Catering on New Trains

[Masbroughlad]

What (if any) catering facilities do the inter-city new builds (Class 8xx etc) have?

- None
- Trolley point
- Service point
- Shop/buffet counter
- Galley/kitchen for meal service

As an add on, which companies still employ chefs?

 

[hexagon789]

What (if any) catering facilities do the inter-city new builds (Class 8xx etc) have?

- None
- Trolley point
- Service point
- Shop/buffet counter
- Galley/kitchen for meal service

As an add on, which companies still employ chefs?

All 80x except LUMOs 803s have a galley kitchen.

There are two sizes of kitchen, known as a Level 1 and Level 2 kitchen.

LNER and GWR 80x, plus Avanti 807s have the larger Level 1 kitchen.

TPE & Hull Trains 802s and Avanti 805s have the smaller Level 2 one.

LNER and Avanti 80x also have a Café-Bar/Shop - a small buffet counter which takes up approximately two window bays in one coach.

GWR, TPE and LUMO all offer an at-seat trolley service.

GWR offers a 'Pullman' dining service on select trains, fully chargeable but open to First and also Std Class ticket holders, the latter depending on availability.

LNER, Avanti and TPE all offer a complimentary First Class catering service, nominally a hot meal but varies depending on time of day, service etc.

I think that's all correct, apologies if I've missed something but I daresay someone will soon point it out if I have!

 

[Jan Mayen]

It's a shame the title of this thread is 'Catering on New Trains'. If the word 'New' was removed, we could include details of all services.
Not that there would be anything to add from my part of the world, the Brighton Main Line, of course. (Formally home to Pullman trains, buffet cars and trolleys!)

 

[A S Leib]

It's a shame the title of this thread is 'Catering on New Trains'. If the word 'New' was removed, we could include details of all services.

Apart from the TOCs mentioned, are Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail, TfW Rail, EMR, CrossCountry and Greater Anglia the only ones with any catering (and I'd say Greater Anglia's FLIRTs still count as new trains)?

 

[Brightonboy]

My trip to Bristol Parkway and back via Paddington yesterday was disappointing in the catering field.... Westbound, the urn for the standard class trolley wasn't working so it was cold drinks only and then on the return trip ( 5 coaches instead of 9) there was no standard class trolley "due to single crewing". I don't know if that is representative of GWR's catering provision as it is some years since I last did that trip.

 

[Masbroughlad]

I probably shouldn't have said just class 8xx?

Have Anglia and EMR stopped serving cooked meals on board? Many years ago, I remember having breakfast and dinner between Sheffield and St. Pancras. I think there were chefs on Anglia too?

TfW have their mk4s and meal service. When they are life expired, will the 1st class meals go too?

Personally, I think there is still a place for getting a cooked meal of some sort on longer journeys. Yes, main stations have plenty of choice to take on board, but it is not the same as sitting down to a cooked meal on your journey.

Will the railway ever return to dining cars with freshly cooked meals on main routes? Or is it destined to be buy before you board, cram as many bums on seats as you can, shareholder driven henceforth?

 

[Snex]

Apart from the TOCs mentioned, are Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail, TfW Rail, EMR, CrossCountry and Greater Anglia the only ones with any catering (and I'd say Greater Anglia's FLIRTs still count as new trains)?

Grand Central aswell.

 

[D365]

Have Anglia and EMR stopped serving cooked meals on board? Many years ago, I remember having breakfast and dinner between Sheffield and St. Pancras. I think there were chefs on Anglia too?

TfW have their mk4s and meal service. When they are life expired, will the 1st class meals go too?

Personally, I think there is still a place for getting a cooked meal of some sort on longer journeys. Yes, main stations have plenty of choice to take on board, but it is not the same as sitting down to a cooked meal on your journey.

Will the railway ever return to dining cars with freshly cooked meals on main routes? Or is it destined to be buy before you board, cram as many bums on seats as you can, shareholder driven henceforth?

EMR definitely has not had cooked meals in years. The ’Meridian’ onboard shop is barely even open these days.

GWR and TfW premier service is as good as it will get.

 

[A S Leib]

Grand Central aswell.

And Hull Trains and (if it counts) Eurostar, so I think it's just the southeastern TOCs (including SWR, Chiltern and West Midlands Trains), Merseyrail and Northern (outside some Settle – Carlisle services) without any catering.

 

[Masbroughlad]

And Hull Trains and (if it counts) Eurostar, so I think it's just the southeastern TOCs (including SWR, Chiltern and West Midlands Trains), Merseyrail and Northern (outside some Settle – Carlisle services) without any catering.

At one stage, I forget what they called it, Northern talked about a higher level of service on certain routes, which would included catering. Has this bitten the dust?

 

[A S Leib]

At one stage, I forget what they called it, Northern talked about a higher level of service on certain routes, which would included catering. Has this bitten the dust?

Maybe you're thinking of Northern Connect?

 

[Mark J]

Will the railway ever return to dining cars with freshly cooked meals on main routes? Or is it destined to be buy before you board, cram as many bums on seats as you can, shareholder driven henceforth?

Can we go back to the good old days of the 'Restaurant Buffet 125'. Complete with red stripe near the top of the carriage.

 

[Helvellyn]

All 80x except LUMOs 803s have a galley kitchen.

There are two sizes of kitchen, known as a Level 1 and Level 2 kitchen.

LNER and GWR 80x, plus Avanti 807s have the larger Level 1 kitchen.

TPE & Hull Trains 802s and Avanti 805s have the smaller Level 2 one.

LNER and Avanti 80x also have a Café-Bar/Shop - a small buffet counter which takes up approximately two window bays in one coach.

GWR, TPE and LUMO all offer an at-seat trolley service.

GWR offers a 'Pullman' dining service on select trains, fully chargeable but open to First and also Std Class ticket holders, the latter depending on availability.

LNER, Avanti and TPE all offer a complimentary First Class catering service, nominally a hot meal but varies depending on time of day, service etc.

I think that's all correct, apologies if I've missed something but I daresay someone will soon point it out if I have!

LNER also offer at seat ordering, and delivery of said order, of the full Cafe Bar menu (Let's Eat) via its Let's Eat at your Seat service.

First Class offering is a minimum of Deli but works its way up to Dish:

• Deli
• Brunch
• Dish
• Dine

Details of GWR's Pullman Dining can be found here.

 

[_toommm_]

EMR definitely has not had cooked meals in years. The ’Meridian’ onboard shop is barely even open these days.

GWR and TfW premier service is as good as it will get.

Slightly off-topic, but how was the breakfast cooked on the morning EMT HSTs? I used to always go for the 07:37?? slow service via Nottingham from Sheffield, as you'd get a full fry up. Was it in a merrychef, or actually pan fried?

 

[Steddenm]

Slightly off-topic, but how was the breakfast cooked on the morning EMT HSTs? I used to always go for the 07:37?? slow service via Nottingham from Sheffield, as you'd get a full fry up. Was it in a merrychef, or actually pan fried?

The HSTs had a full kitchen area in the buffet car. They had ovens, hobs, grills, hot water boilers, fridges and freezers.

 

[Mark J]

LNER also offer at seat ordering, and delivery of said order, of the full Cafe Bar menu (Let's Eat) via its Let's Eat at your Seat service.

First Class offering is a minimum of Deli but works its way up to Dish:

• Deli
• Brunch
• Dish
• Dine

Details of GWR's Pullman Dining can be found here.

Considering the GWR class 800's have a fully equipped kitchen on board, I've always wondered why they can't offer hot food options with an at seat service.

Last year, I did enquire why an at seat service could not be offered, ordering through some kind of app. Did not get much of a response though, cited as being 'too difficult' to implement.

If LNER can offer it, surely other services can too.

Obviously only longer routes would be of more benefit on GWR.

 

[route101]

Considering the GWR class 800's have a fully equipped kitchen on board, I've always wondered why they can't offer hot food options with an at seat service.

Last year, I did enquire why an at seat service could not be offered, ordering through some kind of app. Did not get much of a response though, cited as being 'too difficult' to implement.

If LNER can offer it, surely other services can too.

Obviously only longer routes would be of more benefit on GWR.

I remember ordering a bacon roll on GWR, not sure if they still do that.

 

[dk1]

I probably shouldn't have said just class 8xx?

Have Anglia and EMR stopped serving cooked meals on board? Many years ago, I remember having breakfast and dinner between Sheffield and St. Pancras. I think there were chefs on Anglia too?

TfW have their mk4s and meal service. When they are life expired, will the 1st class meals go too?

Personally, I think there is still a place for getting a cooked meal of some sort on longer journeys. Yes, main stations have plenty of choice to take on board, but it is not the same as sitting down to a cooked meal on your journey.

Will the railway ever return to dining cars with freshly cooked meals on main routes? Or is it destined to be buy before you board, cram as many bums on seats as you can, shareholder driven henceforth?

Restaurant cars on the GEML were withdrawn by NXEA shortly after the 2008 financial crash. Prior to that 24 services per day between Norwich, Liverpool St & vice versa offered full dining.

 

[aar0]

I remember ordering a bacon roll on GWR, not sure if they still do that.

they did exist on the 800s but I think went during COVID. A shame as they were very nice!

 

[lachlan]

On a GWR Bristol-Paddington service and if I heard the host correctly they said catering has been permanently removed from this route. Anyone know more?

 

[dk1]

On a GWR Bristol-Paddington service and if I heard the host correctly they said catering has been permanently removed from this route. Anyone know more?

• Food and drink are only offered on services operated by our Intercity Express Trains, excluding the following routes: Penzance – Cardiff/Gloucester; London – Newbury/Bedwyn or London – Oxford. To check if food and drink is offered on your service, please refer to our online timetable.

 

[lachlan]

• Food and drink are only offered on services operated by our Intercity Express Trains, excluding the following routes: Penzance – Cardiff/Gloucester; London – Newbury/Bedwyn or London – Oxford. To check if food and drink is offered on your service, please refer to our online timetable.

Yep though presuming this is a recent change as have checked the timetable and the train is marked as having a trolley.

Staff have again announced no catering.

Not sure if this is all London-Bristol trains or just some of them

 

[dk1]

Yep though presuming this is a recent change as have checked the timetable and the train is marked as having a trolley.

Staff have again announced no catering.

Not sure if this is all London-Bristol trains or just some of them

Probably just shortage of staff or for an operational reason. Happens sometimes.

 

[Jan Mayen]

In my experience of Great Western Inter City catering, if they have a Pullman Restaurant, great. If they don't, you may as well stock up before getting on board.

 

[Masbroughlad]

Remember when the 125s were first introduced on Bristol to Paddington Grilled burgers and deep fried (?) chips (plus loads more stuff) available from the buffet car! Seems light years ago.

 

[dk1]

Remember when the 125s were first introduced on Bristol to Paddington Grilled burgers and deep fried (?) chips (plus loads more stuff) available from the buffet car! Seems light years ago.

It is. Nigh on half a century back

 

[Masbroughlad]

It is. Nigh on half a century back

So it is I was only 6 or 7!

They were nice though (at the time) - plastic cheese on top too!!!

 

[plugwash]

Apart from the TOCs mentioned, are Caledonian Sleeper, ScotRail, TfW Rail, EMR, CrossCountry and Greater Anglia the only ones with any catering (and I'd say Greater Anglia's FLIRTs still count as new trains)?

The The Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company claims to operate a trolly service on a handful of northern trains. Thier wesbite doesn't seem to have been updated in a few months though.