How do I get from Star Atlas to real life? This question is about finding the elevation and bearing of a given star at a particular time at Latitude 52N.

I look up the RA and Declination of my star. How do I calculate its bearing and elevation at hourly intervals?
The Right Ascension of a star is fixed (ignoring precession of the equinoxes). What you need or want to know is the "sidereal time" - that is to say the "time" based on which RA is at your local meridian at a given time. The sidereal day is slightly shorter than the mean solar day (ie the 24 hour day) and so sidereal and solar times drift apart - only being equivalent at the vernal equinox.