RailGourmet service reliability on East Midlands Trains

[LTJ87]

This afternoon I travelled on the 17:37 East Midlands Trains service from Nottingham to London St Pancras.

This is a journey I have done every other Sunday for the past six weeks. On each occasion there was no on board catering due to service failures by Rail Gourmet - something always made clear by the train manager.

I experienced similar problems when travelling between Nottingham and London frequently over the Christmas and New Year period.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues, or is this issue typically restricted to off peak periods?

 

[White shadow]

Hi, it's a bit long ago since I was on that line, but when it was midland mainline I had a similar problem (forget what they referred to it as back then) but I complained direct to the company and got a free £10 voucher for my next journey.

Not sure how EMT fairs compared to midland mainline but worth a go?

 

[Qwerty133]

Them turning up seems to be poor, and when they do have staff, there's no telling if they'll ever get to the coach you are in. Also product knowledge is beyond poor, and one of their staff thought sprite was sparkling water, product availability is low and cold drinks will be warm as there is no fridge/ice anywhere to be seen.
I suppose when they don't turn up there's always Uppercrust/Pumpkin at the station... (yes I know all 3 are owned by SSP

 

[alastair]

This afternoon I travelled on the 17:37 East Midlands Trains service from Nottingham to London St Pancras.

This is a journey I have done every other Sunday for the past six weeks. On each occasion there was no on board catering due to service failures by Rail Gourmet - something always made clear by the train manager.

I experienced similar problems when travelling between Nottingham and London frequently over the Christmas and New Year period.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues, or is this issue typically restricted to off peak periods?

I would just comment that it seems unprofessional and achieves nothing for the TM to blame the absence of catering on the failures of a third party i.e Rail Gourmet. Of what possible interest is that to a thirsty or hungry passenger? As far as the passenger is concerned EMT have failed to provide the advertised buffet service,and the TM's attitude seems to be one of "passing the buck" which doesnt help anyone.

 

[asylumxl]

In my frequent trips on EMTs services from London it is not uncommon for the Rail Gourmet staff not to turn up.

A while back i did an East Midlands Rover over a few days and catering was available maybe twice.

 

[ExRes]

To be fair I think it should be remembered that the weekend catering service has gone steadily to pieces year after year, I can't believe that the current service is any worse than when EMT couldn't get enough staff to work weekends, something which also happened, although not as often, under the MML banner

After watching what they had to put up with over 10 years, I'm really not surprised that they can't find people who want to put up with some of the customer 'behaviour' that is a regular part of weekend working

 

[bb21]

I have certainly noticed a deterioration in terms of the availability of onboard catering recently. Three of my last four trips had no catering in the last week alone.

There are only so many apologies passengers will put up with.

 

[paddy1]

Whenever I have travelled on EMT services to or from St Pancras services on a Sunday (which I avoid as much as possible due to lack of frequency, short formed trains etc), the trains have been so overcrowded that even if there was a trolley service it is doubtful that they would ever be able to work the length of the train. It really is a most squalid and dispiriting experience with dozens of people in each carriage standing in the aisles or squatting and lying down on the floor of the vestibules. I think that the lack of a refreshment trolley does little to detract from the truly appalling overall travel experience of EMT Sunday service.

I know it's been 'done to death' already on this forum, but it really is about time EMT 'bit the bullet' and got to grips with this Sunday working issue and provided a decent and adequate Sunday service on the MML. Virgin manage to run three (full length) trains an hour from Euston to Manchester and Birmingham every day of the week from early to late.

 

[Mikey C]

This afternoon I travelled on the 17:37 East Midlands Trains service from Nottingham to London St Pancras.

This is a journey I have done every other Sunday for the past six weeks. On each occasion there was no on board catering due to service failures by Rail Gourmet - something always made clear by the train manager.

I experienced similar problems when travelling between Nottingham and London frequently over the Christmas and New Year period.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues, or is this issue typically restricted to off peak periods?

I was on the same train! Rather annoying, sitting in my Advance First Class seat I was looking forward to a nice cup of tea...

It would be nice if the lack of catering was announced in advance, e.g. at the station, as it would give people the chance to buy something at the station, rather than only finding out 5 minutes after the train has left the platform!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Are now this bad. Given that this is First Class and that in particular Tea is and has been for many years the lifeblood of our railway system youd think that this at any rate could be done???? On another note, as I said in the FGW Sheff thread why is there this assumption that pax are happy with a consistantly substandard (in terms of provision and qualitty) Trolley Service on Long Distance trains? If I wanted Tepid coffee and Warm softs and beers Id have brought my own and even then I think a better job of keeping them hot/cold could be done!↲

 

[howittpie]

It is always a suprise theese days when the catering does tirn up. On weekend it is static trolley in the buffet. If you hold a first class ticket you need to go to the buffet to collect your freebies.

On a couple of trips on a weekend recently there has been no clue as to whether there is catering on each occasion there was.

 

[Tomnick]

I know it's been 'done to death' already on this forum, but it really is about time EMT 'bit the bullet' and got to grips with this Sunday working issue and provided a decent and adequate Sunday service on the MML. Virgin manage to run three (full length) trains an hour from Euston to Manchester and Birmingham every day of the week from early to late.

I don't know how much of a barrier it is to a decent Sunday service, but there are engineering works affecting the route most Sundays. Certainly there's no chance of more than 2tph each way during the six weeks or so that they're diverted via Manton each year, and I'd imagine there'd be similar constraints when a pair of lines is blocked south of Bedford. Admittedly the regular Sunday staff shortages don't help, but EMT don't seem too worried about negotiating to sort that one out!

 

[Muzer]

CrossCountry, for once, are very good at this. They have an in-house catering service that they use for the services that RailGourmet won't do (due to unprofitability) - I expect they can also use them to replace RailGourmet staff who don't turn up, but I might be wrong.

 

[LateThanNever]

CrossCountry, for once, are very good at this. They have an in-house catering service that they use for the services that RailGourmet won't do (due to unprofitability) - I expect they can also use them to replace RailGourmet staff who don't turn up, but I might be wrong.

Know they were started by Swissair but always think Rail Gourmet should be done under Trade Descriptions. The rail bit is true but none of their food is remotely resembling 'gourmet' standard. Only ever buy from them because there is nothing else - and sometimes it's a relief because you can't if they're not there!

 

[Jonfun]

CrossCountry, for once, are very good at this. They have an in-house catering service that they use for the services that RailGourmet won't do (due to unprofitability) - I expect they can also use them to replace RailGourmet staff who don't turn up, but I might be wrong.

CrossCountry haven't used RailGourmet in any capacity for a while now. The service centres (where deliveries etc are fulfilled) were brought in house a bit ago, and the Turbostar routes catering is operated by... the name Facilities Partners rings a bell but I could be talking nonsense. As far as I'm aware, there's no cross cover - ie mainline catering staff won't work the ex-Central routes if the agency can't provide staff.

 

[Muzer]

Oh, apologies. I was pretty sure that they used it relatively recently (a few months to a year ago), but maybe I'm wrong. In fact I remember going on a very early train from Southampton, which was CrossCountry-served until either Reading or Basingstoke (can't remember which) when the trolley was replaced by a RailGourmet one with different food...

 

[Mark62]

Last year We travelled on the Saturday morning HST from Sheffield via Nottingham in first class. We booked the full breakfast and the level of service was superb. The four course breakfast was freshly cooked in the HST kitchen and of the highest standard. That morning the take up for the breakfast was so large that they had to open another first class coach for diners. This is how travel should be. It really was a first rate effort. The HST was slower than the meridian via derby but we knew that the standard of travel and service would be so much higher on an HST than a DMU.

 

[Qwerty133]

Last year We travelled on the Saturday morning HST from Sheffield via Nottingham in first class. We booked the full breakfast and the level of service was superb. The four course breakfast was freshly cooked in the HST kitchen and of the highest standard. That morning the take up for the breakfast was so large that they had to open another first class coach for diners. This is how travel should be. It really was a first rate effort. The HST was slower than the meridian via derby but we knew that the standard of travel and service would be so much higher on an HST than a DMU.

Have you ever travelled on the Saturday morning meridian breakfast service?
Anyway Rail Gourmet have very little (no?) involvement in regards to the breakfast service in first on them 2 trains.

 

[scotsman]

CrossCountry, for once, are very good at this. They have an in-house catering service that they use for the services that RailGourmet won't do (due to unprofitability) - I expect they can also use them to replace RailGourmet staff who don't turn up, but I might be wrong.

XC are certainly trying to stem losses. RSMs are being told to meet sales targets or face disciplinaries.

 

[CC 72100]

XC are certainly trying to stem losses. RSMs are being told to meet sales targets or face disciplinaries.

If true, certainly sounds a little harsh to me. While I understand that railway catering is perhaps difficult to make a profit from, I don't think threatening the front line staff doing their best to deliver this service is the way to increase sales.

I mean, what about the person doing the trolley on a wedged voyager so is stuck in the front vestibule. People don't want to battle through the length of the train for what they perceive as an overpriced snack. Others don't want to move for risk of losing their seat. As a result, the RSM on that given service doesn't have a very successful shift in terms of sales - however, it is evidently not their fault.

CrossCountry in their on-board posters have recently been marketing the trolley service coming to your seat as a bonus, something positive. Of course, how much of a positive is this if they can't through? Or if by doing it on a trolley, that means limited possibilities? I really don't understand XC at times....

 

[Jonfun]

XC are certainly trying to stem losses. RSMs are being told to meet sales targets or face disciplinaries.

That's not really true, though, is it? There's performance monitoring, which does indeed look at sales figures. But it's not a case of "meet them or you're out" - it's about identifying any staff who aren't doing what they're being paid to do. Unfortunately, in every job there's always some who choose to make no effort, and you can't blame a company for keeping an eye on the figures.

 

[Smethwickian]

Sorry this is going off-topic but as someone has mentioned Cross Country....

Currently travelling six days most weeks between Birmingham and Cheltenham, at various times between about 0630 and 2000, I can say that the visibility and salesmanship of the XC catering trolley staff varies enormously. Sometimes you never see or hear anything. Sometimes they glide past silently as if they really don't want to be stopped. Other times the staff member makes announcements describing the offerings in great detail before trundling noisily through and making a verbal offering almost continuously. Sometimes they appear to have a selection of food more substantial than a KitKat or bag of crisps - including the hot items I once thought only legendary - but often they do not.

I wouldn't like to think of staff being under undue pressure, but a degree of consistency and reliability probably wouldn't go amiss if the business is worried about profitability.

 

[Tetchytyke]

XC are certainly trying to stem losses. RSMs are being told to meet sales targets or face disciplinaries.

Yet at the same time they are recruiting for more RSMs.

It depends on the "sales targets". I suspect XC are really trying to weed out the ones who park the trolley up at the end of Coach F and don't budge from there for their entire shift.

 

[Qwerty133]

Sorry this is going off-topic but as someone has mentioned Cross Country....

Currently travelling six days most weeks between Birmingham and Cheltenham, at various times between about 0630 and 2000, I can say that the visibility and salesmanship of the XC catering trolley staff varies enormously. Sometimes you never see or hear anything. Sometimes they glide past silently as if they really don't want to be stopped. Other times the staff member makes announcements describing the offerings in great detail before trundling noisily through and making a verbal offering almost continuously. Sometimes they appear to have a selection of food more substantial than a KitKat or bag of crisps - including the hot items I once thought only legendary - but often they do not.

I wouldn't like to think of staff being under undue pressure, but a degree of consistency and reliability probably wouldn't go amiss if the business is worried about profitability.

EMT varies from absent, to hiding in first class, to hiding in the disused buffet area, to parking the trolley in the wheelchair area with the host no where in sight, to silent but passing, and finally loudly advertising the Starbucks coffees, tea, hot chocolate, crisps, soft drinks and wines, which is basically all they sell.
Job satisfaction and motivation must be rubbish as you rarely see the same staff more than once, unless it's in a short space of time.

 

[bb21]

I once had an EMT trolley guy chat to me for the whole journey from Leicester to London. To be fair it was a very quiet Saturday morning service but he seemed more interested in talking to me about all and sundry than serving his other customers.

 

[Qwerty133]

I once had an EMT trolley guy chat to me for the whole journey from Leicester to London. To be fair it was a very quiet Saturday morning service but he seemed more interested in talking to me about all and sundry than serving his other customers.

I once had a EMT buffet woman try and sell me beer at 9AM... (I'm 16 and was 15 at the time)

 

[jon0844]

I once had a EMT buffet woman try and sell me beer at 9AM... (I'm 16 and was 15 at the time)

I think licensing laws only apply after 10am.

 

[LTJ87]

Happened again yesterday!

Though, to give EMT staff credit, the train manager did her best to make up for it for 1st class passengers.

 

[Qwerty133]

Happened again yesterday!

Though, to give EMT staff credit, the train manager did her best to make up for it for 1st class passengers.

The quicker RG lose the contract the better, trouble is EMT seem to be happy with them for some reason.
I'd never buy anything from them anyway, since I saw a member of staff press multiple bottles of water into his face to cool him down, and then proceed to put them back onto the trolley to sell.

 

[bb21]

I think it is a Stagecoach thing, outsourcing, and not just limited to Stagecoach of course. Until Stagecoach lose the franchise don't expect any changes on that front. Even if Rail Gourmet get the boot, you will just get another similar contractor coming along paying staff poor wages and more of the same.