Snack trollies

[strange6]

I must be going back 20 or so years now but do you remember the snack trollies that came around on the bog standard services across the North west network? I think they stayed away from the pacers for some reason but they were always knocking about on the 150's. The lady would get on at a certain stop with her trolly of goodies and attempt to smoothly negotiate the whole train asking people if they wanted a hot drink or snack at some unreasonably inflated price. She would stop on until a main station and then get off again to get on another service. I remember quite a few guards during that time becoming p!ssed off with them because they did tend to block the main walkways. Bet you couldn't have them for H&S reasons now! lol

 

[MCR247]

So you mean a trolley service basically? Ofc its still allowed, its even used on XC....

 

[Failed Unit]

I remember them more recently on Manchester - Blackpool services operated by 150s. I doubt they sold enough to make it worthwhile. We emptied it of alcohol

 

[strange6]

So you mean a trolley service basically? Ofc its still allowed, its even used on XC....

Yeah but I could never understand why they had them on the Wigan Wallgate routes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I remember them more recently on Manchester - Blackpool services operated by 150s. I doubt they sold enough to make it worthwhile. We emptied it of alcohol

Never knew they sold booze! lol

 

[rail-britain]

During the 1980s trollies were trialled on many services where sprinters where newly introduced
However many of the contractors either folded or refused to renew their contracts
One good example was the trolley on the GSW services (Glasgow - Carlisle - Newcastle, Glasgow - Stranraer, and Stranraer - Newcastle)
In the first year they were very welcome, however it only lasted one year

 

[Failed Unit]

The even had them on the Cleethorpes - Birmingham route it lasted 1 year. Us passengers from Market Rasen were just not ready for it! I don't remember them selling much.

 

[dk1]

They made a very welcome return to the Norwich-Cambridge route today & it was just like when Anglia started the service in 2002. Unfortunatley only today to keep staff busy due to engineering works on the main line. Although with rumours strong that these trains will extend to Stansted from December you never know

 

[CosherB]

They're great! I love a cup of tea once setteled in me seat!

 

[MCR247]

Even better when you need the toilet and one is blocking the isle :x

 

[scotsman]

Best trolley service has to be ScotRail's, the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The trolley is well stocked and tends to be less extortionately priced than other TOCs

 

[dk1]

Must say that the sarnies on TPx always seem very good. Well done to XC who where recently only charging a quid for hot drinks on the Peterborough runs.

 

[me123]

Dunno about price, but Scotrail's trolley is great. The staff are without exception exceptional.

But I do prefer a buffet/cafe bar to the trolley. I can see why some people would want the at-seat service, but I like to go for a walk, stretch my legs, and buy whatever I want whenever I want.

It's a shame that they're not all that common. Whilst they're welcome on a number of routes, where I'm sure they're profitable, a lot of long local routes lack a trolley service. One example already mentioned is Glasgow-Carlisle/Stranaer. I can also think of quite a few on Northern, and undoubtedly there will be more elsewhere. Sadly profitability will come before all else on the privatised railway, and I doubt the trolleys would be profitable on a number of these routes. We've already seen them introduced and swiftly withdrawn on Glasgow South West, and I think the same would happen on (say) Settle-Carlisle and Carlisle-Newcastle.

And I quite like the idea mooted by "strange6" of the trolley only travelling on certain sections of the route, allowing one person to cover a larger number of stations. It might be an economical way of reintroducing the service to some other routes.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The only trolley route Northern have is on most Leeds-Carlisle via Settle runs, I think ScotRail have them on all services from Inverness during the day (except Aberdeen runs, maybe, maybe not). SWT used to have buffets on their Waterloo-Hampshire/Dorset long-distance peak runs, and Southern/Southeastern maintain trolleys on their Margate/Brighton/Coastway etc runs. EMT had a trolley today on the 1740 Sheffield-Lime St, but it left at Stockport, they still have them on the Manchester-Nottingham stretches of most trains I think. TPE have a trolley on the Manchester-Sheffield/Leeds (Hull only)/York/Preston/Scotland legs of their network, most of the time in the week, and on selected weekend jobs (I think trolleys up to Scotland remain constant throughout though). ATW have a trolley on most Manchester/Holyhead-Cardiff trains too. I have seen a FGW trolley on a Great Malvern Turbostar at reading before (heading off to Kingham and Worcester etc). Thinks that's all I have to say, except for the prices on most trolleys are extortionate, so I always use my BITE card at the stations to buy for 50% more food for about 50% less in cost, along with a 20% discount!

 

[John @ home]

I doubt the trolleys would be profitable on a number of these routes. We've already seen them introduced and swiftly withdrawn on Glasgow South West, and I think the same would happen on (say) Settle-Carlisle.

The Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company operates a refreshment trolley service on the Settle-Carlisle route to this timetable.

 

[Nick O. Teen]

You'll still see them on FGW Turbo services to the N. Cotswolds; they were until recently available on the Reading - Gatport Airwick service. Fantastic fun for us guards: try wading through a 3-car full of people with their luggage all over the aisles (especially if we get given a 165 with no luggage racks); then there's the stray kids, and the local commuters with their bikes in the vestibules - all this, and a catering trolley too.....

 

[wintonian]

You'll still see them on FGW Turbo services to the N. Cotswolds; they were until recently available on the Reading - Gatport Airwick service. Fantastic fun for us guards: try wading through a 3-car full of people with their luggage all over the aisles (especially if we get given a 165 with no luggage racks); then there's the stray kids, and the local commuters with their bikes in the vestibules - all this, and a catering trolley too.....

Sounds like Portsmouth - Cardiff on a 158!

 

[Invincibles]

The Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company operates a refreshment trolley service on the Settle-Carlisle route to this timetable.

The one they put on the dalesrail service is pretty good.

I think there might actually be a market for things like this, volunteer type groups making funds by selling on the appropriate line. People may be a little more willing to buy a token snack from the local group than rail gourmet (say).

There is actually a good opportunity for groups to promote local produce and the area in this way (I just want them to stock bottles of local ale, and appropriate cheeses lol). Maybe this could actually extend to bigger services where the trolley has normally got off. A trolley shuttling between Northallerton/Darlington and Newcastle would be interesting for example (I think XC have no catering in this section?)

 

[ainsworth74]

A trolley shuttling between Northallerton/Darlington and Newcastle would be interesting for example (I think XC have no catering in this section?)

Unless something has changed in the last few months XC definitely have a trolley at least as far as Darlington seeing as I once had to fight my way past one and nearly missed my stop at Darlington as a result :roll:

 

[Failed Unit]

Best trolley service has to be ScotRail's, the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The trolley is well stocked and tends to be less extortionately priced than other TOCs

Shame they have reduced on the E&G line to only the rear 3 cars. If you travel first class sometimes you need to decide if you want a seat or snack!

 

[dk1]

A trolley shuttling between Northallerton/Darlington and Newcastle would be interesting for example (I think XC have no catering in this section?)

If the service terminates Newcastle or catering staff end their shift there then i would imagine following a dash through after York they would want to get cashed up ready to leave & probs wouldnt take much after Darlington.

 

[Any Permitted]

You quite often see trolley dollies hanging around at York and Peterborough waiting to board a train there. I know they have trollies on the TPE York - Manchester Airport and there's one that gets on at some point on EMT's Norwich - Liverpool LS.

 

[brompton rail]

Of course there are also trolleys on East Coast services, and in First Class on Virgin and XC. East Midlands Trains trolleys are contracted out to Rail Gourmet but EMT staff continue to serve First Class.

 

[laird]

when the 156 super sprinters came onto the West Highland line they had trolleys operated by CCG (Commercial Catering Group of Stirling?), I seem to recall the timetables used to advertise the name of the catering provider timetable number by timetable number.
Somewhere along the way the service came in house then went back out to tender it seems for certain lines.
It would be nice to think that the railway companies would look favourably upon companies offering to come in and provide additional catering services to the benefit of the customer. I guess though they would be concerned about the reputation of the trolley being applied to their train company.
I can't say I've ever really partaken of the trolley service, partly through cost of the items from the trolley but I do notice the service being used by a good number of the passengers so it should be possible to do something with it.

Maybe we could do as in India and each route could be bid for so potentially a London Newcastle train would have a different catering provider and offering to that of London Leeds, it would perhaps inspire the catering provider to be innovative and learn what suits their customers on each specific train rather than having a standard menu.

The idea of starting a service, perhaps a litle like a tuck shop (to avoid the need for an aisle trolley?) on some of the community rail services would find support, a little funding to both the community rail partnership and a little to the rail company, along with the potential for the service supporting increasing numbers of passengers?
Otherwise perhaps it could be an extension to a platform cafe's offering, the orders could be taken and delivered as a picnic to the train much as happened in the history of our rail network.

 

[dk1]

You quite often see trolley dollies hanging around at York and Peterborough waiting to board a train there. I know they have trollies on the TPE York - Manchester Airport and there's one that gets on at some point on EMT's Norwich - Liverpool LS.

Only time you will see an EM trolley at Peterborough is on a friday, otherwise they only cover North of Nottingham. XC have a base there to cover most services West to Birmingham & on an ad-hoc basis through to Stansted.

 

[GarethW]

Sounds like Portsmouth - Cardiff on a 158!

Yup, and invariably they only ever have two or three packs of sandwiches, one of which will be salad and the other cheese or spam salad.

 

[159jim]

When I had a FOSS in October half-term, I travelled on FGW 158798 between Romsey and Salisbury, and it was 90mins late, and the trolley was giving stuff away for free to apologis for the delay! how kind is FGW now?
I knicked a packed of starburst and a ginger beer from the trolley before they ran out, there was virtually nothing there exept for those two!

 

[185]

I took trolleys on a 142, a 101 and on one Sunday in 1998 got one onto a Metrolink Tram (picc-vic) (allegedly).

 

[wintonian]

When I had a FOSS in October half-term, I travelled on FGW 158798 between Romsey and Salisbury, and it was 90mins late, and the trolley was giving stuff away for free to apologis for the delay! how kind is FGW now?
I knicked a packed of starburst and a ginger beer from the trolley before they ran out, there was virtually nothing there exept for those two!

I was stuck at Castle Carey last year waiting for a HST that was 2hrs late and all I got was a bottle of water the guy at the station was very nice and friendly though.

 

[bnm]

When I had a FOSS in October half-term, I travelled on FGW 158798 between Romsey and Salisbury, and it was 90mins late, and the trolley was giving stuff away for free to apologis for the delay! how kind is FGW now?
I knicked a packed of starburst and a ginger beer from the trolley before they ran out, there was virtually nothing there exept for those two!

RailGourmet giving away stock following a delay for which they had no responsibility? I find that hard to believe.

Possible I suppose and ultimately the generosity would've been FGW's as they would no doubt have had to pick up the tab. Just a bit hard to believe with the disjointed railway we have. Lots of calls between RG, FGW Control, RG depots and the on train staff before such generosity would've been sanctioned. Free soft drinks just about maybe, and then only tea, coffee or water.... but a complete free for all?

 

[Tom B]

You'll still see them on FGW Turbo services to the N. Cotswolds; they were until recently available on the Reading - Gatport Airwick service. Fantastic fun for us guards: try wading through a 3-car full of people with their luggage all over the aisles (especially if we get given a 165 with no luggage racks); then there's the stray kids, and the local commuters with their bikes in the vestibules - all this, and a catering trolley too.....

Just before Christmas, on an absolutely rammed HST going to London, the guard was making various threatening announcements about luggage in the aisle and telling everyone how it shouldn't be there, lest it obstruct the catering trolley. (This same guard told me and other passengers that we could not put anything in the guard's van, so can hardly blame passengers who block the aisle).

RailGourmet giving away stock following a delay for which they had no responsibility? I find that hard to believe.

Possible I suppose and ultimately the generosity would've been FGW's as they would no doubt have had to pick up the tab. Just a bit hard to believe with the disjointed railway we have. Lots of calls between RG, FGW Control, RG depots and the on train staff before such generosity would've been sanctioned. Free soft drinks just about maybe, and then only tea, coffee or water.... but a complete free for all?

I was under the impression that, in the event of a delay greater than 60 minutes, passengers were to be offered non-alcoholic drinks and snacks until the supply ran out. This has certainly happened on so delayed trains I've been on.