Virgin Trains pizzas

[island]

Apparently Virgin is trialling pizzas on board its trains. Right now it's just the 1140 Glasgow Central to London Euston service with cheese and tomato, haggis, or ham and mushroom the choices of topping. 9 inches and £5 each. On-board flyers suggest the pizzas should be ordered for delivery at Carlisle or Lancaster so it is unclear whether they are cooking on board or doing them at the stations and then loading them on, but it seems like an interesting development.

 

[tsr]

If it's well-implemented, that's a good idea, which I can see passengers liking if they know about it. And so I'm glad to hear it's not some sort of "stealthy" trial!

(Haggis is an interesting choice. I'd like to try that as a topping on a pizza, as I generally enjoy it anyway. )

 

[telstarbox]

More info here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-ireland/1561265-virgin-trains-trialling-cooked-order-pizza.html

I had a nice little surprise on the train down from Glasgow this afternoon - we got the usual announcement about the snacks and sandwiches available in the on-board shop, but then something new: pizzas.

I was quite tempted by the haggis option, but the wife didn't approve, so I ordered the ham and mushroom. About 40 minutes later, it was delivered to my seat from the first class galley.

My photo probably belies that it was actually pretty tasty. I think the base was from frozen, but the rest seemed to have been freshly prepared, and certainly nicer than something from a packet that had been thermonucleated in a microwave. It brought to mind the hot meals you used to be able to order from the GNER buffet, though they seem to have disappeared with the demise of the restaurant car.

As the flyer says, it's currently only available on the 1140 from Glasgow Central to London Euston, but the man in the shop said that they were looking to roll it out on other routes. It's a nice idea, though I'm not sure how well it would work on busier services - or whether you'd be able to fit the pizza box on those silly flip-down tables on the airline-style seats....

 

[MK Tom]

I can imagine other passengers not being too fond of the smell!

 

[Eng274]

I can imagine other passengers not being too fond of the smell!

Or it'll make them want one too

 

[Chapeltom]

I can imagine other passengers not being too fond of the smell!

On the subject of horrid smelling food... fast food is the worse but...

I think I annoyed a few last night on the 2258 from Warrington to Liverpool L St last night, the smell of a large doner kebab lashed in garlic sauce is far far worse! Been to a gig and had no other option, still was eaten before departure though! Sat away from where passengers were already sat and would have stopped eating on request

Also annoyed someone eating fish and chips on a bus once, the woman was so vocal about it another passenger had a go at her! but it embarrassed me to put them away, too bad I was on that bus an hour :/

 

[gordonthemoron]

But will they install a wood fired pizza oven

 

[matchmaker]

Could be Cosmos pizzas - they do a haggis one.

 

[tsr]

But will they install a wood fired pizza oven

Can you insert coaches from 442s into Pendolinos or Voyagers?

 

[overtonchris]

OOOOOOH! Haggis Pizza......Wonder if the early morning Soton to Glasgow plane would get me there just to get on the train and give that a bash......yeah maybe.....but still not done the Cally Sleeper.....oh, the choice for such a delight!!!!!......

 

[ushawk]

Can you insert coaches from 442s into Pendolinos or Voyagers?

Wouldnt it be freshly cooked bacon on a 442 ?

£5 is a pretty good price and it seems like a good idea, but if they are being delivered to the train, then that is a big, big risk.

 

[RAPC]

As somebody who is allergic to cheese and struggles around the smell of the stuff, (The 1st class post-meal cheese is bad enough) this frightens the life out of me as a regular traveller on VT.

Selfishly I hope it doesn't become anything more than a trial, but I can understand why others would find it of interest.

 

[Gathursty]

About 2 years ago, a VT London-bound passenger travelling through the Lake District called Domino's Pizza Lancaster to meet them at the station to deliver their order when their train would arrive. It caused a minor Youtube hit.

 

[bb21]

On the menu it says order it before Carlisle for a Carlisle delivery and before Lancaster for a Lancaster delivery. Isn't that pretty obvious, or is it a typo? How are they going to get it done on time if ordered a minute before arrival?

 

[rdeez]

What an interesting idea! Hope they expand it. The price seems reasonable, too.

 

[merlodlliw]

I recall FGW did a similar food idea with Pasties in the West Country.

 

[59CosG95]

Could be Cosmos pizzas - they do a haggis one.

Come off it, I'm not THAT good at pizza making such that Virgin hire me! But be all that as it may, it'll be interesting to see how it develops-hopefully it'll creep onto the Euston-Brum services before long. And I do hope my namesake pizza company provided Virgin with the haggis idea...

 

[Julian Hornby]

Virgin trains have ended their contract with rail gourmet who were supplying other foods and have now got a new food service which are probably serving the pizza in which you have heard about.
Catch you later,
Julian

 

[Darandio]

Virgin trains have ended their contract with rail gourmet who were supplying other foods and have now got a new food service which are probably serving the pizza in which you have heard about.
Catch you later,
Julian

Not quite. The new company don't start until 30th March.

 

[hassaanhc]

On the subject of horrid smelling food... fast food is the worse but...

I think I annoyed a few last night on the 2258 from Warrington to Liverpool L St last night, the smell of a large doner kebab lashed in garlic sauce is far far worse! Been to a gig and had no other option, still was eaten before departure though! Sat away from where passengers were already sat and would have stopped eating on request

Also annoyed someone eating fish and chips on a bus once, the woman was so vocal about it another passenger had a go at her! but it embarrassed me to put them away, too bad I was on that bus an hour :/

I annoyed people on a mostly empty bus here in London eating a kebab, unfortunately I was running late so had to take it with me rather than eat it there
On the other hand, every now and then I eat chicken nuggets & chips on a bus, never had anyone say anything to me

 

[Squaddie]

Eating hot food on a bus or train is more than a little inconsiderate and anti-social. National Express bans hot food from their buses, and Overground asks its customers not to eat hot food on its trains; I think all train companies should follow suit - and serve only cold snacks and sandwiches on board. There are few things worse when travelling than sitting on a train that smells like a takeaway.

 

[Roverman]

About 2 years ago, a VT London-bound passenger travelling through the Lake District called Domino's Pizza Lancaster to meet them at the station to deliver their order when their train would arrive. It caused a minor Youtube hit.

Yeah Branson heard and decided he wanted a pizza d' action

(I'll get my coat...)

 

[fowler9]

Haggis Pizza sounds ace! Brilliant idea in my opinion. On the subject of fast food on public transport it reminds me of what happened to a lad on an 82 night bus in Liverpool when the smell of his burger annoyed another passenger. The results were not pretty and the police were involved. The smell of someone elses food never annoyed me as much as one of the parties involved.

 

[8J]

Merseyrail are now selling hot food at their MtoGo shops such as tuna melt paninis, bacon butties to name a couple of items. It seems profit is the company's priority as opposed to odour reduction

 

[fowler9]

Merseyrail are now selling hot food at their MtoGo shops such as tuna melt paninis, bacon butties to name a couple of items. It seems profit is the company's priority as opposed to odour reduction

Well I'm glad odour reduction isn't an issue or they wouldn't let me on!

 

[scotsman]

Haggis pizza ain't all it's cracked up to be, folks

 

[gordonthemoron]

IIRC, a passenger ordered a takeaway curry to be delivered to their train at York station some time ago

 

[WelshBluebird]

Eating hot food on a bus or train is more than a little inconsiderate and anti-social. National Express bans hot food from their buses, and Overground asks its customers not to eat hot food on its trains; I think all train companies should follow suit - and serve only cold snacks and sandwiches on board. There are few things worse when travelling than sitting on a train that smells like a takeaway.

So you have no problem me eating a cold pasty from greggs on the train, but if it happens to be hot because it has just been cooked then you think I'm in the wrong? I don't think that makes any sense at all!

What about services where you can get a bacon roll onboard? I am sure that wouldn't offend you would it? Or how about the few services still around that allow a full restaurant style meal?

 

[dosxuk]

Eating hot food on a bus or train is more than a little inconsiderate and anti-social. National Express bans hot food from their buses, and Overground asks its customers not to eat hot food on its trains; I think all train companies should follow suit - and serve only cold snacks and sandwiches on board. There are few things worse when travelling than sitting on a train that smells like a takeaway.

I'd rather sit next to someone eating a hot cheese & tomato panini than someone eating a cold egg mayo sandwich.

 

[Parallel]

I really love pizza and that price is really good - takeaway companies often charge double (sometimes triple) that! It's just a shame Virgin don't run any services anywhere near me.