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TRIVIA: The shortest journey where you've bought and consumed refreshments on-board

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Iskra

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What about the financial implications, can one make a profit by consuming 'free' food and drink worth more than the ticket cost?

An 'ideal' situation might be a very short trip where the train is held up, stranded between stations for hours, so f&d are distributed to keep bodies and souls together.
I once boarded an XC train with a walk up ticket that was advertised as on time, but I knew it would be delayed due to ongoing disruption due to flooding. I was given a bottle of water on board and claimed a full refund on delay repay. ...so I ended up a bottle of water in profit.
 
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Ralph Ayres

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Popped out several times from festivals at Cheltenham Racecourse to buy a cider from the buffet on the GWSR while the train turned round. Rather cheaper than at the onsite festival bars, but technically I suspect may have infringed licencing laws.

Alternatively refreshments from the trolley between Harrow and Uxbridge during Steam on the Met.
 

LowLevel

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I managed a nice little teapot of tea once on Virgin between Birmingham and Wolverhampton (as a passenger) and again when travelling as passenger between Crewe and Tamworth (which of course is rather further in distance but at higher speed!).

I also once managed a cooked lamb sandwich with mint gravy made from the first class complimentary offer for a couple of quid on Wrexham and Shropshire between Shrewsbury and Cosford.
 

vlad

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What about the financial implications, can one make a profit by consuming 'free' food and drink worth more than the ticket cost?

Sometimes you don't even have to try to do that.

A few years ago I got a first-class ticket from Crewe to Lancaster for about a tenner. When you factor in the fact I got travel, access to the lounge at Crewe and a tea and bacon roll on the train you do wonder how Virgin made their money.
 

Blindtraveler

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Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
Back in my younger days various cold drinks purchased from the buffet between Edinburgh and inverkeithing to enjoy whilst bashing HST Aberdeen services with the window open. Best one was just before the first lockdown however, I boarded the 652 Edinburgh to London via Birmingham with the intention of a lighting at Penrith. Ordered 10 minutes before departure and promptly fell asleep. Woke up at Carlisle absolutely starving and not relishing the prospect of bacon whatever it is from McDonald's at Penrith bought and consumed a ham and cheese panini from the shop and also got them to fill my travel mug with coffee before getting off in less than 12 minutes
 

Ianno87

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Back in my younger days various cold drinks purchased from the buffet between Edinburgh and inverkeithing to enjoy whilst bashing HST Aberdeen services with the window open. Best one was just before the first lockdown however, I boarded the 652 Edinburgh to London via Birmingham with the intention of a lighting at Penrith. Ordered 10 minutes before departure and promptly fell asleep. Woke up at Carlisle absolutely starving and not relishing the prospect of bacon whatever it is from McDonald's at Penrith bought and consumed a ham and cheese panini from the shop and also got them to fill my travel mug with coffee before getting off in less than 12 minutes

I've regularly availed myself of the old Virgin Trains microwavable burgers from the "Shop" between Euston and Milton Keynes.
 

deltic

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Travelling first class out of Euston, train was delayed so staff served hot drinks while still in platform. Consumed tea without leaving station and then told train had been cancelled and had to transfer to the next service.
 

Harpers Tate

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Some time back in the 1970s, BR operated a peak-hour trip from Hull <> Beverley (1640 ex Hull) using a Transpennine (cl124) set that was "spare" between Liverpool trips. At the time these sets were in a 6-car formation including a buffet. It wasn't normal for the buffet to remain open during this side-trip but on just one occasion (to my recollection) it did. I had to use it, didn't I? Just an overpriced can of pop but, hey. This journey was scheduled at 13 minutes, and it was not advertised as a "through" service to/from anywhere else. Thus I'm guessing this was (one of) the shortest end-to-end services to carry a functioning buffet.
 

Mcr Warrior

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Travelling first class out of Euston, train was delayed so staff served hot drinks while still in platform. Consumed tea without leaving station and then told train had been cancelled and had to transfer to the next service.
I think we have a winner!

Or do we?

Does not going anywhere on a cancelled train actually count as a "journey"? ;)
 

yorksrob

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I was on a railtour which stopped off at Bristol Temple Meads, where I got off the train to spend the day with an old school friend who lived there.

Upon arrival back, the train was in the platform and not due to leave for a quarter of an hour, so I purchased beers from the buffet car for me and my friend to consume on the platform prior to departure.

I think my friend did briefly get on to have a quick look around (it was an unusual type of carriage) but was back on the platform fairly quickly.
 

Ash Bridge

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I was on a railtour which stopped off at Bristol Temple Meads, where I got off the train to spend the day with an old school friend who lived there.

Upon arrival back, the train was in the platform and not due to leave for a quarter of an hour, so I purchased beers from the buffet car for me and my friend to consume on the platform prior to departure.

I think my friend did briefly get on to have a quick look around (it was an unusual type of carriage) but was back on the platform fairly quickly.
This sounds suspiciously like the buffet within a certain DEMU to me Rob?
 

[.n]

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On XC
Bournemouth-Brockenhurst
Southampton Central-Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport-Winchester
On SWR/SWT
Bournemouth-Nowhere (disruption - several occasions)
Bournemouth-Pokesdown
On Southern/GTR
East Croydon-Clapham Junction
 

Cymroglan

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I had a coffee and shortbread biscuit between Dorchester West and Yeovil Pen Mill, (possibly when Wessex Trains had that franchise?). I only mention this because I never saw another trolley service on normal services on that line.
One of my last train rides pre pandemic was from Bangor - Llandudno Junction on an early morning Avanti service to Euston during which I consumed a carton of microwaved porridge.
 

Mike99

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On a 1st class ALR I managed to get a Bacon Roll and Coffee served and eaten between Perth and Sterling on (07:55 ex Inverness - Kings Cross when it was GNER). Not the shortest of journeys but I was pleased with it.
 

cosmo

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Had a off-peak 1st single between Falkirk High and Edinburgh once, a 34 minute journey in which I had a cup of coffee, but not had any shorter than that.
 

AY1975

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Interesting never knew Pacers had trolley services.
I'm not sure if any services that were booked for Pacers ever had trolleys, but maybe on Pacers that were substituting for other classes of unit such as 150s, 155s, 156s or 158s. Pacers have occasionally turned up on the Settle & Carlisle, for example, and S&C services had trolleys pre-Covid (or did until a few years ago). I expect some passengers might have bought and consumed refreshments during short-hop journeys on the S&C.
 

Ash Bridge

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I'm not sure if any services that were booked for Pacers ever had trolleys, but maybe on Pacers that were substituting for other classes of unit such as 150s, 155s, 156s or 158s. Pacers have occasionally turned up on the Settle & Carlisle, for example, and S&C services had trolleys pre-Covid (or did until a few years ago). I expect some passengers might have bought and consumed refreshments during short-hop journeys on the S&C.

I think that you are most likely correct on that; and the trip I mentioned up thread was around 30 years ago, but I vaguely seem to remember the train originated at Wigan or perhaps Southport and destination could have been either Hazel Grove or Alderley Edge and likely more commonly a 150 would have been employed.
 

Dai Corner

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Back when pubs had to close between 1500 and 1800 there was a 1715ish Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton stopper. It may have been ex-Manchester, or used the stock from that train complete with buffet car and a Cl 50 up front.

As licensing laws didn't apply on trains commuters could buy a beer on board for their journey home if the buffet staff stayed open. My friend and I often had a can of lukewarm McEwans Export in the ten minutes it took to get to Nailsea and Backwell.
 

Sm5

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Slightly off topic, but bmi used to serve a full english breakfast to economy class on its LHR -MAN flights... which was 60 minutes end to end including taxi, take off and landing !
 

PaxVobiscum

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The ScotRail Club 50 Smartcard used to offer a weekend free upgrade to Ist Class and I managed to get a free coffee and biscuits on several occasions between Queen Steet and Stirling (less than 30 minutes) on an Inverness or Aberdeen 170. (It helped to choose the Ist class area next to where the trolley was parked ;)).
 
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