I don't know how they run it in the UK...but I'm in the US and if I were abroad I'd get a money order with cash and mail it to the bank teller at my bank. Sure I'd expect it would take a couple of weeks to get processed and I'd keep on top of it by calling the bank's phone number and checking on my account to make sure it's deposited. If it doesn't get there when I expect it to I'd be calling the people I bought the money order from and asking where it is in transit and has it been cashed yet. The other way is you can go to a bank where you are and ask them if they would send the money to your account back home. There are hefty fees in doing this but everyone loves cash. Here if I were to do something like that I'd make sure it was an "international" bank.

Mail it to your bank from where you are.