for young people, the construction of race track-like arterial ring roads around British cities, and the development of transport cafes.   Largely due to their clothing styles and dirtiness, the rockers were not widely welcomed pubs and dance halls. Rockers also transformed rock and roll dancing into a more violent, individualistic form beyond the control of dance hall management.^[  They were generally reviled by the British motorcycle industry and general enthusiasts as being as an embarrassment and bad for the industry and the sport. Originally, many rockers opposed recreational drug use, and according to Johnny Stuart, they had no knowledge of the different sorts of drugs. To them amphetamines, cannabis, heroin were all drugs - something to be hated. Their ritual hatred of Mods and other sub-cultures was based in part on the fact that these people were believed to take drugs and were therefore regarded as sissies. Their dislike of anyone connected with drugs was intense 

A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their shaven heads. They often tattoos and tend to wear high boots, tight jeans. The skinhead subculture was originally associated with black popular music genres such as soul, ska, rocksteady. In the late 1960s, some skinheads in the United Kingdom (including black skinheads) had engaged in violence against South Asian immigrants (an act known as Paki bashing in common slang). There had, however, also been anti-racist and leftist skinheads since the beginning of the subculture, especially in Scotland and northern England.  

The punk subculture is centered around listening to recordings or live concerts of a loud, aggressive genre of rock music called punk rock, usually shortened to punk

Punk-related ideologies are mostly concerned with individual freedom and anti-establishment (view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society). Other notable trends in punk politics include  anti-militarism, anti-capitalism, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-nationalism, anti-homophobia, vegetarianism.  

The goth subculture Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from the 19th century Gothic literature along with horror films and to a lesser extent the BDSM culture.

The goth subculture has associated tastes in music, aesthetics, and fashion. Gothic music encompasses a number of different styles including Gothic rock, Darkwave, Deathrock, Ethereal, Neo-Medieval and Neoclassical. Styles of dress within the subculture range from deathrock, punk and Victorian style attire, or combinations of the above, most often with dark attire, makeup and hair.

Influence: gothic novel, Ozzy Ozborne 

Royal Palaces. Traditions and popular ceremonies

The word palace comes from Old French palais (imperial residence), from Latin Palātium, the name of one of the seven hills of Rome.

The official London residences of the English Sovereigns, from Henry VIII to the present day, have been:

*The Palace of Whitehall (to 1699),

*St James's Palace (to 1837) and

*Buckingham Palace (1837 +), originally known as Buckingham House.

But today we will talk about 3 the most interesting palaces in England:

* Buckingham Palace

* St. James Palace

* Kensington Palace

1. Buckingham Palace

The history of Buckingham Palace began in 1702 when the Duke of Buckingham had it built as his London home. The Duke´s son sold the house in1761 to GeorgeIII., it was renamed “Queen´s House“ in 1774 as Queen Charlotte resided there. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to take up residence in Buckingham palace in 1837.

World-famous Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Queen - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. But it's not just the main palace of the country.  First of all - a place of residence of the British Queen and her family.

The palace was closed to the public for the first time and  the museum doors was  opened to visitors in the summer of 1993.

Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.

Buckingham palace is not only home of the Queen Elizabeth II. But also the London residence of her son Charles with his wife and his sons Harry and William. The Queen has other homes- Windsor castle(last set Queen) and Barmoral in Scotland.The monarch´s thrones are localed in the scarlet and gold. Throne Room used for formal photograps. From Buckingham Palace you can easily walk other great London sights including; Hauses of Parliament, Big Ben, Piccadely Circus, St. Jame´s Palace, 10 Downing Street, The Tames, Trafalgar Square and even Hard rock Cafe.

The gardens of Buckingham Palace - the largest private gardens in London, originally created by Lancelot «Capability» Brown and later by William redistribution Aylton and John Nash. A large artificial pond was completed in 1828.Currently, the palace occupies 20 hectares, of which 17 hectares - the garden.

In the palace there is a huge art gallery with works by Rembrandt, Rubens and others.  In the collection there are also French Sevres porcelain, French and English furniture. The Palace has a swimming pool, post office and own cinema. At the two summer months (August and September) Queen leaves Buckingham Palace. In those months, state rooms of the palace open to visitors. When the Queen is here, the royal standard flutters over the palace. The Queen's Gallery, also in Buckingham Palace Road has especial exhibitions from the Royal collection and may be visited every day except Monday. 

2. St. James Palace

St James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign[1][2] and the most senior royal palace in the UK. For this reason it gives its name to the Royal Court (the "Court of St James's")

St. James's Palace - the main residence of Queen Elizabeth I Tudor. Built by Henry VIII Tudor in 1530-ies. In this palace of his first speech from the throne said Queen Elizabeth II

St. James's Palace is the senior Palace of the Sovereign, with a long history as a Royal residence. As the home of several members of the Royal Family and their household offices, it is often in use for official functions and is not open to the public.

St James's Palace is still a working palace, and the Royal Court is still formally based there – foreign ambassadors are still accredited to the Court of St James's, even though they are received by the monarch at Buckingham Palace

The Queen's Chapel, built by Inigo Jones, adjoins St James's Palace. While the Chapel is open to the public at selected times, the palace is not accessible to the public. St James's Palace is one of the four buildings in London where guards from the Household Division can be seen (the other three are Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Horse Guards).

Since the beginning of the 2000s, the Royal Philatelic Collection has been housed at St James's Palace, after spending the entire 20th century at Buckingham Palace.

From October 2008 onwards, and officially from 6 January 2009, the staff of Princes William and Harry moved into their own rooms in St James's Palace and began reporting directly to the royal princes for the first time. Until recently the brothers' duties were looked after by Prince Charles's office at Clarence House.

3. Kensington Palace

This is a small and modest Palace in west London. William III, Mary Stewart, George II, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Lady Diana - a few from a long line of famous names associated with Kensington Palace in London. After a long time here was situated the city a royal residence, where they lived, many members of the royal family and British aristocracy higher.

Kensington Palace is well known worldwide as the London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana before their divorce in 1991, and later as the residence of Diana. After her death in 1997, the palace became a sort of mausoleum princess: the gates are often piles of flowers. In the years 1689-1696. mansion was rebuilt under the direction of Christopher Wren's palace, since he was 300 years belongs to the royal family.

Staterooms with excellent murals, painted by William Kent, a gallery of royal portraits and beautiful furniture in classic style, this is only a small part of what might be said about Kensington Palace

On the first floor there  is a collection of clothing of the royal court from 1750 until the present time. On the second  floor there are the royal apartments, including the royal gallery with a collection of paintings by artists of 17 century

On birthday of Queen Mother accepts congratulations at this palace, and welcomes the crowd of people. Beloved grandmother of England lives in the palace of Clarence, which was built in 1825 by architect Nash for William IV, who was then the Duke Klaresenskim.

CEREMONIES 

* Opening of Parliament

* The Changing of the Guard

* Ceremony of the Keys

Opening of Parliament

The countries of old Europe are famous for their traditions. For example, in Germany to this day vividly celebrated Oktoberfest, born in the early 19 th century, in France, with 19 centuries celebrate young wines of Beaujolais Nouveau, and, of course, England, with its long tradition does not stand aside. For several centuries in a row from one year to the monarch personally conducts the opening ceremony of the parliament. This event, though a political nature, but the spirit of celebration and festivity it remains to this day

Opening of Parliament is traditionally held in autumn in the Palace of Westminster, the House of Lords, as the monarch is forbidden to enter the House of Commons. None of the monarch did not attend the ward to 1642, when Charles I attempted to arrest several members of the chamber.

The event truly festive and colorful. The monarch, in modern England is the Queen, comes from Buckingham Palace in a carriage drawn by horses, accompanied by the Horse Guards. At the ceremony there are lords and bishops in traditional robes and wigs. Once the Queen arrives at Parliament, the state flag is changed to the Royal Standard. Queen met Lord Great Chamberlain and the Black Rod and solemnly carried through the corridors of the House of Lords. Then the King of Arms is sent to the House of Commons, to invite members to attend the reading of the royal speech. Upon arrival at their destination, the door slams in front of him, symbolizing freedom and independence of members of the House of royal power. King of Arms must knock three times to enter and is officially known that the Monarch awaits them.

The Changing of the Guard.

Perhaps the most beautiful traditions in England is "The Changing Of The Guard" ceremony. Royal guard usually carries Guards infantry full dress which consists of a red suit and cap of bearskin. At the ceremony, the new guard replaces the old guard replaced the orchestra. Music varies and can be  a military march or  tunes from musicals, West End, and even well-known contemporary songs. This ceremony takes place daily at 11:30 from April to August and lasts approximately 45 minutes, at other times of the year - at the same time, but every other day. Practical benefits of changing of the guard, of course not, but this tradition - one of the most beautiful in London. However, the changing of the guard may be canceled at any time, especially due to bad weather.

Ceremony of the Keys

Also in London there is one that is not directly related to the queen, but a very attractive tourist tradition - Ceremony of the Keys. For the past 700 years in a row, each night the chief jailer of the Tower of London, better known as Beefeater doing rite door latching Tower. All doors should be locked at exactly 21 hours 53 minutes. After that, regular trumpeter trumpeting Tower lights out and the ceremony ends. To see this ceremony is to advance, 6-8 weeks, sign up, because number of participants is limited.

Humour

Comedy acts and television programmes typical of British humour include Monty Python, Benny Hill, and Keeping Up Appearances to name a few that have become quite popular outside of the United Kingdom. At times, however, such humour can seem puzzling to non-British speakers of English (for example, references to British slang terms or people who are not internationally known), while certain Commonwealth nations (such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa) tend to find it more familiar. Many UK comedy TV shows typical of British humour have been internationally popular, and have been a strong avenue for the export and representation of British culture to an international audience.