Great Western Coffee Shop

As you may know, I took the ATW Premier Train from Newport - Wrexham General Last Friday (08/02/2012). The journey for me was mixed opinion so here goes:

2 Premier Trains run per day, 1 Southbound AM, 1 Northbound PM. The stock is as Follows: ATW Liveried Class 67, MK3 Buffet, MK3 Coaches and DVT. (Very similar to the defunct Wrexham & Shropshire)

The train was slightly late into Newport which was rather fortunate as my train into Newport was also late. I boarded the train at the rear door straight into First Class and was greeted with this:

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307475_4584356042873_1891165136_n.jpg)

Looks reasonably comfortable and it was. The seats all had power points just below the tables which worked no problems at all. Couldn't get my iPhone to charge which later turned out to be a defective charging cable ;)

A staff member greeted both myself and another gent who boarded, She was smartly dressed and very pleasant. She asked where we were travelling to and brought around liquid refreshments straight away :)

Ticket checks were done twice. I was checked just after Abergavenny and the chap was exceedingly pleasant. He came back just after Hereford and checked the few new occupants. Even went as far as having a look in the vestibule in case anyone was hiding or stuck in the loo (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11977.0) ;D

The table was pre laid out for Dinner minus the lemonade cans which I had just been given and the coffee cup from my inbound HST.

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I was provided the menu which was both in Welsh and English... Negative Points were that the text was possibly a bit too small. vegetarian options weren't identified easily: No (v) etc. Fortunately it was worked out as being the only option that had no mention of meat or fish ::) There looked to be a good selection of Alcoholic Beverages as well

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The first course was brought to me and was very well presented in crockery terms. (Cauliflower and Cumin Soup) The quality wasn't amazing, the Soup was very watery and slightly bland. The butter was rock hard and took me a while to get to melt against the soup bowl. Bread was spot on. Although the soup was watery and bland it was still nice and I was hungry having skipped lunch so just tucked in.

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Finished the soup and decided to check my laptop. Opened it up and discovered something I wasn't expecting... A Premier Service marketed at Business Travellers... No WiFi >:( As I couldn't get my iPhone to charge I didn't attempt to tether it ;)

Next the main course arrived and this is where things began to seriously let themselves down. The main course was presented to me and looked very good indeed. I cut straight through the middle into the Mushroom Wellington and took a fork full from the bottom. Once I placed it in my mouth I discovered it was more than cold. Infact it was completely frozen in the middle. A poke around with my fork showed the frost on bits of mushroom >:( >:( here was the meal:

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Needless to say I was no longer hungry after that... >:(

I went to the Staff in the Kitchen and asked if it was meant to be cold (Sounds odd yes, I'd never had a Mushroom Wellington before though so had no idea) She said absolutely not and asked if everything was ok. I said it was completely frozen and the chef seemed slightly concerned as well. She relieved it from me and I wasn't impressed with the stains left on the table cloth from the plate:

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/600604_4584351882769_1545063905_n.jpg)

The course reappeared about 10 minutes later. I was further unimpressed as it had simply been chucked back in the oven for longer. Even then it still wasn't that hot either. I was beginning to think that a McDonalds at Wrexham might be in order! The meal once I was reunited with it.

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/582678_4584352642788_285403164_n.jpg)

The veggies were ok and I especially liked the roast peppers. The tomato sauce was a tad on the "spicy" side for me. I probably could have asked for the course without it... But to be fair to the staff I didn't.

I ordered another coffee. I believe it was filtered or cafetiere coffee as it had that sort of taste to it. Not my personal preference but it was a much welcomed coffee nonetheless.

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/582783_4584355202852_637437313_n.jpg) 

Next was dessert. Chocolate Cake. Can't really go wrong there. Indeed it was served with cream which possibly I would've elected not to have. But didn't ask. Anyway I was glad it did have the cream as the cake was exceedingly rich and good. The cream helped with the richness. It was also served warm which was good:

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Finally was the bathroom which was retrofitted into an empty MK3 Buffet Cupboard. Indeed I have never come across a MK3 Buffet with a toilet where it would normally be. Normally just an empty cupboard. I wasn't impressed with that to be honest either.

It seemed very much to have the "Stainless Steel Town/City Public Toilet" image about it. The window had been covered completely and the stainless steel made this even more oppressing. Indeed this made me feel like I was in a run down public loo in a city centre as opposed to a First Class Toilet (The final picture :D )

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/563101_4584356762891_1907749810_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/307380_4584353962821_1480650907_n.jpg)

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So that brings me down to the crunch point of the scoring:

Quality of overall service: 7/10
Quality of food: 3/10
Quality of food choices: 2/10 (Based on their being 1 vegetarian option)
Value for Money: (Given that NWP - WRX was ^50.10 and FRO - SHR & SHR - WRX was ^65.00)  8/10

Train Journey on ATW overall 4/10

Would I use again? Possibly yes, but I probably wouldn't jump at the oppertunity :-\ :-X

Also thanks to trainer for suggesting the word "trouted" - I'll use this excellent word for future reviews and/or rants etc ;D

Interesting review, thanks.
It would seem to be less good than a FGW Pullman, though of course you may have been unlucky.

A negative that I would add would be the little packet of butter rather than a slice of butter on a dish. FGW have recently started serving real butter.

Very poor that the main course was partly frozen, food heated to only lukewarm (as presumably parts of it were) can be health risk which is concerning. The risk is mainly with meat dishes, but any food should be properly heated, unless intended to be eaten cold.

Excellent review.  Can't agree about the loo.  Stainless steel shews every stain (of course) and it looked spotless, likewise the WC.  Judging the way some pax treat toilets, better simple and clean IMHO.

Didn't like the pile of dirty linen on view (see first photo).

Also, is salty butter de rigeur, I wonder, as seeing it's it's frozen and packaged (don't mind that either - I like hands free service), I thus wonder if they offer salt-less.   
 

This is a most informative and like my own experience of 'First Class' catering, the promise is not always the same as the fact.  I know that providing hot food is a challenge on a train, but food hot on the outside and frozen on the inside is a basic error.  Having said that, compared with most trains, this one looks the part.  I have looked through the window at Cardiff before and admired the presentation.  Having read tt's account, I may not be so worried if I can't use the service in future.  I have not tried the FGW Pullman service, but on that of course the food is charged for on top of the fare.

[PS: tt you're welcome to use my new verb 'to trout'.  Let's see how long it takes to become widely used. :D]

There's potential for a whole series of such reviews here - "Follow thetrout, out and about, trouting!"  ;) :D ;D

Such a shame the food was frozen as it actually looks quite nice, especially the veg.

Very well trouted, and something that should cause some concern if read by ATW catering management.


I'll bear that tip in mind!

What were the passenger loadings like?  I believe it runs with a very heavy subsidy?

I'm not sure, but the impression I got from a certain poster on another rail fourm was that WAG had to pay the full cost of running the service, or very nearly, and ATW kept all the fares revenue. An example of an inflexible franchise allowing the TOC to make huge profits out of anyone trying to improve the service.

Quite bluntly I wouldn't really describe the WAG express as an "improvement" to the service. It looks much more like an expensive WAG vanity project to me, and adds very little value in terms of the overall north coast-to-south coast rail service in Wales, in my humble opinion.

Indeed, I stayed at Pontrilas station and the lady owner there said it was the Assembly Members express, and that was for the benefit or certain persons only.

Reminds me of the Cotswold line in the old Peter Parker days - they were never late.....

Well in First Class for the whole journey while I was onboard there were 8 people in First Class. IIRC only one person didn't dine. Standard Class was full into NWP. Plenty of seats by Wrexham though.


I agree almost completely. Some stops have been removed from normal South - North Services especially between SHR and WRX which is not really unwelcome because it never used to travel via WRX anyway. So speed has been improved. However I was quite frankly amazed there was no WiFi


I agree. You know the moments when you get a bad experience in food taste in a restaurant where you almost instantly become 'not hungry'? This was one of them!


Hmmmm... Well, yes, I agree in part. It was reasonably clean. However the stainless steal effect once you close the door becomes really "in your face" and oppressive. Toilets in First Class on other Mk3 stock i've used have likewise been very basic, but don't force a feeling of enclosure on you. The best ones are probably the Ex WSMR Refurbished Stock which in Standard Class went out as far as a Dyson AirBlade Hand Dryer. Maybe it's about TOC Clientele... :D


Thanks for that, that's just reminded me. The luggage rack next to the vestibule was full of Linen and other equipment used for the Dining Service. Great for thetrout who had a hodal that needed to be put somewhere. I chucked it down in the Disabled Wheelchair Space in front of me taking a chance that someone in a Wheelchair wouldn't get on. Of course if someone in a wheelchair had got on I would've moved the bag straight away.

Also two sets of tables (The tables of 2 and 4 closest to the kitchen) where not made up for dining :(

So WAG Members not required to spend their time on the Net usefully studying their agendas, reports and minutes then?   >:(