Dining cars

[Nacht-Zug-Fahr]

Are there any original style dining cars left in UK service or are they now all at seat in 1st class?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are there any original style dining cars left in UK service or are they now all at seat in 1st class?

GWR still have them on a small number of trains under the brand "Pullman Dining". You've also got the Sleeper lounge cars, but they are much more like the DB Bistro concept than traditional cook to order restaurant cars.

 

[Nacht-Zug-Fahr]

Interesting thanks

 

[30907]

First Class get priority on GWR (just as on BR for many years).
The Cardiff-Holyhead service is halfway between, as you can pay an upgrade to get into Business Class including meal (fresh cooking like GWR but much cheaper) but not drinks. And I believe the standard class passengers get decent take-away food.

 

[dk1]

Always worth booking a UK Railtours excursion and opting for premier dining. Many staff are ex-INTERCITY. Will be the nearest you get to being back in the 80s/90s.

 

[LowLevel]

Always worth booking a UK Railtours excursion and opting for premier dining. Many staff are ex-INTERCITY. Will be the nearest you get to being back in the 80s/90s.

I take it they don't still come armed with holdalls full of lager and tea bags to fiddle the buffet though

 

[Darandio]

Will be the nearest you get to being back in the 80s/90s.

Only if they serve Maxpax would you get the genuine experience.

 

[nickswift99]

Only if they serve Maxpax would you get the genuine experience.

You also need a microwaved bacon and tomato roll where the tomato is at 200C and will scald you while just looking at it, the bacon is 99% salt and the roll is rock hard. A triumph of marketing though as the smell wafted through the carriages.

 

[dk1]

Only if they serve Maxpax would you get the genuine experience.

Maxpax in the restaurant car??

 

[Mag_seven]

GWR still have them on a small number of trains under the brand "Pullman Dining". You've also got the Sleeper lounge cars, but they are much more like the DB Bistro concept than traditional cook to order restaurant cars.

Also the TfW "WAG express" (Holyhead to Cardiff and return).

 

[Andy Pacer]

A few from my WAG Express trip last week.

 

[Nacht-Zug-Fahr]

Looks very nice I'll add that service to my list

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The 1045 Paddington - Swansea has a superlative breakfast service , full dining by a real old school Swansea based crew who maintain excellent standards. £18 - but you do not need to eat for the next 12 hours. Very strongly recommended.

The other GWR , West of England services have equally excellent offerings , so I am told.

 

[gcmozart]

I am planning a trip to Cornwall, Thursday in January, what are the chances of two of us getting into dining car with Standard tickets?

Looking at lunch time trains 12:04 or 13:04 ex Paddington

 

[JB_B]

I am planning a trip to Cornwall, Thursday in January, what are the chances of two of us getting into dining car with Standard tickets?

Looking at lunch time trains 12:04 or 13:04 ex Paddington

I don't know but my limited experience of the dining car off-peak have been that they've always found space for two of us on standard tickets (that's 2 x ex-Plymouth lunchtime and 1 x ex-Paddington late breakfast.)

I would let the restaurant crew know that you're interested as soon as you can; then they can either seat you straight away if there's plenty of space or give you a call if space turns out to be available.

 

[ainsworth74]

I would let the restaurant crew know that you're interested as soon as you can; then they can either seat you straight away if there's plenty of space or give you a call if space turns out to be available.

Yes in standard I'd always recommend approaching the Pullman crew and let them know you're in standard and would like to dine. My experience is that they either seat you or ask you to sit down nearby and they'll come and collect you when they're ready and know there's room.