GWR Pullman dining reinstated

[RPI]

Which is better than nothing! There’s space to charge personal devices in the kitchen too.

Yes its slightly better than the HST bunkroom, at least I can see out the window now

 

[Private Baxter]

issue is the travel time, London to Swansea trains you wont finish in time for Cardiff in many cases while Plymouth you have way more time

You make a good point. London to Cardiff (where I expect the bulk of passengers are travelling to), is 1 hour 50, so whilst certainly long enough for a good meal, isn't perhaps enough time to enjoy the full, unrushed service. And many will get off earlier at Bristol Parkway and Newport! Of course the train does continue to Swansea and Carmarthen, but there probably aren't as many using it by then.

Neglected to mention there will be two of us. Thanks all!

Fair enough. You may not get to sit together due to the poor seating layout. I took someone recently and we had to sit one behind each other. And we had booked! You might be lucky and get a table of four.

 

[YorkshireBear]

How likely are you to get in from standard? Is it hit and miss? Our leisure travel isnt valid in 1st so working out whether to upgrade in new year.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It’s definitely cheaper but not imho superior. GWR is restaurant level food and service. TfW is decent food and ok service but no restaurant niceties.

And you have to pay to upgrade to use it in the first place! Standard class travellers do not on GWR.

Is catering only offered on the premier service?

There is no longer a "business train" (previously known as premier service) There are three trains per day to Holyhead (and every two hours to Manchester commencing December) booked to be MK4 coaches and these services should have the restaurant service available as discussed.

Basic catering in the form of trolleys is available on many other 175 and sometimes Sprinter operated services.

Personally, I rather enjoy the Pullman when commuting for Uni between Cardiff and Reading. It's always a nice experience.

How likely are you to get in from standard? Is it hit and miss? Our leisure travel isnt valid in 1st so working out whether to upgrade in new year.

While I can't speak for the (admittedly likely to be busier) Plymouth route, I always use the Cardiff Pullman with a standard ticket and it's never too busy, particularly the UP.

 

[Ashley Hill]

On busy services when passengers wanted to upgrade to 1st some were encouraged to take a meal in the dining car. It was often cheaper than an upgrade,filled empty seats in the restaurant and if tipping generously were often allowed to remain in 1st for the rest of their journey.

 

[williamn]

You make a good point. London to Cardiff (where I expect the bulk of passengers are travelling to), is 1 hour 50, so whilst certainly long enough for a good meal, isn't perhaps enough time to enjoy the full, unrushed service. And many will get off earlier at Bristol Parkway and Newport! Of course the train does continue to Swansea and Carmarthen, but there probably aren't as many using it by then.

Fair enough. You may not get to sit together due to the poor seating layout. I took someone recently and we had to sit one behind each other. And we had booked! You might be lucky and get a table of four.

Pretty poor to have to sit behind each other! When I took it last (Exeter to Paddington, Lunchtime) they had used some of seats in the other 1st class coach as well and I was sat in a pair there.

 

[alastair]

From the GWR website:

As a result of planned industrial action in December and January, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel all Pullman Dining services from Monday 12 December to Friday 6 January.

 

[WizCastro197]

From the GWR website:

As a result of planned industrial action in December and January, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel all Pullman Dining services from Monday 12 December to Friday 6 January.

Please can you link this

Does it mention about refunds?

 

[alastair]

Please can you link this

Does it mention about refunds?

Pullman Train Dining | Great Western Railway

Experience silver service on-board Great Western Railway trains with our Pullman Dining. Click here to see our menus and find out more.

www.gwr.com

Don't quite understand what you mean re. refunds, you can't prepay for a meal can you?

 

[busestrains]

Please can you link this

Does it mention about refunds?

This is the link where that quote came from:

Pullman Train Dining | Great Western Railway

Experience silver service on-board Great Western Railway trains with our Pullman Dining. Click here to see our menus and find out more.

www.gwr.com

It does not mention anything about refunds on that page but if you contact GWR maybe they can advise further.

 

[WizCastro197]

So

Pullman Train Dining | Great Western Railway

Experience silver service on-board Great Western Railway trains with our Pullman Dining. Click here to see our menus and find out more.

www.gwr.com

Don't quite understand what you mean re. refunds, you can't prepay for a meal can you?

Sorry I thought you prepaid for this.

Pullman Train Dining | Great Western Railway

Experience silver service on-board Great Western Railway trains with our Pullman Dining. Click here to see our menus and find out more.

www.gwr.com

Don't quite understand what you mean re. refunds, you can't prepay for a meal can you?

Alright? Sorry.

 

[Watershed]

Pullman Train Dining | Great Western Railway

Experience silver service on-board Great Western Railway trains with our Pullman Dining. Click here to see our menus and find out more.

www.gwr.com

Don't quite understand what you mean re. refunds, you can't prepay for a meal can you?

No, but they're saying you can get a refund if the withdrawal of Pullman dining means you don't want to travel anymore.

Frankly, it seems rather a spurious justification to me. I'd be amazed if it ever returns following its "temporary" withdrawal. It will be just one of many post-Covid cutback casualties.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

No, but they're saying you can get a refund if the withdrawal of Pullman dining means you don't want to travel anymore.

That'd be ridiculous. You can't reasonably book a train journey specifically to try the catering on-board and then expect to cancel and refund if the catering is withdrawn. That's like buying a ticket to travel on a 197 and wanting a refund when a 150 is allocated in place of the CAF.

 

[WesternLancer]

That'd be ridiculous. You can't reasonably book a train journey specifically to try the catering on-board and then expect to cancel and refund if the catering is withdrawn. That's like buying a ticket to travel on a 197 and wanting a refund when a 150 is allocated in place of the CAF.

Well, it is something I have done in the past, as it happens (book on a specific train using Advance 1st especially to use the dining car. Other trains has cheaper Advance 1st fares but no dining car). Tho I doubt many will claim.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Well, it is something I have done in the past, as it happens (book on a specific train using Advance 1st especially to use the dining car. Other trains has cheaper Advance 1st fares but no dining car). Tho I doubt many will claim.

I'm not denying people will do it, I'm denying that it's an acceptable reason to want money back. Last year, I spent £30 getting down to Havant to catch 313204 only for 208 to trundle up on it's booked diagram instead, making my journey pointless in the same way, but I wouldn't ask for money back for that

The ticket contracts one to be carried from Origin to Destination in the appropriate class of travel and those promises are not broken by a dud train for haulage turning up, nor a reduced catering offer, great as it would be if we could get refunds for such things.

 

[WesternLancer]

I'm not denying people will do it, I'm denying that it's an acceptable reason to want money back. Last year, I spent £30 getting down to Havant to catch 313204 only for 208 to trundle up on it's booked diagram instead, making my journey pointless in the same way, but I wouldn't ask for money back for that

The ticket contracts one to be carried from Origin to Destination in the appropriate class of travel and those promises are not broken by a dud train for haulage turning up, nor a reduced catering offer, great as it would be if we could get refunds for such things.

I suspect the railway considers dining service rather differently than unit bashers' requirements and offers compo accordingly. And if you ended up starving it's not the same as having a different 313 is it?

If GWR have offered refunds then that's up to them, if not, well ask and see what happens.

You can want money back for whatever you like and there is nothing to stop you asking for it.

 

[AlterEgo]

Don’t say you weren’t warned.

It is looking sketchy as to whether it will return, although I am unable to elaborate further.

 

[WesternLancer]

From the GWR website:

As a result of planned industrial action in December and January, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel all Pullman Dining services from Monday 12 December to Friday 6 January.

wouldn't dining have been suspended over xmas and New Year hols anyway - usually is IIRC going back donkeys years eg to BR days- eg 22nd dec to 6 jan sort of dates

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Don’t say you weren’t warned.

It is looking sketchy as to whether it will return, although I am unable to elaborate further.

If it doesn't return, something needs to be done about the kitchen space. When so many services are rammed, especially 5 car Oxfords and a good deal of Bristols and Swanseas too, it's infuriating to see half of one of the five carriages being used as a messroom.

 

[WesternLancer]

If it doesn't return, something needs to be done about the kitchen space. When so many services are rammed, especially 5 car Oxfords and a good deal of Bristols and Swanseas too, it's infuriating to see half of one of the five carriages being used as a messroom.

don't worry - govt will return to BR policies - push up fares and price people off.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

From the GWR website:

As a result of planned industrial action in December and January, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel all Pullman Dining services from Monday 12 December to Friday 6 January.

It’s not surprising, with GWR having also said they expect all journeys to have been completed by 18.30 on these days that rules out most of the Pullman services anyway.

 

[Private Baxter]

wouldn't dining have been suspended over xmas and New Year hols anyway - usually is IIRC going back donkeys years eg to BR days- eg 22nd dec to 6 jan sort of dates

Indeed, tradidtionally the Pullman doesn't run over the Christmas period, so this is just an extension of that. I really hope it does resume on after the 6th. I of course personally love the service, but so do many of the staff, who have always done an outstanding job with it, and I would really feel for them if it is to go.
Less importantly, I was rather looking forward to a Christmas meal on board this year!

 

[williamn]

Damn, was looking forward to it Monday. Will be surprised if it returns tbh.

 

[Private Baxter]

Damn, was looking forward to it Monday. Will be surprised if it returns tbh.

The December 2022 timetable guide includes the Pullman services, so it might do. Sorry that you miss out this time though.

 

[alastair]

Damn, was looking forward to it Monday. Will be surprised if it returns tbh.

from talking to on-board staff earlier this week, they definitely thought it would return in January. I suppose anything can change but fingers crossed.

 

[Private Baxter]

To follow up from some pre Christmas discussion, I used the Pullman service recently, and is very much alive and in full swing. If anything, the food on offer has taken a step up from the previous menu. Not quite its pre Covid silver served best, but a step in the right direction.

 

[WesternLancer]

To follow up from some pre Christmas discussion, I used the Pullman service recently, and is very much alive and in full swing. If anything, the food on offer has taken a step up from the previous menu. Not quite its pre Covid silver served best, but a step in the right direction.

Thanks for update - good to hear!

 

[43066]

To follow up from some pre Christmas discussion, I used the Pullman service recently, and is very much alive and in full swing. If anything, the food on offer has taken a step up from the previous menu. Not quite its pre Covid silver served best, but a step in the right direction.

Great news!

 

[williamn]

Fantastic, hoping to use it in April!

 

[ainsworth74]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered previously in the thread but is there now a lodge turn for the Pullman catering crews? I was just looking and it seems like that would be the way you'd resource the 1304 Paddington to Plymouth, using a crew that travelled up the night before on the 1816 from Plymouth? Or do they have both crews travel passenger to get them to/from home? One in the morning from Plymouth to Paddington and one in the evening from Paddington to Plymouth?