GWR 1st catering now weekdays (& before 7:30pm) only, and not for Paddington Oxford customers

[Nicholas Lewis]

And MML/EMT, not sure about EMR.

EMR not as good as MML were but still better than GWR

 

[basfordlad]

EMR not as good as MML were but still better than GWR

Yes the very good mml breakfast and the Saturday breakfast trains

 

[185143]

Must be a recent change then.

I did Bristol-Paddington on Saturday and got a can of coke and a snack box. Unfortunately, the staff declined to mention the snack box was the vegan option, the contents of it were absolutely vile!

 

[Bishopstone]

I wonder if the Standard trolley will now continue through First Class at weekends. That could lead to some awkward conversations over the next few months - group of 4 order a coffee each, expecting it to be complimentary, and are then asked for £12….

 

[Ridercross]

I travelled on Saturday 1st July with GWR First Class between WOF and RDG and had noticed that on the website before I travelled. However, First Class did indeed have at seat service. It was the usual GWR First selection of hot and cold drinks and snack boxes. So I wonder if they are just covering for any occasions that they may not be able to provide First service?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Especially LNER, which is excellent. I have no problem forking out the extra for FC on LNER ... as for the others, not so much, as it's simply not as reliable.

Either you’re on commission, very fortunate when you travel, or haven’t travelled with LNER since COVID.

 

[Tester]

I've just left Bristol on the last train to London (2240) and have been offered the usual selection of drinks and snacks.

 

[D1537]

Either you’re on commission, very fortunate when you travel, or haven’t travelled with LNER since COVID.

I'm not on commission and have travelled multiple times with LNER since COVID as I visit Edinburgh regularly. I have been very impressed with the FC offering on nearly every occasion (once we had a late unit swap at Edinburgh and the replacement Azuma was short of a few food items, but that's the worst I can come up with). Perhaps I have been lucky, but the number of times I have travelled would seem to indicate that this good service is the norm.

I have also used Avanti for Anglo-Scottish journeys and whilst their FC is good when it's working properly - indeed I actually slightly prefer their food - it seems to have far more regular issues than LNER.

 

[dk1]

I wonder if the Standard trolley will now continue through First Class at weekends. That could lead to some awkward conversations over the next few months - group of 4 order a coffee each, expecting it to be complimentary, and are then asked for £12….

Happened at GA a few years back when complimentary became Monday-Friday only. They soon get used to it.

 

[AngusH]

An issue perhaps, but with some forward planning the trolley could be stocked with the first class hot drinks and snacks
so the host could give them out for free.

Or just offer up standard hot drinks and selected snacks for free at the weekends to first class passengers,
it's not like the cost of the stock is much in the scheme of things.

 

[Eastern Farmer]

I'm not on commission and have travelled multiple times with LNER since COVID as I visit Edinburgh regularly. I have been very impressed with the FC offering on nearly every occasion (once we had a late unit swap at Edinburgh and the replacement Azuma was short of a few food items, but that's the worst I can come up with). Perhaps I have been lucky, but the number of times I have travelled would seem to indicate that this good service is the norm.

I must agree, I am a regular LNER FC traveler and see the upgrade to be very much worth it. For the first and last time I did GWR first class a couple of weeks back (expecting something akin to LNER seeing the length of the journey) from Paddington to the West and was very very disappointed and actually said it can’t get any worse than this. Clearly I have been proven wrong

 

[railfan99]

And MML/EMT, not sure about EMR.

Without going OT, I thought EMR's offering last year (Derby-London) was basic compared to Avanti WC, GWR and (only briefly sampled) LNER).

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I always give credit where it's due, and the superstar train manager on my IET from Taunton to Cardiff (I'm on a First Advance) has just raided the kitchen for me so I can have something to eat on my train home.

It is a weekend. It is after 7pm. But most of all, it is a Regional Castle HST route, which doesn't even offer any catering. Really very kind of him.

I've praised his wonderful customer service (without specifying what he did, because it'd probably be frowned upon to give me catering on a route I'm not entitled to it) to GWR Twitter/X and asked that they pass on my thanks to him and his manager.

 

[fgwrich]

I must agree, I am a regular LNER FC traveler and see the upgrade to be very much worth it. For the first and last time I did GWR first class a couple of weeks back (expecting something akin to LNER seeing the length of the journey) from Paddington to the West and was very very disappointed and actually said it can’t get any worse than this. Clearly I have been proven wrong

I’ve travelled back from the Highlands on LNER tonight and their offering has been excellent. The specially adapted Festival Menu is good and they’ve done well to source more produce from across their network - something GWR used to be proud of enough to advertise it in their HST Buffets (I know, I’ve got a chunk of it at home!).

Compared to GWRs now Paltry offering, this is LNERs Festival Menu - one of 3 they currently provide along with Deli and Dine.

 

[Eastern Farmer]

I’ve travelled back from the Highlands on LNER tonight and their offering has been excellent. The specially adapted Festival Menu is good and they’ve done well to source more produce from across their network - something GWR used to be proud of enough to advertise it in their HST Buffets (I know, I’ve got a chunk of it at home!).

Compared to GWRs now Paltry offering, this is LNERs Festival Menu - one of 3 they currently provide along with Deli and Dine.

Yes, the full LNER breakfast from the dine menu iirc, is one of the best things I have ever eaten on a train, their bacon baps are glorious too. Anyhow straying off topic now so I’ll shut my gob! As I said it is a shame to see GW’s FC offering really fall, especially seeing the length of the journeys.

 

[Fuzzytop]

I’ve travelled back from the Highlands on LNER tonight and their offering has been excellent. The specially adapted Festival Menu is good and they’ve done well to source more produce from across their network - something GWR used to be proud of enough to advertise it in their HST Buffets (I know, I’ve got a chunk of it at home!).

Compared to GWRs now Paltry offering, this is LNERs Festival Menu - one of 3 they currently provide along with Deli and Dine.

And of course this actually represents a reduction in the usual offering - understandable, given the amount of passengers during Festival season. Since May, a healthy chunk of LNER's Anglo-Scot service in normal times has had the full chef-cooked 'Dine' service on weekdays.

I had cause to take a GWR journey last Autumn. I'm lucky enough to have LNER as my usual operator, so I knew it wouldn't be as good, but even so I came away disappointed. Considering the fare was higher than a typical LNER journey, and journeys to Swansea, Devon and Cornwall are as long as many LNER journeys, you'd expect a better standard of catering in both standard and first. If I'm honest, travel with them felt like a rip-off, and now it seems they're further running the service down. It's very depressing.

 

[irish_rail]

And of course this actually represents a reduction in the usual offering - understandable, given the amount of passengers during Festival season. Since May, a healthy chunk of LNER's Anglo-Scot service in normal times has had the full chef-cooked 'Dine' service on weekdays.

I had cause to take a GWR journey last Autumn. I'm lucky enough to have LNER as my usual operator, so I knew it wouldn't be as good, but even so I came away disappointed. Considering the fare was higher than a typical LNER journey, and journeys to Swansea, Devon and Cornwall are as long as many LNER journeys, you'd expect a better standard of catering in both standard and first. If I'm honest, travel with them felt like a rip-off, and now it seems they're further running the service down. It's very depressing.

Does make you wander if the slow downgrade of service on GWR is because the services are so overcrowded and popular and Governement would rather lose passengers than spend money to provide proper length trains to cater for them.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I always give credit where it's due, and the superstar train manager on my IET from Taunton to Cardiff (I'm on a First Advance) has just raided the kitchen for me so I can have something to eat on my train home.

It is a weekend. It is after 7pm. But most of all, it is a Regional Castle HST route, which doesn't even offer any catering. Really very kind of him.

I've praised his wonderful customer service (without specifying what he did, because it'd probably be frowned upon to give me catering on a route I'm not entitled to it) to GWR Twitter/X and asked that they pass on my thanks to him and his manager.

Definitely excellent service from the Train Manager there. I love Pullins fruit cake.

 

[sciisfun]

last time I traveled 1st with GWR (back in february) they had just removed diet coke from the first class offerings, does anyone know if it has been reinstated? when I emailed them they said they were looking into it. No good for my diabetic girlfriend who is lumped with just water if she doesn't want anything hot

 

[AlterEgo]

I’ve travelled back from the Highlands on LNER tonight and their offering has been excellent. The specially adapted Festival Menu is good and they’ve done well to source more produce from across their network - something GWR used to be proud of enough to advertise it in their HST Buffets (I know, I’ve got a chunk of it at home!).

Compared to GWRs now Paltry offering, this is LNERs Festival Menu - one of 3 they currently provide along with Deli and Dine.

Not to be a party pooper but that’s a dreadful offer for a four hour evening trip. Not a single proper dinner there. Roll roll roll stottie salad.

In a proper country there would be a dining car.

 

[trebor79]

Not to be a party pooper but that’s a dreadful offer for a four hour evening trip. Not a single proper dinner there. Roll roll roll stottie salad.

In a proper country there would be a dining car.

That was my thought too. Such a waste when there's a full kitchen in every train.

 

[DelW]

Not to be a party pooper but that’s a dreadful offer for a four hour evening trip. Not a single proper dinner there. Roll roll roll stottie salad.

In a proper country there would be a dining car.

It's not only the railway which has gone that way on Anglo Scottish services.

When I was a regular weekly commuter flying between LHR/LGW and EDI/GLA between 2001 and 2005, on BA the morning flight had a hot breakfast (not huge but easily adequate until lunchtime), while the evening return flight would typically serve a curry or casserole plus a small dessert.

Last time I did the trip, in around 2016, I was served possibly the world's smallest packet of peanuts, at 10 grams, and that was it.

 

[D1537]

Not to be a party pooper but that’s a dreadful offer for a four hour evening trip. Not a single proper dinner there. Roll roll roll stottie salad.

In a proper country there would be a dining car.

Depending on the time of day, there is a full menu also available, including full breakfasts.

https://www.lner.co.uk/globalassets/downloads/pdf/menus/lner2068-dine-may-2023-lner100-menu-online-updated-v5.pdf

 

[43096]

In a proper country there would be a dining car.

Indeed. And it is noticeable that it is the railways from behind the former Iron Curtain who have the best offer, in my experience. Have sampled PKP, CD, ZSSK and MAV and all are very good.

 

[AlterEgo]

Depending on the time of day, there is a full menu also available, including full breakfasts.

https://www.lner.co.uk/globalassets/downloads/pdf/menus/lner2068-dine-may-2023-lner100-menu-online-updated-v5.pdf

Yes and they’re also very poor, fun size portions of food which aren’t a substitute for dinner. The beef stew is 278 calories. The timetabling for the “Dine” services is also questionable at best.

 

[trebor79]

Yes and they’re also very poor, fun size portions of food which aren’t a substitute for dinner. The beef stew is 278 calories. The timetabling for the “Dine” services is also questionable at best.

That really is pitiful. If they're going to the effort of an on board chef, why such dolly sized portions?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Not to be a party pooper but that’s a dreadful offer for a four hour evening trip. Not a single proper dinner there. Roll roll roll stottie salad.

Offerings were so much better under East Coast.
I’m not one for the GNER pay for restaurant car lark, mind. It’s a great option but I’d rather have it as another option to the first class complimentary rather than instead of.

 

[D1537]

While we can quibble about the food (I think it's fine), the main reason I use FC on LNER is that it's good value. Example: our next journey from Peterborough to Edinburgh which I've booked was £182 for the two of us. Looking at the LNER website now, the equivalent standard fare on the same train is £136 (the FC is still the same price). That's just over £11 each for each single 300 mile journey with free food and drink and a better ambience all round. Obviously, there are times when the FC is much more expensive, and then I'd have a think about it. But that difference, for me, is well worth it.

 

[trebor79]

While we can quibble about the food (I think it's fine), the main reason I use FC on LNER is that it's good value. Example: our next journey from Peterborough to Edinburgh which I've booked was £182 for the two of us. Looking at the LNER website now, the equivalent standard fare on the same train is £136 (the FC is still the same price). That's just over £11 each for each single 300 mile journey with free food and drink and a better ambience all round. Obviously, there are times when the FC is much more expensive, and then I'd have a think about it. But that difference, for me, is well worth it.

But how much would the standard fare have been when you booked your first class tickets? You're not comparing like for like. A slightly better seat and a couple of sarnies or tiny bowl of stew or whatever aren't worth the significant uplift in price IMO.

 

[ALEMASTER]

EMR have cut back their first class service - all the First Class lounges have been closed down and no complimentary refreshments on Sundays. The chef cooked breakfasts are gone and replaced by sandwiches, snack bars and pastries. The rest of day offer is improved in terms of complimentary as sandwiches are included (before it was just tea/coffee/juice/water and biscuits/cakes), however there is no longer a paid for menu of hot food.

First class aside, a lot of long distance train operators seem to be cutting on board service - in some cases this may be just staff shortages at Rail Gourmet of course - however others may be an economy measure, which is sad as to me the on board facilities on a train is a reason to pay more to travel by train compared with a coach (the other reason being the faster journey).