Not seen one of those in a pub for a fair few years, though I'm sure there are some around.
On the All England Bar Billiards Association web site they have a map showing every known pub table location. In the Swindon area there is the Trotting Horse at Bushton, the Duke of Edinburgh in Gorse Hill, the Fox and Hounds in Haydon Wick, the Prince of Wales in Shrivenham, the Plough in Wanborough and Brookhouse Farm in Middleleaze (although I can't say I have noticed one in there before?)
http://www.aebba.org.uk/It's traditionally more of a Berkshire/Surrey/Sussex/Northants/Channel Island game.
Joking aside you may need to teach us the rules, I'm only 40
Simple rules as compiled by me (for the complete set see the AEBBA Rule Book):
The Start
A flip of a coin decides who starts. The game starts with the red ball on it's spot. The player to start takes a white ball from the trough at the front of the table and places it in the D for the first strike. The game is normally played by 2 people but can also be played by 2 pairs (doubles).
Basic Play
Each turn (break) consists of a number of strikes and comes to an end when a player makes a non-scoring strike or a foul stroke. A strike is taken by the player taking a white or red ball from a trough at the front of the table, putting it within the D at the front of the table and then hitting it with the cue. Normally, players will pick the red ball if it's available because this gives double points. The aim is to strike another ball on the table in such a way that at least one ball ends up rolling into a hole. If this is achieved, the player continues his turn with the next ball.
Any white ball that falls into a hole scores the number of points indicated by that hole. If the red ball falls into a hole, it scores double the points indicated by that hole. Players should keep a running tally of the points scored in his turn and announce the total after each ball is potted.
A foul is committed by knocking over a skittle, causing a ball to return back behind or to touch the baulk line, failing to hit any other ball with the cue ball, causing a ball to leave the table, potting two balls from the break position consecutively more than three times. In all of these cases, the player's turn finishes and any points scored in that turn are lost. Additionally, if the black skittle has been knocked over, the player's entire score for the game is reset to zero.
At the end of a players turn his score should be recorded progressively on the score board. Any balls on the table surface remain where they are and the next player begins his turn by retrieving a ball from the trough, placing it in the D and striking it up the table.
If there are no balls available from the trough with which to take a strike, the ball nearest to the baulk line is retrieved instead. If two are equidistant, the one nearest the centre line will be retrieved.
Finishing
This table does not have a coin operated timer or baffle-bar. Games will be of 20 minutes duration using the electronic timer. When the alarm sounds, no more balls returned to the trough may be taken. Once that happens, play continues as described above but the number of balls in play gradually decreases. Sometimes, the last 2 or 3 balls are all potted in one strike in which case the game ends at that point but, more usually, the time comes when there is only one ball left.
The Final Ball
If it happens that only one ball remains, a special rule comes into force. Before it is struck, the two white skittles are placed into the 50 holes and the top holes are guarded to prevent the ball being lost into any of those holes. Then, the game can only be ended by a player hitting the ball from the D in such a way that it bounces off the side cushion and falls into the 100 hole or 200 hole. Players take turns to do this until either the ball is successfully potted in the 100 hole or 200 hole or the black skittle is knocked down. Of course, in the case where the difference in points is greater than 200, there isn't much point in continuing because the leading player can avoid going anywhere near the black skittle and be guaranteed the win. Technically, the game isn't finished until the last ball is sunk but it is normal in this case for the losing player to offer his hand and concede the game.
