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

[whole diary]

[Umberleigh]

The irregular provision was indeed probably its downfall, you only have to be disappointed once or twice to lose faith and stock up on food at the many outlets on the station before you board. Paddington to Plymouth and beyond is a long way on an empty stomach, and filling up on snacks from the buffet is an expensive game

[higthomas]

Very sad news with regards to the Travelling Chefs. Anyone know whether the standard buffet selection may be improved to make up for the lost service. Also any ideas as to which services might get Pullmans, and also what they intend to do with regards to the decreased seating capacity.

[stebbo]

Speaking purely personally, I find the Travelling Chef somewhat inconvenient at times. If I board an early morning Paddington bound train at Kingham (and some years previously at Evesham), I used to be able to "bag" a seat, go the buffet and return with coffee and bacon roll before arrival at the next station. Recently it's been touch and go if I get back to my seat before the bun fight (excuse the pun) starts at Charlbury as the preparation of the bacon baguette seems to take longer irrespective of the demand placed on the chef.

Of course, in the olden days from Evesham there wasn't a stop at Honeybourne........... And going further back visits to the buffet on departure from Hereford were bliss.

Don't get me wrong the bacon baguettes are good but not sooooo much better than the old microwaved bacon roll.

[JayMac]

Last week, from the Western Mail:

Fine Dining on the railways could be making a comeback in Wales

Talks are underway to bring a Pullman Dining service to First Great Western services in South Wales

Clint Eastwood, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor all enjoyed fine dining on trains into Cardiff and now it looks like the days of good food on the go could be making a comeback.

Train operator First Great Western currently runs a fine dining service on its trains from London to Plymouth.

It had formerly done so on rail connections between the English capital city and Cardiff and the firm is now considering reinstating this service.

A spokesman for First Great Western said: ^We are talking to colleagues and crew about ways we would like to improve food and drink provision for both Standard and First Class customers on our long distance trains.

^This follows the successful re-launch of our Pullman services last year.

^The proposals include four additional Pullman services, with the return of a Pullman to our South Wales services.

^If agreed, the changes would also mean an updated buffet car menu and a change from Travelling Chef services to a service more suited to the choices being made by our customers.

^Longer term, we are also considering the re-introduction of a retail trolley in Standard class coaches, and an-seat service at weekends in First Class.

^Our commitment to supporting local suppliers, and to offering a good choice of quality food and drink on board, remains firm and while no decisions have been taken during discussion of the proposals with our people, we very much hope that we can quickly make the changes which will mean an improved journey experience for our customers.^

The Pullman dining service is currently available to anyone who requests it, whether in first or standard class, on selected services to the South West of England.

The menu has been created by award-winning chef and restaurateur Mitch Tonks.

He said: ^The menu is made up of dishes that I would like to eat on a journey, simple and full of pleasure and prepared and served by the great team on the Pullman services, it^s a unique and quality dining experience.^

[JayMac]

From the Morning Star:

First Great Western Cooks Up Catering Spin

TWO-FACED rail bosses hailed a new golden age of railway ^fine dining^ yesterday ^ while preparing to chop up catering services.

A puff piece in the Western Mail announced that First Great Western would expand its catering services across trains in Wales and south-west England.

But rail workers^ union RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) demanded the privateer stop the spin on its decision to axe the popular Travelling Chef meals service from scores of intercity services.

It follows the start of an RMT campaign to save the travelling chefs, which First says it may replace with a ^a ^service more suited to the choices being made by our customers.^

Part of that is the ^reintroduction of a retail trolley in standard-class coaches, and an at-seat service at weekends in first class.^

And from 2017 the privateer^s fleet will replaced by new trains which cram in more seats at the expense of buffet cars.

RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said: ^For First Great Western to try and spin the axing of the Travelling Chef service, and the replacement of the buffet cars with trolleys on the vast majority of their services, as some kind of return to the golden age of rail is an extraordinary act of misrepresentation of the facts.^

A spokesman for First Great Western said: ^No decisions have been taken during discussion of the proposals with our teams and there will be no compulsory job losses as a result of any move.^

[SDS]

And in the interests of fair reporting the internal response from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)

Fastline: Travelling Chef Services

You may be aware we have made proposals to withdraw the Travelling Chef service from FGW services. While we have already communicated to all colleagues who might be affected, we are aware that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) has written to wider groups of colleagues about the issues involved following consultation meetings that have taken place over the last couple of weeks.

We know many of you will have some questions about the proposals, which we have tried to answer below.

What exactly is happening?
We have put together a proposal to change the way we offer food and drink to customers where we currently provide a Travelling Chef service. During a typical week on those services, just over seven customers per train choose to buy food that is not available on a standard Express Cafe menu - despite the quality of food our teams produce, it is clear that we need to offer a product that appeals to more of our customers.

We are proposing to remove the Travelling Chef, and replace it with a different, expanded offering, add more Pullman services, and extend the hours of our First Class complementary offer to weekends and later in the evenings.

Our proposals, which would come into effect from November will involve no compulsory redundancies ^ quite the opposite in fact as we continue to increase the number of on board staff in the business.

How many people do you expect to be affected?
Travelling Chefs and some Service Leaders will be affected by the changes.. There will be no compulsory redundancies. The proposals are that colleagues will be redeployed into Customer Host positions, with their terms and conditions protected.   In addition there will be a number of Chef vacancies available from the introduction of additional Pullman services which will be closed listed to affected colleagues.

What have we been doing wrong?
Nothing. We know the effort the Travelling Chef teams go to to serve fantastic food  on these services - the quality of the food served can never be in doubt. Unfortunately, looking at what our customers are buying, it's just not what enough of our customers want to eat while they travel with us. No amount of skill or hard work from our teams can change that.

This is a really important service for customers. Why can't you just run it at a loss?
Granted, there are some things we do as a business that add value for customers, which might not contribute to the bottom line directly. But these need to add real tangible value for customers. With less than 10 customers per train buying something from the Travelling Chef during a typical week, we need to rethink the product we are offering customers. Much of what customers do buy can ^ and is -  being offered by an Express Caf^.

Come on, we sell loads of breakfasts. Could we not just keep early morning services?
Actually, we don't.  Around 350 in a typical four week period. Sausage and Bacon sandwiches/baguettes do much better, but they can be offered on non-Travelling Chef services. 

I work on the Travelling Chef services and think am affected. Why has no one bothered to talk to me directly about any of this? Surely that's the least I deserve.
Absolutely. Your line manager should have already spoken to you directly if you might be affected by the proposed changes. Our collective bargaining agreements mean that your RMT reps act as your representatives in formal meetings with us, and we have to complete this collective consultation process on the proposals before we can start  any individual meetings with colleagues. If you don't think you have all the information you need, just ask your line manager

Why haven't you asked customers what they think of these proposed changes?
Two really simple reasons - firstly, we believe we should be speaking to colleagues who may be affected by the proposals  before we speak to anyone else. Colleagues should not have to learn about potential changes through the media. Secondly, we already know what customers think about what we currently offer, because they tell us every day through what they buy and through the comprehensive research we do with them.

The RMT has said removing catering services would be a breach of FGW's franchise promises. Is it?
The RMT has chosen its words very carefully. No one is proposing to remove the ability to buy food and drink on any of our trains. Quite the opposite. These proposals only affect Travelling Chef services, which would be replaced with a different on-board food offer that better meets the needs of our customers.

While there are no franchise commitments around providing catering on our services, these proposals are actually a significant investment in what we offer our customers while they are travelling with us.

FGW is very serious about on board service and aims to provide the best levels of service in the industry both now and going forward. This requires us to invest heavily in the people, products and facilities that go into making up such service offer.
This suggestion unfortunately drives uncertainty where there is none. There are enough people genuinely concerned about how these proposals might affect them as it is without worrying many more unnecessarily.

Those assurances are all very well, but this is just the start of a strategy to save money by taking out all catering by stealth, isn't it?
It's the exact opposite. This is about making sure we serve our customers the things they want on our trains and investing strongly in that offer. We already have a strong track record in investing in our catering offer ^ over the past year alone we have increased the number of customer hosts by 10% - and we want to do more to ensure our customers catering requirements are met.
These proposals add more Pullman services, extend the hours of our First Class complementary offer to weekends and later in the evenings.

You've said there will be no compulsory redundancies. There won't be any more Chef roles available, so what if there isn't another job for me to go to?
The additional Pullman services will mean we would have to recruit more chefs to those services, but the number is less than the overall number of Travelling Chefs. However under the proposals we have committed to keep colleagues within the Catering grade by redeploying to Customer Host roles. We will of course talk to every one of those people about their wishes as some may be wanting to pursue something else.

[Rhydgaled]

From the Morning Star:

First Great Western Cooks Up Catering Spin

TWO-FACED rail bosses hailed a new golden age of railway ^fine dining^ yesterday ^ while preparing to chop up catering services.

A puff piece in the Western Mail announced that First Great Western would expand its catering services across trains in Wales and south-west England.

But rail workers^ union RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) demanded the privateer stop the spin on its decision to axe the popular Travelling Chef meals service from scores of intercity services.

It follows the start of an RMT campaign to save the travelling chefs, which First says it may replace with a ^a ^service more suited to the choices being made by our customers.^

Part of that is the ^reintroduction of a retail trolley in standard-class coaches, and an at-seat service at weekends in first class.^

And from 2017 the privateer^s fleet will replaced by new trains which cram in more seats at the expense of buffet cars.

RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said: ^For First Great Western to try and spin the axing of the Travelling Chef service, and the replacement of the buffet cars with trolleys on the vast majority of their services, as some kind of return to the golden age of rail is an extraordinary act of misrepresentation of the facts.^

A spokesman for First Great Western said: ^No decisions have been taken during discussion of the proposals with our teams and there will be no compulsory job losses as a result of any move.^

It might help their case if they were actually truthful. The statement that "fleet will replaced by new trains which cram in more seats at the expense of buffet cars." is untrue. There is a buffet car on the plans for the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.), just standard class passengers do not have access to it, this needs to change in my opinion. Even more worrying though is the reduction in train length planned on some GW^▸ (Great Western) services, particularly the south Wales route and others which will see IEP but no frequency improvement, and the media/RMT sadly don't seem to have noticed (or don't care).

[TaplowGreen]

From the Morning Star:

First Great Western Cooks Up Catering Spin

TWO-FACED rail bosses hailed a new golden age of railway ^fine dining^ yesterday ^ while preparing to chop up catering services.

A puff piece in the Western Mail announced that First Great Western would expand its catering services across trains in Wales and south-west England.

But rail workers^ union RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) demanded the privateer stop the spin on its decision to axe the popular Travelling Chef meals service from scores of intercity services.

It follows the start of an RMT campaign to save the travelling chefs, which First says it may replace with a ^a ^service more suited to the choices being made by our customers.^

Part of that is the ^reintroduction of a retail trolley in standard-class coaches, and an at-seat service at weekends in first class.^

And from 2017 the privateer^s fleet will replaced by new trains which cram in more seats at the expense of buffet cars.

RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said: ^For First Great Western to try and spin the axing of the Travelling Chef service, and the replacement of the buffet cars with trolleys on the vast majority of their services, as some kind of return to the golden age of rail is an extraordinary act of misrepresentation of the facts.^

A spokesman for First Great Western said: ^No decisions have been taken during discussion of the proposals with our teams and there will be no compulsory job losses as a result of any move.^

It might help their case if they were actually truthful. The statement that "fleet will replaced by new trains which cram in more seats at the expense of buffet cars." is untrue. There is a buffet car on the plans for the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.), just standard class passengers do not have access to it, this needs to change in my opinion. Even more worrying though is the reduction in train length planned on some GW^▸ (Great Western) services, particularly the south Wales route and others which will see IEP but no frequency improvement, and the media/RMT sadly don't seem to have noticed (or don't care).

Worth bearing in mind that The Morning Star is not reknowned for its objectivity.......basically  however the message from this and the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) articel is.....TC^‡(resolve) isn't making any money, so we're getting rid of it....if it was a cash cow, they would be moving heaven and earth to retain it..........sadly that's how business works folks.

[broadgage]

It might help their case if they were actually truthful. The statement that "fleet will replaced by new trains which cram in more seats at the expense of buffet cars." is untrue. There is a buffet car on the plans for the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.), just standard class passengers do not have access to it, this needs to change in my opinion. Even more worrying though is the reduction in train length planned on some GW^▸ (Great Western) services, particularly the south Wales route and others which will see IEP but no frequency improvement, and the media/RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) sadly don't seem to have noticed (or don't care).

IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion) it is reasonable to state that the new trains do not have buffet cars, if this facility is not available to the great majority of passengers.
If the average passenger boards one of these new trains and enquires as to the location of the buffet, can staff direct them to it ? No of course they can not ! therefore for all practical purposes the new trains "don't have buffets"

To be pedantically accurate, one should state that the new trains "have no buffet for standard class, but might have it for first class only (who don't really need a buffet anyway as hopefully table service will be provided in first)"

[IndustryInsider]

To be pedantically accurate, one should state that the new trains "have no buffet for standard class, but might have it for first class only (who don't really need a buffet anyway as hopefully table service will be provided in first)"

Or even more accurate we should state that we don't have any new trains yet.  All we have is draft layout proposals which I've told you before that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were not necessarily happy with and could specify a change, and a train specification which quite clearly leaves the option of having a Standard Class accessible buffet as an option:

"Level 2 - Servery that provides hot and cold snacks and drinks which may be delivered by either of the following methods:

1) An at seat first class service together with the replenishment of trolleys for standard class service without the provision of a Caf^-Bar counter service; or

2) The replenishment of trolleys and the provision of a Caf^-Bar counter service combined together"

I personally will be very disappointed if option 2 isn't chosen for the FGW layout, but will wait until I see the final layouts before I presume anything.

[ChrisB]

I can't honerstly see two catering staff in IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) Standard - one on each of the trolley & Caf^-bar.

I'm expecting a kitchen(ette)/buffet in 1st & probably a trolley in Standard. I hope I'm wrong though...

[mjones]

I'm not sure I quite understand that. If there is a buffet of any kind then it needs to be staffed, so surely they'd want to maximise the number of potential users to justify its costs?

[ChrisB]

Agreed, so either a trolley *or* a caf^-bar, but not both. Hence knocking out option 2. And rather points to 1

[readytostart]

It all seems to going down the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) line of thinking in my opinion. The problem with providing a buffet but not a standard trolley is those passengers who are unable to make it to the buffet are not being provided with the same level of service as those who can. This could possibly lead to claims under the DDA^» (Disability Discrimination Act - about). By providing everyone in the same travel class the same level of service (whether viewed as inferior to the current arrangement or not) they are complying.
I suppose it all comes down to how much they want to spend on staff.

[ChrisB]

Another point suggesting trolley & no buffet....