Blinkbonny
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Got myself a First Class from Oxford to Hereford tomorrow. What can I expect refreshment-wise? Is it a case of of the Cross Country default - you get nowt except a cup of tea unless you ask for it? 
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First Class catering on Great Western?
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cactustwirly
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Got myself a First Class from Oxford to Hereford tomorrow. What can I expect refreshment-wise? Is it a case of of the Cross Country default - you get nowt except a cup of tea unless you ask for it?
A hot drink and a biscuit normally. Maybe a sandwich as well?
Bishopstone
Established Member
GWR ditched the sandwich offer during the pandemic.
Hot drinks, juice, peanuts/crisps and cake slices is about the sum of it.
Hot drinks, juice, peanuts/crisps and cake slices is about the sum of it.
I had a sandwich last monday.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Used to be reasonable, nothing too fancy but a reasonable choice.
What's the reliability of having a 1st class host on board at the moment?
What's the reliability of having a 1st class host on board at the moment?
Blinkbonny
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Pretty duff experience to be honest. Two half-carriages of First Class, fairly full. Offered coffee, etc leaving Oxford. No offer of any sandwich, so asked for one. (Oliver Twist!) Was told there "might be a couple left." "I'll go and look." Falafel or All Day Breakfast? I'll have Falafel (being Vegetarian.) Comes back. Sorry, only All Day breakfast! So this poor dog had none.
This begs a number of questions. Are sandwiches available for First Class passengers or not? If so why aren't they on the trolley and offered? It was 12.45 - when else would you expect to be offered one? Secondly - they've ran out? How does that work? I couldn't see anybody else finishing one off!
Twenty minutes later the refreshment trolley for sale to Standard went through. Full range of sandwiches, I noticed!
Another cup of coffee and a slice of cake, biscuit, etc and that was it. Frankly, there was more room in standard and the seats seemed much the same, and after Worcester I moved in there. You pay the extra for a couple of beverages and a biscuit. Won't be doing it again.
This begs a number of questions. Are sandwiches available for First Class passengers or not? If so why aren't they on the trolley and offered? It was 12.45 - when else would you expect to be offered one? Secondly - they've ran out? How does that work? I couldn't see anybody else finishing one off!
Twenty minutes later the refreshment trolley for sale to Standard went through. Full range of sandwiches, I noticed!
Another cup of coffee and a slice of cake, biscuit, etc and that was it. Frankly, there was more room in standard and the seats seemed much the same, and after Worcester I moved in there. You pay the extra for a couple of beverages and a biscuit. Won't be doing it again.
Bishopstone
Established Member
GWR say specifically that sandwiches are no longer served, so any offer of one should be treated as a bonus:
https://www.gwr.com/travelling-with-us/first-class/food-and-drink
Two coffees and some snacks between Oxford and Worcester sounds like a reasonably attentive level of service.
https://www.gwr.com/travelling-with-us/first-class/food-and-drink
Two coffees and some snacks between Oxford and Worcester sounds like a reasonably attentive level of service.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Agreed. I have to say what the OP has reported getting was on par with (or better than) I would've expected.
NoOnesFool
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I wonder if sandwiches are secretly stocked in case a customer asks for them. A "secret menu" type of thing. CrossCountry only officially offer sandwiches but hot meals are stocked for if a customer asks and they have availability. Whatever the case, it does sound like a poor experience for the OP.
Falcon1200
Established Member
I travelled in First Class from Oxford to Worcester a couple of weeks ago and despite what GWR's timetable said there was no catering of any kind, and nor any pre-warning at Oxford or explanation on the train for its absence.
NoOnesFool
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It can happen when a Rail Gourmet Host is ill/stuck in traffic/displaced elsewhere on the network and there isn't a spare to cover the circuit. There should have been an apology from the train manager though.
Blinkbonny
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Well, I did my Cotswold journey three weeks in a row and it was very much the case that sandwiches made no appearance unless asked for.
Certainly no harm in asking - but of course you really need to know before boarding!
Certainly no harm in asking - but of course you really need to know before boarding!
Indeed -- it's over five hours to Newquay (my final destination)! Guess I'll just play it safe and stock up at Paddington.
Merthyr Imp
Member
My wife and I travelled first class on the 1118 from Cardiff to Paddington last Friday (22 July) and were offered sandwiches. I didn't see what they were as we were happy with biscuits, fruit cake and crisps.
It was a tale of two journeys for me.
Outbound on Wednesday (Paddington to Par): served pretty much straight after departure. Various sandwiches on offer (BLT, Cheese Ploughmans and a Ham and Cheese option), plus all the usual crisps / nuts / chocolate / cake etc. Hot and cold drinks aplenty. Offered drinks and snacks four times en route after the initial main service.
Back on Friday (Bodmin Parkway to Reading): nothing whatsoever from Par to Plymouth, where there was the usual crew change. We were practically at Exeter before any service commenced, and then it was drinks and snacks only, and only saw the FC catering crew once the entire time. As it was rather busy, the standard class trolley was operating a static service which, fortunately for me, was in the vestibule behind where I was sitting between the two classes, so I grabbed a sandwich from there (they only had Cheese Ploughmans available as well). Also no hot drinks available in standard. Bit sh*t for a 5+ jour journey!
Edit: that little coffee shop at Bodmin is well worth a visit to stock up on supplies, just in case!
Outbound on Wednesday (Paddington to Par): served pretty much straight after departure. Various sandwiches on offer (BLT, Cheese Ploughmans and a Ham and Cheese option), plus all the usual crisps / nuts / chocolate / cake etc. Hot and cold drinks aplenty. Offered drinks and snacks four times en route after the initial main service.
Back on Friday (Bodmin Parkway to Reading): nothing whatsoever from Par to Plymouth, where there was the usual crew change. We were practically at Exeter before any service commenced, and then it was drinks and snacks only, and only saw the FC catering crew once the entire time. As it was rather busy, the standard class trolley was operating a static service which, fortunately for me, was in the vestibule behind where I was sitting between the two classes, so I grabbed a sandwich from there (they only had Cheese Ploughmans available as well). Also no hot drinks available in standard. Bit sh*t for a 5+ jour journey!
Edit: that little coffee shop at Bodmin is well worth a visit to stock up on supplies, just in case!
Andy Pacer
Established Member
They're still claiming to not be serving them at present anyway
First Class Lounges | Great Western Railway
Visit our First Class lounges at London Paddington and Cardiff Central. Enjoy a comfortable area to work or relax, with free drinks and Wi-Fi.
www.gwr.com
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