Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The restaurant car on EC was good but it was also horrifically expensive. Apart from on a couple of early evening trains out of London take-up was low. It's the same with Pullman Dining on FGW, you're looking at sixty quid a head minimum for a meal.
It's interesting that the DB-style Bistrowagen concept was never tried. Serve basic but decent quality foodservice type (i.e. microwaved or toaster) stuff on proper plates etc. Might even bring more custom. Meanwhile incorporating a standing bar area a la ICE would have quite a number of people standing voluntarily and enjoying it, rather than annoyed crammed into the vestibule.
The Travelling Chef is I suppose similar, and I guess fGW have said it wasn't successful, but it isn't *quite* the same. In particular there's no sit-down eating area - it's take away only.
Neil