GWR First Class (plus Pullman)

[voyagerdude220]

The lamb mini-mystery is solved. The menu has been updated and, controversially, the steak replaced with

Rump of Lamb, with braised garden peas, pommes boulangère, pickled mushrooms, lamb sauce and pea shoots. £7.50 supplement

That’s now 4 out of 7 starters/mains featuring a pickled element.

Tasting notes to follow..

Thank you for your interesting information! I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I still haven't got around to sampling a Pullman train yet, although I suspect my thoughts would be similar to what FlybeDash8Q400 has stated, as I've sampled TFW several times and always been very impressed with their food.

 

[sh24]

Lamb - nice meat, saucy a little too runny, braised peas were excellent. However it was all a bit heavy and lacked some salt and acidity. Mint sauce is popular for a reason! 7.5/10

 

[sh24]

I’ve tried both GWR’s Pullman offering and TfW’s First Class.

Put simply for me. If you want to do it for an experience, do GWR. But for me, TfW’s food was nicer. Yes it might not have been presented as well/polished, but it felt more authentic and not so much to show off. The Pullman is nice but as a regular everyday person I did feel out of place being there, even if I paid in full for it all.

Interesting. The Pullman menu IME is what you'd find in a very good gastropub or high street brasserie in London. Not everyday food but not Michelin starred either. A sort of everyday treat?

I must find time to try TfW someday.

 

[aar0]

Just seen the Swansea Pullman is now at 1713, incredibly early if you want to catch it home after a day working… previously it was 1748, which was still quite early compared to its first outing at 1815 or so.

 

[RedButton20]

Just seen the Swansea Pullman is now at 1713, incredibly early if you want to catch it home after a day working… previously it was 1748, which was still quite early compared to its first outing at 1815 or so.

Only while Chipping Sodbury is shut. Returns to the 1748 next week.

 

[Jan Mayen]

That's a very good idea...however I just found an amazing fare of £85, right from my origin of Gunnislake through to ultimate destination, Lewes, by going via the North Downs line. First Class for the Plymouth - Gatwick section.

Southern offer 1st Class Gatwick to Lewes. Sadly without even a trolley service these days, let alone Pullman Service. Bring back The Brighton Belle!

 

[aar0]

Only while Chipping Sodbury is shut. Returns to the 1748 next week.

Ah, phew! Still fairly early but doable.

 

[sh24]

Lamb continues in place of the steak. "Supply issues" is the reason for the change but the steak is rumoured to be back at some point.

 

[aar0]

I assume no supplementary charge for the lamb?

Lamb continues in place of the steak. "Supply issues" is the reason for the change but the steak is rumoured to be back at some point.

 

[Benjwri]

I assume no supplementary charge for the lamb?

As in post #29, reduced £7.50 surcharge

 

[sh24]

A new experience - a planned closure of the Pullman. I checked yesterday for today’s up evening service from Plymouth and GWR.com was showing zero seats available. Never seen that before but assumed a big party could have filled it up. Instead it was a planned closure due to staff shortage.

So now I’m “enjoying” a sandwich from Cafe Local while we wait for a points failure at Laira Junction to be fixed.

 

[aar0]

What a shame. I’m on the London - Swansea Pullman, got the last seat when I boarded at Reading, by which point they’d already sold out of steak! New menus (physically), but the usual incredible service.

 

[sh24]

Ah the steak is back? Good news!

 

[aar0]

Just got off the London - Swansea Pullman, boarded at London this time. Arrived at Paddington just before its platform was called and so was on the train fairly shortly after, yet was the last person to get a seat! Several has to wait (or were possibly served in the adjacent coach). A new menu, had the tequila smoked salmon to start and the lamb as a main. Lamb was fantastic!

 

[aar0]

Had the pleasure again this Wednesday from Reading. Busy enough that the tables of four were shared between two solo travellers, and when one emptied at Bristol a second run of dinner (and two steaks!) was ordered by new joiners. Photo of the menu attached.

 

[Steddenm]

Seems GWR have updated their menus in First Class and now only provide sandwiches for "journeys of three hours or more" - so that is hardly any of their trains then.


Images show photos of the GWR first class menu.

 

[30907]

Seems GWR have updated their menus in First Class and now only provide sandwiches for "journeys of three hours or more" - so that is hardly any of their trains then.
View attachment 192128
View attachment 192129
Images show photos of the GWR first class menu.

So anything running beyond Exeter, basically.

 

[Bishopstone]

Seems GWR have updated their menus in First Class and now only provide sandwiches for "journeys of three hours or more" - so that is hardly any of their trains then.

Images show photos of the GWR first class menu.

The image provided refers to 'services of 3 hours or more in duration', not 'journeys of three hours or more'. The distinction may be important.

To me, this suggests that sandwiches won't be loaded for (eg) Paddington-Bristol/Cardiff, but they will for Paddington-Plymouth/Penzance. However, the wording doesn't preclude sandwiches being offered for journeys of less than 3 hours (eg Paddington-Pewsey) on Plymouth/Cornwall trains.

We'll see what happens in practice. Sandwiches have never been abundant on GWR, so in theory this could be an upgrade for long distance West of England trains, if the sarnies are now loaded consistently. Though the service hours of 11.00-15.00 are limited.

Wine was a once-a-week thing on GWR, wasn't it? Now every weekday evening.

 

[enginedin]

So anything running beyond Exeter, basically.

or beyond Cardiff too surely?

 

[sh24]

No sandwiches loaded when the Pullman has a short notice cancellation will be…doubly disappointing.

 

[Topological]

or beyond Cardiff too surely?

Swansea is close to 3 hours, but not quite. Anything going to Carmarthen is. However, that would mean only 5 of the 10 carriages qualify...

Always makes me wonder why they do not just say "on our Plymouth and Swansea routes", or do they think someone would try to claim the short journeys were also on those routes?

 

[Jan Mayen]

The different approaches to First Class catering are interesting. If I was on GWR, I might get a sandwich.
Fortunately, I joined an Avanti West Coast service about ten minutes ago. Wine already served, order for ale pie taken

 

[Arewethereyet?]

You may be interested to hear that Hereford services fall within the 3 hour sandwich rule. It's an unusual menu which tells you what you can't have - but it captures perfectly the GW ambivalence towards catering!

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

I’d be interested to see how in practice this actually works? It certainly seems pretty disappointing particularly for Cardiff and Bristol passengers, among others.

 

[enginedin]

Swansea is close to 3 hours, but not quite. Anything going to Carmarthen is. However, that would mean only 5 of the 10 carriages qualify...

oops, that was me failing to count up to 3 when thinking about the journey from Paddington to Cardiff

The different approaches to First Class catering are interesting. If I was on GWR, I might get a sandwich.

Yes I was thinking exactly the same thing earlier: on LNER you're guaranteed a meal of some description (even their Deli service snacks aren't bad), with almost no limits on alcohol after mid-morning (I once got _so much_ G&T on a 5 hour northbound journey - I obviously just looked tired and fed-up, and the 1st class host just gave me another one everytime he walked through the coach ), yet on GWR you seem to be lucky if you get tea and biscuits... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Merthyr Imp]

on GWR you seem to be lucky if you get tea and biscuits... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

In my fairly limited experience between Cardiff and Paddington you get tea/coffee, cold drinks (but I don't know what), biscuits, crisps and fruit cake. On just one occasion earlier this year sandwiches were available.

 

[aar0]

One complaint I would make about GWR’s first class offerings is that they won’t offer anything if you don’t specifically ask for it. I had no idea there were sandwiches and I do Swansea-London monthly, usually at least one direction in first. I thought the wine was a new thing!

 

[aar0]

Is there a defined end of first class service? All the recent later Paddington-Swansea trains I’ve taken have stopped offering refreshments before Cardiff.

 

[davetheguard]

Is there a defined end of first class service? All the recent later Paddington-Swansea trains I’ve taken have stopped offering refreshments before Cardiff.

Good question, and similarily, what happens on Paddington - Penzance trains beyond Plymouth? Does catering continue through Cornwall?

 

[aar0]

New this morning, smart embossed menus, distributed around the carriage this morning after the first round of drinks. Asked if the sandwiches for journeys over 3 hours meant it wasn’t offered on Swansea-London trains - host wasn’t sure.