Fave TOC that no longer exists

[D1537]

I suppose this also went hand in hand with the changeover from 321s to 350s and that MK/Rugby/Nuneaton commuters were soaked up by these instead of the longer distance services.

The fact that around that time Virgin took an axe to the number of long-distance services that actually stopped at Rugby and Nuneaton gave them little choice.

 

[WesternLancer]

And with Midland Mainline if you purchased a breakfast on a standard ticket you got to sit in first class seating.

That was standard BR restaurant car approach on all services with restaurant cars.

If you look at old pictures the yellow cant rail stripe was not on the dining car seating part of eg HST catering vehicle even tho seating type was first class seats in that vehicle.

Virgin first to ditch it iirc.
GNER retained it
Don’t think MML retained it or if they did not for that long after privatisation.
Still maintained on GWR Pullman.

Used to commute Long Eaton to Loughborough in the 1990's and always had a free coffee coming back home

 

[Merle Haggard]

That was standard BR restaurant car approach on all services with restaurant cars.

If you look at old pictures the yellow cant rail stripe was not on the dining car seating part of eg HST catering vehicle even tho seating type was first class seats in that vehicle.

Virgin first to ditch it iirc.
GNER retained it
Don’t think MML retained it or if they did not for that long after privatisation.
Still maintained on GWR Pullman.

My bold.

The coaching stock code was 'U', I think I recall some of the HST kitchen cars being TRUB. There were certainly BR Standard 'RU' restaurant cars (1900 series)

As an aside, in BR Inter City days if you bought a coffee from the at seat service (trolley) in First you were entitled to unlimited refills. In practice, catching the eye of the passing steward to even get one refill was very difficult.

On MML, if the delay was more than an hour, everything on the (First Class) trolley was free. I recall once, after the leading power car had emitted smoke of changing colour and increasing density we slowed down before grinding to a halt after Leagrave on the Down. After 58 minutes delay the steward came round, specifically mentioning the availability (obviously at that stage, still to be paid for) gin & tonic. I looked at my watch and said 'ok, but give me a couple of minutes'. He didn't look happy. I just wonder how many drinks he sold for cash before the deadline compared to how many, when cashing up, he claimed to have given away after it...

 

[vuzzeho]

Has to be Virgin. I only remember their Pendolinos and Voyagers, but they really captured my interest and felt exciting. Growing up, I was always excited to take the Virgin Train. As a kid, they got me into the railways - they felt ambitious and were exciting to use. Also, I loved the tilting trains. The staff was also really nice, from what I remember.

 

[43096]

My bold.

The coaching stock code was 'U', I think I recall some of the HST kitchen cars being TRUB.

And TRUK (Trailer Restaurant Unclassified Kitchen) for the initial 20 sets.

 

[LowLevel]

My bold.

The coaching stock code was 'U', I think I recall some of the HST kitchen cars being TRUB. There were certainly BR Standard 'RU' restaurant cars (1900 series)

As an aside, in BR Inter City days if you bought a coffee from the at seat service (trolley) in First you were entitled to unlimited refills. In practice, catching the eye of the passing steward to even get one refill was very difficult.

On MML, if the delay was more than an hour, everything on the (First Class) trolley was free. I recall once, after the leading power car had emitted smoke of changing colour and increasing density we slowed down before grinding to a halt after Leagrave on the Down. After 58 minutes delay the steward came round, specifically mentioning the availability (obviously at that stage, still to be paid for) gin & tonic. I looked at my watch and said 'ok, but give me a couple of minutes'. He didn't look happy. I just wonder how many drinks he sold for cash before the deadline compared to how many, when cashing up, he claimed to have given away after it...

Until withdrawal on the MML the bun trucks were known as TRUBs by the staff even though they were TRFBs - get in the TRUB and make a brew!

Obviously the facilities were sadly underused in the end but they were excellent capable kitchens.

 

[[.n]]

And with Midland Mainline if you purchased a breakfast on a standard ticket you got to sit in first class seating. Used to commute Long Eaton to Loughborough in the 1990's and always had a free coffee coming back home

I'd forgotten that trick - was something similar with Anglia, I used a few times in the evening from Liverpool Street on the Norwich service

 

[WesternLancer]

I'd forgotten that trick - was something similar with Anglia, I used a few times in the evening from Liverpool Street on the Norwich service

It wasn't a trick - it was the standard approach to providing dining car services on BR from time immemorial, so Anglia inherited it form BR, and GWR still do it - allowing both classes to eat in the dining area subject to returning to their seat when the meal was finished - so if you were a standard or first class passenger you were meant to get up and go back to your respective seat in order to free the space for another diner.

Now I suspect that some staff allowed passengers to linger in their seats in order to save them the trouble of cooking and serving another meal to someone else....
and some passengers happily lingered in their seats as you got a first class set of the price of a meal.

I can recall an occasion where I had to 'suggest' to a steward that one of the people sitting in the dining car having clearly finished eating could be asked to 'move along' because I was hungry and wanted to order

Now many standard class passengers might not have been aware of this, but it was always stated very clearly in footnotes on timetables and the handy intercity timetable booklet about on trains catering and dining facilities (the Knife and Fork symbol)
and of course not many standard class passengers maybe wanted to 'fork out' on a dining car meal, presumably preferring the sandwich or burger from the buffet counter - despite in many cases the standard of the restaurant cars being better than many static restaurants I have paid handsomely to eat in, yet sometimes been unimpressed with the quality.

As I have argued on the forum before - paying for a meal you actually want is a better system than giving away so called "free" stuff in 1st class - because with the former it has to be of sufficed quality for you to actually want to buy - with the latter the incentive is all aligned to the bean counter priority of reducing the cost as low was possible - hence where we are now on the MML with 'snack boxes' and sandwiches that are of such low quality that if they were on sale on the high street no one would buy them unless they were desperate (IMHO)...certainly not a product anyone who can pay for a 1st class ticket would be likely to buy through choice, surely.

 

[sh24]

GWR run a single sitting so if you are in the Pullman for a meal, you get to stay regardless of first or standard ticket.

 

[Ashley Hill]

GWR run a single sitting so if you are in the Pullman for a meal, you get to stay regardless of first or standard ticket.

No. If you hold a Standard class ticket you are expected to return to your seat after your meal. There was an unofficial blind eye turned depending on the size of your tip.

 

[sh24]

No. If you hold a Standard class ticket you are expected to return to your seat after your meal. There was an unofficial blind eye turned depending on the size of your tip.

Interesting. I've seen quite a few hosts encourage people to stay pre-tip!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Interesting. I've seen quite a few hosts encourage people to stay pre-tip!

I’m not saying this doesn’t happen, but the official line is STD passengers should move upon completion.