On-train catering

[route101]

Nothing in Euston station was open either.

I remember in the summer when I took the 0648 LNER from Glasgow, only Tesco was open.

 

[dk1]

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Apart from Pullman, why do GWR offer a paltry offering compared to LNER/Avanti?

Wasnt that down to the DfT not agreeing to proper buffets being installed on the GWR fleet of IETs yet VTEC seem to get it agreed. I still dont understand the kitchen thing for the few Pullman services Monday to Fridays. It really doesn't add up.

 

[NoOnesFool]

Considering the TOC wanted to bring it back and the regulator refused it, I'd suggest it's not that actually as clear cut as that. On certain TOCs it might be given a bit more of a rigorous look but on longer distance operators I'm sure that demand will still be there and expected by passengers.

Is there a specific TOC who wanted to bring it back but was refused, do you know please?

 

[greyman42]

I wonder if the bacon is half fat or something of better quality?

The healthy option sounds like a good idea given the current obesity crisis.

 

[westv]

The healthy option sounds like a good idea given the current obesity crisis.

meatless "sausage" ? Yuck!!

 

[NoOnesFool]

meatless "sausage" ? Yuck!!

There are some very nice veggie sausages out there. LNER are very good at finding high quality products. I actually prefer soya mince to beef, there isn't the horrible fatty taste to it.

 

[py_megapixel]

meatless "sausage" ? Yuck!!

There are some very nice veggie sausages out there. LNER are very good at finding high quality products. I actually prefer soya mince to beef, there isn't the horrible fatty taste to it.

Meatless Farm stuff is actually very good. There was a time when vegetarian alternatives to meat-based foods were absolutely abhorrent, but many of them, even the cheap ones, are excellent now

 

[Horizon22]

Is there a specific TOC who wanted to bring it back but was refused, do you know please?

GWR were told to remove it by the ORR so not so much bring it back but keep it (and expand # of trains). However GWR are bring catering back on Monday 1st Feb, albeit highly limited number of services.

 

[westv]

There are some very nice veggie sausages out there. LNER are very good at finding high quality products. I actually prefer soya mince to beef, there isn't the horrible fatty taste to it.

At the risk of going too off topic, I hate it when places offer a cooked breakfast but they include a crap sausage. A cooked brekkie should have a quality sausage.

 

[NoOnesFool]

At the risk of going too off topic, I hate it when places offer a cooked breakfast but they include a crap sausage. A cooked brekkie should have a quality sausage.

Transport For Wales's sausages look poor quality to me. They might taste delicious, I dont know, the appearance isn't quality though. LNER and EMR both use Taste Tradition sausages from select Yorkshire farmers for their pork sausages.

 

[Horizon22]

GWR's catering returns on Monday on about 30 services out of Paddington to various destinations. Probably just the light buffet as was running in the Summer.

 

[NoOnesFool]

GWR's catering returns on Monday on about 30 services out of Paddington to various destinations. Probably just the light buffet as was running in the Summer.

Great news, I hope they can re-instate the First Class trolley.

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GA resumed catering from the cafe bar only towards the end of last year and briefly from a static trolley. This was improved with the trolley also passing through the train if the member of staff agreed. Once the area went into T4 during December all catering was once again withdrawn and catering staff once again utilised for additional cleaning duties/passenger counts.

Do you know if the At-Seat service still takes place in First Class please?

 

[dk1]

Great news, I hope they can re-instate the First Class trolley.

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Do you know if the At-Seat service still takes place in First Class please?

No that stopped a couple of years ago with staff providing an at-seat service in standard class instead. First class passengers need to visit the cafe bar.

 

[Will Mitchell]

No that stopped a couple of years ago with staff providing an at-seat service in standard class instead. First class passengers need to visit the cafe bar.

so standard class has a superior level if service to first class? sounds mad.

 

[dk1]

so standard class has a superior level if service to first class? sounds mad.

To be fair they have upto 10 carriages to walk compared to 2 in first. Far more revenue to be had in standard compared to freebies the other end of the train too. GA also had some very cheap 1st class advance fares. Makes sense really.

 

[NoOnesFool]

To be fair they have upto 10 carriages to walk compared to 2 in first. Far more revenue to be had in standard compared to freebies the other end of the train too. GA also had some very cheap 1st class advance fares. Makes sense really.

Yes it is more work for the staff, no doubt and I am sure Abellio have crunched the sums and realised that a standard trolley is more lucrative. I do think it is rather sad that there is no at seat service in First though. It rather defines the package. At seat trolleys (commercial) do take a hell of a lot more trade than buffets though.

 

[dk1]

Yes it is more work for the staff, no doubt and I am sure Abellio have crunched the sums and realised that a standard trolley is more lucrative. I do think it is rather sad that there is no at seat service in First though. It rather defines the package. At seat trolleys (commercial) do take a hell of a lot more trade than buffets though.

Which is why we where all so pleasantly surprised when Abellio opted for a cafe bar in the 745/0s. Always great to be able to get superior coffee, hot food & also carry a better cold beer & wine range. Trouble with the 1st class service was that it was only offered on 24 services a day so that caused hit & miss issues in itself. At least it's consistent now.

 

[NoOnesFool]

Which is why we where all so pleasantly surprised when Abellio opted for a cafe bar in the 745/0s. Always great to be able to get superior coffee, hot food & also carry a better cold beer & wine range. Trouble with the 1st class service was that it was only offered on 24 services a day so that caused hit & miss issues in itself. At least it's consistent now.

Yes, consistency is a major issue with onboard catering. It seems as though some of the TOC chiefs think of it as a social thing, only needed during Weekday daytimes, where as customers value it as part of the package, a USP of travelling by train. EMR have catering on every service but XC stop at 20:00, which I can't understand as XC has passengers travelling on the longest journeys. It's fair to assume that XC conveys the most leisure passengers too, where alcoholic beverages are most requested. I think personally, XC would do far better with a more consistent offering, especially in First where you get a sandwich if travelling over 60 minutes, but over 90 minutes is a hot meal, this increases at weekends. It's very confusing to the average pax. Consistent catering could be very lucrative for their First Class market.

 

[221129]

XC stop at 20:00

No they don't.

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XC conveys the most leisure passengers too, where alcoholic beverages are most requested

Not sure I agree with that.

 

[dk1]

No they don't.

I think there are some exceptions but on the whole they where always advertised as such by them & Virgin XC before them. Constant tweets too over the years from grumbling passengers & the 20:00 cut off has always been the response.

 

[221129]

I think there are some exceptions but on the whole they where always advertised as such by them & Virgin XC before them. Constant tweets too over the years from grumbling passengers & the 20:00 cut off has always been the response.

I must be imagining all the catering crews working at silly times then.

 

[dk1]

I must be imagining all the catering crews working at silly times then.

Perhaps but that's what the companies quoted. I did say there are some exceptions. One train in particular that was complained about frequently was the 16:27 ex-Plymouth that departed New St at 20:03 void of anything.

 

[221129]

Perhaps but that's what the companies quoted. I did say there are some exceptions. One train in particular that was complained about frequently was the 16:27 ex-Plymouth that departed New St at 20:03 void of anything.

Maybe a few years ago that was the case. It hasn't been for a good while now.

 

[dk1]

Maybe a few years ago that was the case. It hasn't been for a good while now.

I'm not going back very far but all good if there has been a change of policy.

 

[NoOnesFool]

I must be imagining all the catering crews working at silly times then.

You may have seen a caterer on XC trains after 20:00 but that will be down to diagrams which mean the crew member has to be back at their "home" depot, so must take that train anyway. Train crew work to closed circuits which basically means they start and finish in the same place, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Leeds, Plymouth, Bristol, Reading for XC. So, you might have seen a host on the odd train after 20:00 but XC generally stop catering then and advertise this.

 

[221129]

You may have seen a caterer on XC trains after 20:00 but that will be down to diagrams which mean the crew member has to be back at their "home" depot, so must take that train anyway. Train crew work to closed circuits which basically means they start and finish in the same place, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Leeds, Plymouth, Bristol, Reading for XC. So, you might have seen a host on the odd train after 20:00 but XC generally stop catering then and advertise this.

It's not solely down to the diagrams. If it was they would be a lot more efficient.

I know how train crew diagrams work thank you. I must be imagining the book ons at 7pm for some caterers.

Again, that used to be the case, but hasn't been for quite a while.

 

[NoOnesFool]

It's not solely down to the diagrams. If it was they would be a lot more efficient.

I know how train crew diagrams work thank you. I must be imagining the book ons at 7pm for some caterers.

Again, that used to be the case, but hasn't been for quite a while.

It's not solely down to the diagrams. If it was they would be a lot more efficient.

I know how train crew diagrams work thank you. I must be imagining the book ons at 7pm for some caterers.

Again, that used to be the case, but hasn't been for quite a while.

Yes, there are late book ons for some members of catering team, most service centres (where food is stored and prepared) are open 24/7 for deliveries, general tidying, ordering stock and passing on information to any early/late startting catering crew, as well as getting trollies ready.

 

[221129]

most service centres (where food is stored and prepared) are open 24/7

No service centre for XC is open 24 hours.

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passing on information to any early/late startting catering crew, as well as getting trollies ready.

None of this is done at any service centre within CrossCountry

 

[NoOnesFool]

No service centre for XC is open 24 hours.

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None of this is done at any service centre within CrossCountry

I can understand your thinking but the day doesn't start and end on the train. The crew have to get ready for the day, e. g. order any stock they might need, and at the end of the day, dispose of wasted stock.

 

[221129]

The crew have to get ready for the day, e. g. order any stock they might need

Again that doesn't happen at the start of the day.

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at the end of the day, dispose of wasted stock

That is normally picked up the next morning.