[156450]

I remember once travelling back from Carlisle to Glasgow Central summer before last. Bank holiday extra on a friday. Got on , stopped Lockerbie , Motherwell and Glasgow. Never noticed anyone else on the train. Guard did the usual speech approaching GLC and then walked up and said "that announcement was just for you , your the only one on the train except us staff". It was nice to get a whole pendolino to myself. Would have been nicer if it had been the pretendolino but we can't have it all ways!

[tsr]

Originally Posted by jcollins

Don't they normally have vending machines instead of trolleys in Spain?

I think vending machines are an excellent idea for trains on suburban routes and also some other short/medium distance routes, providing the goods are of a decent quality.

Presumably it would be a bit cheaper to have machines, rather than employing staff to sell things, although sometimes you get very nice members of staff, who deserve to have a job serving customers, and you wouldn't want them unemployed!

I don't know much at all about Spanish trains and their various on-board refreshment services, I'm afraid.

[yorksrob]

Mmm. I'm not sure. When someone turns up next to me offering a nice hot cup of tea, there's definately an extra incentive to buy one. That said, when there's a traditional buffet car I like to go up and use it. Would I walk down the train for a vending machine ? Only if I was really desperate probably.

[Anon Mouse]

Originally Posted by yorksrob

Mmm. I'm not sure. When someone turns up next to me offering a nice hot cup of tea, there's definately an extra incentive to buy one. That said, when there's a traditional buffet car I like to go up and use it. Would I walk down the train for a vending machine ? Only if I was really desperate probably.

It would'nt work here. They would get smashed up, rocked or just generally damaged. And it would also put people out of a job

[yorksrob]

Originally Posted by Anon Mouse

It would'nt work here. They would get smashed up, rocked or just generally damaged. And it would also put people out of a job

Indeed. Trolley is the ideal half-way house if you haven't got the room for a buffet car.

[Anon Mouse]

Originally Posted by yorksrob

Indeed. Trolley is the ideal half-way house if you haven't got the room for a buffet car.

and you would not be able to stock alcohol

[yorksrob]

Originally Posted by Anon Mouse

and you would not be able to stock alcohol

Well quite (hadn't even thought of that !)

[Michael.Y]

I don't want to be replaced by a machine (again!)

[jcollins]

Originally Posted by Michael.Y

I don't want to be replaced by a machine (again!)

You could have them as additional to the trolley service. For instance, TPE offer the trolley service for part of most of their journeys. If it's 2 x 170s on a Hull-Manchester service you have to wait until Leeds for the trolley to board, then if you're in the wrong portion you have to wait until Huddersfield.

A vending machine could offer cold snacks and drinks throughout and the trolley could come along with hot drinks and additional items not stocked by the vending machine.

The people who operate the trolleys could gain additional work by also having the job of restocking the vending machine, opposed to losing work.

[Anon Mouse]

Originally Posted by jcollins

You could have them as additional to the trolley service. For instance, TPE offer the trolley service for part of most of their journeys. If it's 2 x 170s on a Hull-Manchester service you have to wait until Leeds for the trolley to board, then if you're in the wrong portion you have to wait until Huddersfield.

A vending machine could offer cold snacks and drinks throughout and the trolley could come along with hot drinks and additional items not stocked by the vending machine.

The people who operate the trolleys could gain additional work by also having the job of restocking the vending machine, opposed to losing work.

The two systems would not work together as the bean counters would check to see which is more cost effective. Anything that may endager staff jobs is a no no in my book. Mr NcNulty is already threatning Conductor jobs. It would be a bad move in my book

[calc7]

Originally Posted by Anon Mouse

The two systems would not work together as the bean counters would check to see which is more cost effective. Anything that may endager staff jobs is a no no in my book. Mr NcNulty is already threatning Conductor jobs. It would be a bad move in my book

Precisely. Bean counting on the railways is really ****ing me off recently, especially when the companies forget the tax subsidies they are getting (and I'm by no means left-wing).

The trolley is one of the last remnants of proper customer service on the railways. I am far more likely to buy something on a trolley from a polite and cheerful dolly/wally that fight past people's luggage and elbows, falling into others and generally disrupting my comfort just to get a cuppa. I can count on one hand the number of times I have used the shop on Virgin (despite travelling with them three or four return trips each week) and similarly on EC.

It's also nice to have some banter with the trolley dolly/wally as they pass, too.

[Michael.Y]

Originally Posted by calc7

Precisely. Bean counting on the railways is really ****ing me off recently, especially when the companies forget the tax subsidies they are getting (and I'm by no means left-wing).

The trolley is one of the last remnants of proper customer service on the railways. I am far more likely to buy something on a trolley from a polite and cheerful dolly/wally that fight past people's luggage and elbows, falling into others and generally disrupting my comfort just to get a cuppa. I can count on one hand the number of times I have used the shop on Virgin (despite travelling with them three or four return trips each week) and similarly on EC.

It's also nice to have some banter with the trolley dolly/wally as they pass, too.

Let me guess - you're the one who tries to order a kebab and chips?

Fighting past luggage - easy. A bit of creative Jenga on the luggage rack and you're away. Elbows, shoulders and even heads... why do people not move when they hear / see you coming? On a 175 the trolley leaves about half an inch of space either side as I come through. I'm certainly not going to stop just because some numbnut in the aisle seat won't shift his Sunday Times over a couple of centimetres while I go past.

The worst bit is people who leave their plates of meat in the aisle as I'm approaching. The amount of toes I've squished with my size 8 steel-toecapped Railway-issue safety shoes I shudder to think. The amount of handbag and laptop bag and rucksack straps and buckles poking out in the aisle too... that tell-tale bump as you run something leather over...

Having said that, I love my job, I really do. I get to ride some fantastic machines throughout some beautiful countryside yet (to an extent) not have to worry about the actual running of the train. Yes I'm a glorified teasmade but who cares? Better than being stuck in an office.

When they were advertising for a new steward on the ATW webbo, I posted this as my Facebook update. I think it sums up my feelings rather well (but then I would!):

I work with businessmen, students, families and retired people. I cover hundreds of miles in a day, thousands a week, seeing coasts, mountains, cities, international ports and countryside out of my window. I earn commission on my sales, am self-motivated, promote a variety of products and sell them on at a handsome profit. And so could you

[voyagerdude220]

Originally Posted by 156450

I remember once travelling back from Carlisle to Glasgow Central summer before last. Bank holiday extra on a friday. Got on , stopped Lockerbie , Motherwell and Glasgow. Never noticed anyone else on the train. Guard did the usual speech approaching GLC and then walked up and said "that announcement was just for you , your the only one on the train except us staff". It was nice to get a whole pendolino to myself. Would have been nicer if it had been the pretendolino but we can't have it all ways!

Last April, I went from Preston to Glasgow via the S&C one late Sunday morning. This particular Super Voyager terminated at Carlisle for an onward Pendo. For some reason it was a double set that day, so I got FC to myself Pre-Car. At Car I realised it formed a later Glc service. I therefore got lunch, swapped sets & again FC to myself. Same happened on the return, & Tm didnt charge me on the way up/ stuck on the rear set on the way back.

[calc7]

I just got the DLR from Canary Wharf and had a whole carriage to myself until Westferry. Makes a change to the sardine can it can be in rush hour!

[Muzer]

Salisbury to Andover at certain times of day - the 1547 for instance often has coach 5 (in which I sit in order to get off the train by the underpass at Andover, as it's a 6-coach train) completely empty. Unfortunately my timetable has changed and I rarely travel in that one now, so it's all yours