Great Western Coffee Shop

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1156563/End-buffet-car-Rail-company-plans-scrap-board-catering-credit-crunch.html

Richard Bowker says catering on trains may have to be scrapped as it's running at a loss.

They will only dig themselves a hole. If you can't get food which if travelling from London - Edinburgh I would expect and actually invest in, then most people will probably fly.

National Express is a disgrace considering that they have already slashed restaurant services.

Its about time the government had a rethink about their hopeless system of franchises. They are quite clearly not sustainable. Before NX does any more damage to the UK rail network they should hand back the keys to C2C, East Anglia and East Coast.

They'll be charging us to use the loo next, or my name's not Ryan Eire!

They only made ^110 million in profits - yes, axe the buffet car!

In fact... Why bother to run trains at all? They have to pay the gov to run the franchise, they have to pay staff. Why do they run it? What's in it for them?

D/m - apparently c2c is ok (apart from the embarrassment of a name), but yes - they need to be BANNED from running any UK rail services NOW.

They are awaful - trust me, I used Central Trains regularly!

Oh - and did I say that this article makes me ANGRY. >:( >:(

In defence of National Express pre-Bowker, Wessex Trains and Midland Main Line were pretty good TOCs but those were in the days when franchises were run pretty much like services were under BR. Now they are run to bleed every penny to pay the government and the shareholders of the companies running the franchises.

We can't say we weren't warned a few years ago when these franchises were awarded that this would happen and sure enough it is with admin job cuts, cuts in ticket office opening hours, cuts in frontline staff and now cuts in catering provision.

Maybe the TOCs are taking advice from the head of Ryanair Michael O'Leary? Lets hope they don't go this far though!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1156984/Ryanairs-Michael-OLeary-set-charge-passengers-1-use-toilets.html

Its bad enough that Network Rail charge to use the toilets at major stations.

Which you would have to pre-book on line.  ;D

Also ensuring that you only weigh 10kg ;)

Before or after you used the lav...?

My limited stipend means that it is impossible for me to partake of on board catering.  Nevertheless, my dear wife always prepares a nourishing and wholesome pick-nick lunch which I take with me.  On several occasions, I am privileged to share it with those less fortunate, although the reaction of youths from Par to pilchard sandwiches and dandelion & burdock is not always encouraging.

My point is that before on train catering, it was possible to obtain lunch and dinner baskets from principal stations.  What a wonderful business opportunity for station buffets.  Whilst I am in favour of rendering unto Ceasar etc, it does seem that this action by National Express is a little short sighted and their loss could be another's gain.

Perhaps the withdrawl of buffet and restaurant cars is going to send us back to a bygone era;  as I recall, the buffet concession at Swindon from the early days of Great Western required that all trains halt there for 10 minutes to allow for appropriate marketing and sale activity.

Of course, that wouldn't work these days - with the overcrowded trains that we have around these days, 10 minutes might not prove to be long enough.   How about taking off all on-train catering and putting half hour stops into every service passing through Moreton-in-Marsh, Castle Cary, and Swindon  ;D

Ooops - I'm a month early in making this proposal

I think that NX cutting catering on trains is a disgrace. Travelling from Newcastle down to London without the oppertunity to food and drink??? outragous. It should not be allowed!!

I find that onboard catering for long distance travel is essential. Does this mean they are also withdrawing the complimentary items from First Class??

I think that would resort to me travelling with our favourite operators (VT & XC) or maybe the fantastic GC ;D

Equally the article regarding Ryanair's charging for the loos is also slightly worrying. I wonder how many people will resort to the "I haven't got a pound method...?? ;D )

With regards to railway stations charging to use the toilets. I think it's unfair, particularly if you have to hold a valid ticket (Birmingham New Street springs to mind) to access them. The bad part is paying for a toilet that isn't even clean >:(

I've arrived at Paddington before and made it as far as Tower Bridge before able to use a toilet that was free. In excellent condition too.

It looks as if, not untypically, the Mail has a rather more hysterical take on this issue than many other papers. At least this time they haven't blamed it on immigrants, minorities or young people, who seem to be responsible for most bad things in Daily Mail Land.  ;)

I'm setting myself up to be shot down for snobbery here, but what I consider to be "higher quality" papers like the Independent and the G**rd**n also report on this issue in a slightly more cool-headed way:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rail-funding-row-descends-into-food-fight-1633394.html (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rail-funding-row-descends-into-food-fight-1633394.html)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/27/national-express-train-franchises (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/27/national-express-train-franchises)

So,  Bowker is threatening to withdraw catering. He hasn't done it yet and I very much doubt that he would: I suspect it may be a shot across the bows of the government because he wants them to give NXEC more money. I don't think any long-distance train operator in their right mind would really countenance withdrawing all catering on-board, especially with competition on Anglo-Scottish from VWC who would no doubt immediately fire up their (superb!) publicity machine when they realized what a PR coup they were being handed.

I am in two minds about this issue though. Part of me thinks that GNER's bid failed so it was idiotic of NX to bid for a higher premium over what remained of the franchise: having made their bed, maybe they should be forced to lie in it. However the other part of me does not want to see customers having to suffer because of NX's ineptitude and avarice when they tendered for the franchise. Part of the problem is that given the amounts of money that have recently been pissed up the wall to rescue bankers, the sums of money that are being tossed around in terms of railway franchises (which are huge) start to look like chicken feed.

I'm the same - can't stand the Mail.

Lazy, rhetorical journalism. Thoroughly nasty little tabloid. Damn good place to advertise and reach 'Middle Britain' though. ;)

One interesting point - Xc is trying to get rid of catering.

They have stated that in order to increase the amount of seating, they are removing the shops from the Voyagers and have already removed the catering coaches from their HSTs and intend only to provide a trolley service.

The coffee from the trolley is foul. and the passenger numbers standing and sitting in the corridors are so great that the trolley can not move down the train.  Net result - no income from catering and therefore removal in a couple of years time.   Why is it blindingly obvious to me, but not to Xc? 

Going slightly off topic, and I know this is going to blow up in my face... :-\

I don't mind the daily mail, I find it really easy to read compared to my usual complimentary copy of The Times. I find a good paper has text which is straight to the point, gives you sufficient information, and a funny picture for brownie points ;D

Which I think the mail does rather well, but you are right, it can be a bit erm... inaccurate and harsh towards certain groups/organisations ;)