Obviously it is better to serve local beer and cider rather than crap like Carling and Strongbow.
Indeed - it’s something else that ties the service to the region. I would rather enjoy a Tribute and a packet of Burts crisps on my way back to the West Country, than a pissy can of larger and a packet of Walkers you could pick up from any Tesco Express in the country. Just small touches like locally sourced, quality produce that makes an otherwise fairly normal journey that little bit more enjoyable.
That said, I’d have rather they went for the famous tea cake than the caramel wafer (as great as it is). So I went for the Edinburgh Rock as well!Burts are a big brand, they even produce the Guinness crisps sold in Dublin, not exactly a small unknown operation.
As any train crew member will tell you, first class passengers are often much, much more unpleasant than standard class passengers.
I agree, but I’d like to walk before we try and run.Indeed - it’s something else that ties the service to the region. I would rather enjoy a Tribute and a packet of Burts crisps on my way back to the West Country, than a pissy can of larger and a packet of Walkers you could pick up from any Tesco Express in the country. Just small touches like locally sourced, quality produce that makes an otherwise fairly normal journey that little bit more enjoyable.
Indeed! He says… having bought a bottle of Irn Bru before boarding my LNER service and finding it back on the menu last week
Yes, but then first class train crew themselves are often somewhat unpleasant these days. There’s good and bad everywhere.
Yep. My feelings exactly.
On a journey of up to 5 hours to Cornwall a sandwich in 1st class should be the bare minimum not the current lucky dip it seems to be ? Considering a fully fitted kitchen is next door you'd think a hot sausage roll for example wouldn't be that difficult to provide. I'm probably being too optimistic as enjoyed their travelling chef in the past.
Ah yes. Those nice shiny kitchens, nice and clean simply because there never bloody used. As far as I know they aren't doing sandwiches at all. The Pullman dining may be excellent but as for the rest of GWR's forgettable and paltry offerings for both first and standard, I wouldn't even call it a lucky dip. First group seem intent on lowering standards regarding catering.
I rarely go first class from Pad-Cdf because of the prohibitive cost and the catering offer, which is pathetic. I don't understand how GWR can offer such a poor experience and expect such a high fare for it. Obviously there is no competition on our railways to speak of, as they wouldn't survive in the real commercial world.
Wasn't this one of the original reasons privatisation came about anyway. Or so we were lead to believe. If decent competition had been the case. Well, one of those what could have beens. You`re absolutely spot on about GWR not surviving had this have been the case.
Apart from the current lack of open access competition the contract/franchise just seems to have been subject to open-ended renewal, therefore they've not had any incentive to make improvements, or even retain previous standards.
Why is this the case with first group GWR? This is one of the very roots of the problem (pardon the pun). They don't care. They get their wonga. A classic case of pull up the ladder and sod the poor so and so's that have to use our excuse of a service.
As a regular traveller in first class I can assure you that the kitchens are used but not necessarily for the preperation of food. Both trollies are stabled and stocked from there . The coffee is brewed there and other water heated there for tea and porridge. Sandwiches are provided on some trains but these are pre-packed and not prepared on board. The remaining Pullman services do use the kitchen but I do wish they would re-instate the breakfast which was regularly over subscribed on the South Wales route.
They might be used, but the are unnecessarily large for that purpose which you have described. GWR either needs to use them properly, or make them smaller to match their use.
How about adding a buffet?!
Personally I'd rather they used the valuable space for seats or storage, a buffet would take an entire car, and with space very much at a premium on GWR I wouldn't take out more seats for a buffet.
Buffets take up a whole carriage?! LNER's takes up a couple of bays.
Following this discussion I recently had a good look in a GWR kitchen, and I came to the conclusion that at most you could add about 12 seats at a real push, due to ,as another poster points out there is more to it than a kitchen. Its a staff messroom for the onboard crew, its used to store various food and drink items and accessories, coffee makers trolly etc, it is actually rather better equipped than is perhaps obvious when viewed from outside.
Nope. Only done for a very short time. You're lucky if you see the trolley to get a bag of crisps these days.
Greater Anglia seem to be gradually reducing their offering. Very disappointed to find they no longer do porridge last time I took the train to London. Another reason to use the car.
Is it an excuse for the car? Stopping at a Service station isn't really any different to getting take-away food at the railway station before boarding. Except of course you can eat when you like on a train rather than in the car when you need to stop.
