I am quite a regular user of the GWR Pullman dining trains, having done it over 20 times in the last few years, so ill go over the service, how best to get a seat etc:
Meal etc:
I think that the Pullman Dining is definitely the best way to spend a few hours on a train, great food and lovely scenery, The food is always really good, especially considering how small the kitchen is, that its cooked in, I normally have a seafood starter, Crab etc, then steak as my main course, which is always cooked to perfection, to ones liking, its served with vegetables and potatoes, followed by a wicked dessert, then Coffee and mints, the service is really good, attentive but not over done, it is a very convivial and chatty atmosphere, as its in the small seating section next to the buffet, it is pricey, 32.00 for the steak, so 3 courses and a couple of cokes costs about 60.00-65.00, as a treat it cannot be beaten, I would highly recommend everyone to do it at least once. if going from London, the service ends about Newton Abbott, so if holding a standard ticket one may have to go back to standard, but I have sometimes stayed in my seat beyond Plymouth, depends if revenue get on at Exeter or the Train Manager asks one to move.
Getting a Seat in Pullman Dining etc:
Touch wood, so far I have never failed to get a seat in Pullman Dining, despite nearly always having a standard class ticket, when first started using this service I went on the 18.03 or 19.03 Padd-Plymouth etc, which tend to be the busiest on the whole, so to get a seat I went through the barriers early and stood by the dining coach, front of the queue, this way I got a seat when others didn’t, u need to be early and know what your doing, so over time I have tended to go for the 12.05 Padd-Penzance, as this is generally a bit quieter than the evening services, and get to see the scenery too, If travelling from Plymouth in the Pullman, I look out for the Pullman crew and let myself be known so get my name down for a seat, as the crew get on at Plymouth, If travelling from beyond Plymouth then tell the buffet staff that u would like to dine, and get ur name down for a seat, as I get a seat in first class as part of Pullman Dining and wont be making use of the first class offerings, I always go second class when Pullman Dining, If travelling on the evening services then maybe a first class ticket is a good idea to guarantee a seat in dining, as you can book a seat in advance if first class.
Seating etc:
The dining is in leather seats, with individual and bay of four seating, it is a cosy atmosphere, and is limited to 17 diners, due to size of the kitchen, it is really comfortable and very pleasant, with first class seat as part of dining, it becomes a good deal if have standard ticket.