Great Western Railway: on-board catering, buffets, Travelling Chef, Pullman - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Interesting experience on the 12:55 Pullman from Plymouth today - I was the only one dining.  I was treated like royalty!

However the strange thing was the whole of standard class was packed to the gills.  I suspect people don't ask to upgrade to first class during the week because they know it is going to cost them perhaps as much as ^70 to ^100.  However for around ^45 you can have a three course meal and a drink - or spend a little more and have a bottle of wine and sit in first class comfort.

I felt sorry for the crew having laid up all the tables and having just me for company! 

[broadgage]

I wonder why it was so poorly used ?

In the past, I have been the only customer at least once, but not not recently.

Recently loadings seen to have averaged about 10 or 12 customers taking lunch.
I presume that the usuall announcements were made advertising the Pullman ?

Perhaps the unfortunates in steerage felt that the restaurant was too expensive for them ? it probably IS too expensive for MOST of them, but I would expect that on a busy train, that a few would be able/willing to splash out a bit.

For the benifit of those who think the Pullman is hugely expensive, perhaps the announcements should include a few of the prices ? " A choice of main courses from ^XX" Or perhaps "a full 3 course meal cooked to order and silver served at your seat, from ^YY for 3 courses"

I suspect that those who have not tried the Pullman have no idea how good it is, and may think it be a slightly improved hot buffet, or reheated airline type mush, rather than a proper restaurant.

When travelling from Taunton, I consider the restaurant to be effectively free, indeed it almost seems as though I get paid to eat and drink 

Walk up steerage single to London=about ^40 (horrid dont do steerage)
Walk up First from Taunton=about ^170  (good, but rather expensive)

Alternatively, steerage ticket at ^40, plus say ^85 in the Pullman on three courses with wine, plus say ^15 tip to restaurant crew, comes to about ^140, so I have saved about ^30 and enjoyed an excellent meal, and also saved the expense and time of a meal in London.

[JayMac]

Some Pullman menus placed in Standard Class might entice a few people to come the Restaurant car. Advertising not only the excellent food, but also the fact that for the duration of your meal you can travel in 1st class for no additional charge.

^50-70 a head for 3 silver-served courses of freshly prepared food and an upgrade to 1st Class really is good value.

As for loadings on the up Pullmans at the moment, there might be something in the fact that folk aren't really up for a large hot meal in the middle of the day when the weather is so hot.

[bobm]

As for loadings on the up Pullmans at the moment, there might be something in the fact that folk aren't really up for a large hot meal in the middle of the day when the weather is so hot.

I think that is very true - I do feel for the chefs cooking in that small kitchen.  Another factor on the day I travelled, I have since discovered, is that the 12:01 Pullman had been delayed in Cornwall with a door fault and ran only 15 minutes in front of the 12:55 as far as Taunton so may well have picked up any casual travellers destined for the later train.

Of course I'm up for a meal in an air conditioned restaurant whatever the weather!   

[bobm]

Possible disappointment for anyone hoping to try the Breakfast Pullman this morning.  The up Golden Hind (the 05:05 from Penzance) was cancelled at Plymouth because of a fault on the train.  Passengers were transferred to a later service, but whether the breakfast service was I don't know.

[Super Guard]

I believe the breakfast Pullman was provided on 1A77 instead, marketed as "for one day only.." 

[bobm]

Meanwhile today there were problems with the kitchen on the 12:01 from Plymouth, so starters and sweets only - except for those wise ones who jumped off at Totnes and got the following 12:55..... 

[mjray]

I wonder why it was so poorly used ?

In the past, I have been the only customer at least once, but not not recently.

It's nice to hear it's coming back. I had an "only diner" experience on NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) once. It was far below the Pullman (in both price and food quality) but ^15 for a light pasta meal and what was effectively an upgrade to 1st for over two hours was well worth it.  Does a restaurant ever travel the Bristol lines? Travelling Chef is OK, but like someone said earlier, it's basically a hot buffet and often runs out of things.

I think NXEA withdrew even its basic restaurant not long after that, there's no chance of Great Anglia bringing them back during its short-but-extending franchise and travelling via Cambridge to access FirstCC is no help as the Cambridge lines have no restaurants on trains or even at stations.  Oh well, maybe after IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.)... guess I should go look at that thread now.

[broadgage]

There is no booked restaurant service on trains via Bristol.
IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), the odd service with a restaurant has been diverted via Bristol, but no booked services take that route.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) run only 6 Pullmans a day, all between Paddington and Plymouth via Taunton and Exeter.

The evening departures from Paddington can be very busy and it is advisable to purchase a first class ticket so as to ensure a dining seat.
The lunchtime up services are usually less busy and a steerage ticket generaly suffices.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the First Great Western press release:

First Great Western Food Week ^ Supporting the very best local produce

In support of food festivals and local producers, First Great Western is holding its first food week this week.

The First Great Western Food Week will highlight the great foodstuffs available across the Great Western train network, offer free tickets to food festivals and give away a chance to sample our very own silver service Pullman Dining services.

The only high speed train operator in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) offering a silver service dining restaurant, as well as 27 daily travelling chef services, First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) is committed to supporting local producers and sourcing ingredients from across the Great Western network.

FGW^s Customer Experience Manager Jo Elliott said: ^First Great Western is committed to supporting the communities we serve and working with our West Country suppliers in developing our own menus has been great fun and a privilege. We keep on finding more and more top quality producers across Devon, Dorset, Gloucester, Wales and Cornwall ^ and what better way to eat it than on board as you travel through the beautiful countryside from which it was produced, or by visiting one of the many great food festivals on our patch.^

While our menus boast fillet steak direct from the farms of Somerset to red gurnard harvested from the sea off the Devon coast, we also want to help showcase the tongue^tastic food available in the south west and the Cotswolds.

Tune in to FGWs Twitter and Facebook accounts to be in with a chance of winning first class tickets to experience the silver service Pullman Dining service; discover the secrets of the south and much more.

FGW dining

First Great Western runs six Pullman Dining services a day including a breakfast dining service, between London Paddington and Penzance, as well as over 25 travelling chef services across our other routes. The Pullman Dining menus were recently revitalised with the help and expertise of restaurateur Mitch Tonks.

Food festivals on the FGW network

The south west is renowned for its food festivals including:
^        Great Dorset Chilli Festival, 3 August
^        The Wilderness Festival, Charlbury, 4/5 August
^        Banbury Food Fair, 18 August
^        The Big Feastival, Kingham, 31/1 September
^        Fishstock Brixham, 7 September
^        Stroud Food Festival, 7 September
^        Weston Super Food Festival, 21 September
^        Forest Showcase Food and Drink Festival, near Gloucester, 6 October
^        Cornwall Food and Drink Festival, 27,28,29 Festival

Getting there: Low cost travel

For the best value tickets and offers buy before you board at www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk, or telephone 08457 000125.

Low cost Advance Single fares go on sale 12 weeks before the date of travel, or take advantage of our Group Save fares, offering 4 for the price two on off peak fares (terms and conditions apply).

[Umberleigh]

Had to dash down to Truro from Exeter yesterday, and caught the down Cornish Riviera. From my view in coach G there were a good number of diners in F.

Forever trying to persuade my sister and partner to come down to Devon by train, instead of driving from Sussex. If I could send Pullman gift vouchers for her birthday/Christmas present I'm sure I could tempt her...

Vouchers would also be useful for businesses, as hospitality for important clients and/or senior management, so how about it, FGW^▸ (First Great Western)?

[thetrout]

When travelling from Taunton, I consider the restaurant to be effectively free, indeed it almost seems as though I get paid to eat and drink 

A few years ago when booking a First Advance from Taunton - Bristol Temple Meads. I was quoted ^3.30 as usual for the fare, however the ticket clerk said there was a Standard Advance available at ^2.00 if I wanted it... I looked at him and said "It would cost more than ^1.30 for a cup of coffee on the train" The clerk couldn't disagree

Back then a Latte would set you back ^1.85 in the Buffet. If anyone is wondering, that drink now costs ^2.50

[CLPGMS]

The Wilderness Festival at Charlbury is from 8th to 11th August - see http://www.wildernessfestival.com/ , and not 4/5 August as shown in the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) press release posted by chris from nailsea on 31st July.

[bobm]

Today's 12:01 Pullman had the full compliment of 17 people taking a meal. First time I have seen that at lunchtime for a while.

On the downside there was no meal service on the 12:55 due to a fault with the kitchen.

[broadgage]

That is a bit of a change from from the fairly recent day on which there was only one customer.
Glad to hear that the service is becoming more popular, though I hope that it does not become SO popular that there is no room for me !

I wonder if they will start laying a couple of tables in G as is done on the evening services ?