Vending machines

[High Dyke]

Are those the machines with stacks of bars behind glass, with a drawer at the bottom of each stack that you pull out? I remember those. I'm sure the bars were a special size and shape specifically for those machines.

Yes they were.

They were, think it was 20p in the late 70's/early 80's same bar would cost 10p in the shops, but it was bigger at the stations.

It was like white chocolate with rice crispie bits in it IIRC.

It was dairy milk with the rice crispie bits in, though I understand there was a white chocolate version at some point.

Found this piccy, on the web, of the machine at the National Railway Museum in York.

National Railway Museum, York 2018

A Nestle British Rail chocolate dispenser!

www.flickr.com

 

[Bevan Price]

Did the stations have secure storage for your penny farthing back in those days?

No idea, I could never balance well enough to ride any type of bike. And before anyone asks - I could not afford a horse + carriage.....- not even a third-hand stagecoach.

 

[superjohn]

Last time I used one (at Bourne End station) I thought I'd get a bottle of Sprite, gave me a bottle that was 5 months out of date. That was a waste of £1.50

It would have been a ’Best before’ date on something like that. The worst that could happen is that it would be less fizzy than a new bottle.

Agreed it shouldn’t have been in the machine but there was no need to waste it.

 

[M60lad]

Funny you should say that as there's about 3 I think it is on the concourse at Manchester Piccadilly Station above the Escaltors to Metrolink that have been converted to sell Face Coverings/Masks.

 

[J-P_L]

Convert them to sell face coverings/masks... although, you're supposed to wear them on the station now as well, so at places like Leeds you'd need to be wearing one in order to buy one.

Haven't used one for 'food' this Millennium, I think!

There’s a vending machine appeared next to the Boots on the concourse at Leeds selling face masks (disposable and reusable) and bottles of sanitiser, although there’s a table beyond the barriers with staff giving masks out to those without them.

Some of the vending machines at York have masks and sanitiser for sale as well.

 

[YorksLad12]

Funny you should say that as there's about 3 I think it is on the concourse at Manchester Piccadilly Station above the Escaltors to Metrolink that have been converted to sell Face Coverings/Masks.

There’s a vending machine appeared next to the Boots on the concourse at Leeds selling face masks (disposable and reusable) and bottles of sanitiser, although there’s a table beyond the barriers with staff giving masks out to those without them.

Some of the vending machines at York have masks and sanitiser for sale as well.

Good to know, thanks. I can use Leeds Station as a walking route to/from my flat, but I think you're supposed to wear a mask at all times in there now, which is awkward when you wear glasses (the faff putting it on means I usually leave with it on and leave it on throughout).

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Good to know, thanks. I can use Leeds Station as a walking route to/from my flat, but I think you're supposed to wear a mask at all times in there now, which is awkward when you wear glasses (the faff putting it on means I usually leave with it on and leave it on throughout).

That's actually not true, though doubtless the station staff will try to tell you otherwise and continue to make up their own rules. The legislation only refers to "enclosed transport hubs" so you should be fine not wearing a mask whilst on the platform.

 

[route101]

It would have been a ’Best before’ date on something like that. The worst that could happen is that it would be less fizzy than a new bottle.

Agreed it shouldn’t have been in the machine but there was no need to waste it.

Had that a few times from vending machines, i guess they are not used much.

One in Upminister last week , took my money and the pepsi. Couldnt get my hand in to reach it, suppose it saved me a sugary drink !

 

[DJ_K666]

Overpriced and full of munge. I wouldn't touch one with three ten yard poles joined together

 

[DelayRepay]

When I used to commute, if I'd been out for drinks after work I'd sometimes buy something from the vending machine when I got back to my home station, to eat on the way home.

I am not sure a big bag of monster munch, a kit-kat and a bottle of coke was the healthiest supper but there was nothing else open. So I think the machines serve a useful purpose when the station shops are closed.

We have one at work for night shift workers that sells sandwiches and a few microwave meals. The canteen staff fill it each day and it does seem to be appreciated by people working through the night.

I am very suspicious of the hot drinks machines though. Why would anyone want to drink coffee that's been dispensed through the same nozzle as chicken soup??

 

[takno]

I am very suspicious of the hot drinks machines though. Why would anyone want to drink coffee that's been dispensed through the same nozzle as chicken soup??

You wouldn't. You'd want the chicken soup

 

[DarloRich]

have several not gone in recently to dispense face masks?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am very suspicious of the hot drinks machines though. Why would anyone want to drink coffee that's been dispensed through the same nozzle as chicken soup??

I don't entirely understand why vending machines are so rubbish. The Costa machines demonstrate that machine-produced coffee needn't be rubbish (I actually think it's slightly nicer than the coffee from their manual machines in the shops). It's not a big step to add a contactless touch pad and Chip & PIN machine to one of those.

 

[py_megapixel]

I don't entirely understand why vending machines are so rubbish. The Costa machines demonstrate that machine-produced coffee needn't be rubbish (I actually think it's slightly nicer than the coffee from their manual machines in the shops). It's not a big step to add a contactless touch pad and Chip & PIN machine to one of those.

I assume you mean the ones in the likes of Co-op stores and petrol stations, wher you're expected to choose the drink you want on a touch screen then take it to a counter to pay?

If so, very similar ones do exist, though not at railway stations, and are generally referred to as "Bean-2-Cup" because they actually grind and brew coffee beans. The rubbish ones simply pour water over instant coffee powder.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If so, very similar ones do exist, though not at railway stations, and are generally referred to as "Bean-2-Cup" because they actually grind and brew coffee beans. The rubbish ones simply pour water over instant coffee powder.

Many of them are still rubbish, though. I have a feeling the issue may be that the Costa machines use fresh milk whereas the others use either powdered or UHT.

 

[py_megapixel]

Many of them are still rubbish, though. I have a feeling the issue may be that the Costa machines use fresh milk whereas the others use either powdered or UHT.

That would make sense. I imagine it drives up costs significantly to have to provide refrigeration for milk and heating for water in the same unit so they view UHT as a simpler solution.

 

[route101]

Was in Japan last year and they take vending machines very seroiusly . Here its different, lack of choice and not used as much.

 

[route101]

Yes they were.

It was dairy milk with the rice crispie bits in, though I understand there was a white chocolate version at some point.

Found this piccy, on the web, of the machine at the National Railway Museum in York.

National Railway Museum, York 2018

A Nestle British Rail chocolate dispenser!

www.flickr.com

Nestle white crunch bar?

 

[philthetube]

Good to know, thanks. I can use Leeds Station as a walking route to/from my flat, but I think you're supposed to wear a mask at all times in there now, which is awkward when you wear glasses (the faff putting it on means I usually leave with it on and leave it on throughout).

That's actually not true, though doubtless the station staff will try to tell you otherwise and continue to make up their own rules. The legislation only refers to "enclosed transport hubs" so you should be fine not wearing a mask whilst on the platform.

Unless it is a public right of way, network rail have the right to make you wear whatever they like.

 

[Mikey C]

That would make sense. I imagine it drives up costs significantly to have to provide refrigeration for milk and heating for water in the same unit so they view UHT as a simpler solution.

Fresh milk means you have to constantly monitor the milk to make sure it's not gone bad, and presumably only refill when the milk has run out, which is fine inside a shop or hotel but a nightmare in an external vending machine!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Fresh milk means you have to constantly monitor the milk to make sure it's not gone bad, and presumably only refill when the milk has run out, which is fine inside a shop or hotel but a nightmare in an external vending machine!

Very true. We had one in our old office, and we soon stopped filling the milk part because it'd always end up getting left and going rancid! Americano only (with the milk in the fridge) after that.

 

[py_megapixel]

Very true. We had one in our old office, and we soon stopped filling the milk part because it'd always end up getting left and going rancid! Americano only (with the milk in the fridge) after that.

Did the machine have the functionality to work out that the milk had turned, or did it just blindly ruin coffee until the milk was emptied and refilled?

Only the most important and most rail-pertinent discussions, here at Rail UK Forums

 

[Bletchleyite]

Did the machine have the functionality to work out that the milk had turned, or did it just blindly ruin coffee until the milk was emptied and refilled?

The machine didn't, but you could smell it a mile off.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Sometime in the 1960's , Swansea High Street had a cumbersome vending machine which sold hot chips - cooked in the machine. You had to wait a few mins , but you got a cardboard pack of hot chips. Very innovative.

We returned some time later to find no machine and large black scar on the Portland stone facade - the machine had burnt itself out.

 

[py_megapixel]

All this talk of bizarre vending machines reminds me of the hotel I stayed in on a trip to Stratford-on-Avon, which had an incredibly peculiar Ben & Jerry's ice cream vending machine. The design of it was essentially a chest freezer divided into several compartments, with a motorised lid and a suction device to pick up the ice cream and drop it into a chute!

I've looked for videos online; this one is a different brand of ice cream but otherwise seems to be identical

 

[superjohn]

Brussels Midi used to have a large vending machine in the window of the small supermarket near the Eurostar terminal end of the station. It contained a much bigger selection of items than you normally find in them. It disappeared a few years ago.

At Düsseldorf Hbf there used to be an even bigger one in the lobby area of the old toilets (the area that is now McDonalds). That had huge compartments and a conveyor belt system that brought the various items to the collection point, including multipacks of toilet rolls and other such large stuff. That one vanished at least ten years ago.

I still like the Smullers dispensers that can still be found at larger stations in the Netherlands. The “Kaassoufle” deep fried cheese thing is a favourite of mine but probably very bad for me.

Vending machines of all types have always seemed much more common on the continent.

 

[James H]

A decade and a half ago there was a pizza vending machine opposite Southwark tube station

 

[route101]

A decade and a half ago there was a pizza vending machine opposite Southwark tube station

Ive seen one of them in Germany!

Ben and Jerrys ice cream vending machine , seen a few of them about.

The costa coffee machines , seen one getting cleaned , kinda put me off with the cleaing chemicals going through it!

 

[py_megapixel]

The costa coffee machines , seen one getting cleaned , kinda put me off with the cleaing chemicals going through it!

I'd imagine they put fresh water through it afterwards to clear out any remenants of chemicals

 

[takno]

At Düsseldorf Hbf there used to be an even bigger one in the lobby area of the old toilets (the area that is now McDonalds). That had huge compartments and a conveyor belt system that brought the various items to the collection point, including multipacks of toilet rolls and other such large stuff. That one vanished at least ten years ago.

Possibly a stupid question, but I seem to remember Koln having a similar sounding machine for left luggage. Could it have been the same thing but converted for selling stuff?