GCR Dining Specials - All Canceled until September

[Masbroughlad]

Was booked to go on the GCR Intercity dining special on Saturday 3rd September.

Had an email today saying all dining services suspended until week commencing 5th September. Apparently the kitchen car has a major fault.

Realise these things happen, but do they only have one kitchen car with no back up?

Offered move to next year or money back Mention trying to reschedule in the Autumn but not given as an option.

GCR has big ideas and massive potential, but needs a bit more robustness and contingency plans.

Disappointed - was really looking forward to it.

 

[LowLevel]

Unfortunately there are two full kitchen vehicles and one restaurant buffet and all 3 have faults rendering them unfit for traffic.

Very sorry to hear your plans have been affected by it

 

[Flying Phil]

I believe this situation is due to a combination of factors. There have been various works vans at Rothley and it would appear that the kitchen/buffet carriages are being refurbished internally - but of course they need to comply with lots of relatively new Hygene/Gas/Electrical/H&S etc requirements in a confined space that travels at 25mph and is 50+ years old and probably made in imperial measurements and fittings. throw in the tail back from covid and odd supply issues.... it is proving to be a very difficult task.

 

[LowLevel]

I believe this situation is due to a combination of factors. There have been various works vans at Rothley and it would appear that the kitchen/buffet carriages are being refurbished internally - but of course they need to comply with lots of relatively new Hygene/Gas/Electrical/H&S etc requirements in a confined space that travels at 25mph and is 50+ years old and probably made in imperial measurements and fittings. throw in the tail back from covid and odd supply issues.... it is proving to be a very difficult task.

They were refurbished by external contractors not very long ago to a modern specification, off site.

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks for that info Low Level....which makes the situation even more puzzling.

 

[DCSA]

I believe this situation is due to a combination of factors. There have been various works vans at Rothley and it would appear that the kitchen/buffet carriages are being refurbished internally - but of course they need to comply with lots of relatively new Hygene/Gas/Electrical/H&S etc requirements in a confined space that travels at 25mph and is 50+ years old and probably made in imperial measurements and fittings. throw in the tail back from covid and odd supply issues.... it is proving to be a very difficult task.

I would observe in passing that these refurbishments were neither specified nor project-managed by the GCR’s C&W department.

 

[Flying Phil]

Very true DCSA... hence the various "external" works vans seen at Rothley I suppose.

 

[DCSA]

The use of external contractors for a job such as this does not seem especially significant, the C&W staff are no doubt hard pressed at the best of times.

You would still expect them to be managed by, and working to specifications prepared by, the railways competent authority on rolling stock though. Anything else should raise concerns.

 

[Rescars]

Unfortunately there are two full kitchen vehicles and one restaurant buffet and all 3 have faults rendering them unfit for traffic.

Very sorry to hear your plans have been affected by it

Are the full kitchen cars Mk1 RKs (80000 cars)?

 

[LowLevel]

Are the full kitchen cars Mk1 RKs (80000 cars)?

No, they're 15xx RKBs, now without the B as the buffet counters were removed on refurbishment. 1525 and 1526 to be precise.

 

[Rescars]

Thanks, LowLevel. RKs were quite old fashioned even when they were still in regular service and would have taken a lot of upgrading to meet current standards. RKBs seem like a much better bet.