GWR Catering.

[Warwick]

If ever there was a railway joke it's GWR catering. Some weeks ago I travelled to Reading on a train showing in the timetable as that a restaurant car was carried. I was looking forward to a civillised lunch on the train. It wasn't due to "no kitchen car available". Five days later I returned from Reading, specifically choosing a train to have lunch on. "We are sorry but to-day we only have a buffet car available". Last week I returned from Reading on Sunday lunchtime. The train was so packed that I couldn't actually get through to the buffet car - all along the length of the coaches, in the vestibules, it was absolutely rammed. First stop Exeter. OK, many people will disembark there - which they did and I got a seat BUT. Five minutes out of Reading and, "I am sorry but due to a malfunctioning boiler I am unable to serve any hot drinks". This was followed a few minutes later by the almost unbelievable, "I am sorry but we have now run out of sandwiches but we do have crisps". Forty minutes out of it's originating point!
I had a friend visiting yesterday and to-day. She went back on the 16.00 departure from Penzance. I received a text message from her an hour later. "They've just announced that there will be no dining car to-day".
They're a shambles - and I don't mean a medieval butchery.

 

[gord]

I'm booked on the 16:00 from Penzance on a Friday next month as part of my 40th birthday adventure around the country. Really looking forward to trying the Pullman but from what I can gather, there's a chance I may end up disappointed. They did advertise where the service wouldn't be available over the summer holiday but there's nothing on the website now to suggest the service will be unavailable on the advertised services. So I can only assume all the Pullman trains are back on again. We shall see.