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

[whole diary]

[stuving]

This is the relevant section of the agreement:

Customer Services and Stakeholder

24. On Board Food and Drink

24.1 Consistent with the Franchisee's proposal dated October 2014 (as amended) the Franchisee shall throughout the Franchise Term diagram and use all reasonable endeavours to provide an on train food and drink service in accordance with the following specification:
 (a) a food and drink service:
 (i) on all Passenger Services departing Cardiff, Exeter or Bristol for a timetabled arrival at London Paddington in the Morning Peak; and
 (ii) all Passenger Services departing London Paddington in the Evening Peak and timetabled to call at Cardiff, Exeter or Bristol, in each case in respect of that portion of their journey between London Paddington and Cardiff, Exeter and Bristol (as the case may be);
 (b) an at seat first class "Pullman" dining service to be provided on at least two Passenger Services in each direction each Weekday on either or both of the routes between London Paddington and Plymouth and between London Paddington and Cardiff;
 (c) a trolley-based food and drink service for standard class passengers on at least twenty Passenger Services selected by the Franchisee on each Weekday, with such service to be in place on such number of Passenger Services within three months of the Start Date and end when the last of the Sets (as defined in Schedule 6.3) are accepted into revenue earning service. This shall not require trolley services to be provided throughout the duration of each service;
 (d) a trolley-based catering service for standard and first class passengers on each Passenger Service operated by the Sets (as defined in Schedule 6.3) on the services referenced A1 to A4 (Inter City Great Western Main Line) and B (Inter City West of England). This shall not require trolley services to be provided throughout the duration of each service; and
 (e) on board food and drink facilities on all sleeper services.

For the avoidance of doubt, all catering trolleys and crockery acquired by the Franchisee for the purpose of the delivery of its obligations in this paragraph 24 (or other food and drink services) during the Franchise Term which are transferred to a Successor Operator at the end of the Franchise Period are subject to the nil value transfer provisions of paragraph 11 of Part 2 of Schedule 6.1.

Pricing is dealt with elsewhere, but I suspect at that level not regulated.

[ChrisB]

Buffets inly open in the peaks with trolleys at other times/weekends then

[TaplowGreen]

.....good news for Burger King/M & S/Starbucks/Upper Crust etc!

[JayMac]

I saw, this past Friday, one of the new Electronic Point of Sale  (EPOS^▸ (Electronic Point of Sale)) terminals installed at a High Speed Train (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) buffet counter. Not yet up and running. Looks like it has a 6"x4" touchscreen, and I guess there will be a separate 'Chip & Pin' terminal.

Made by a company called TouchStar.

Extract from a TouchStar company statement at the end of 2014:

OPERATIONS

Good progress has been made in the mobile retail market. As well as new product developments, we have secured a number of notable contracts, including First Great Western and Leo Express (Czech Republic). These two, are particularly significant contracts as they use our mobile EPOS solution in retail sales onboard trains, where traditionally we have been dominant in the airline industry. These rail contracts, along with new airline orders secured in 2014, clearly demonstrate how our restructured ^mobile retail^ sales team can employ skills and products tried and tested in the airline market for use in the rail arena.

Looks like the second hand job lot British Airways Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) terminals that Great Western Trains bought back in the late 1990s are finally to be binned.


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[IndustryInsider]

Apparently, the new Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS^▸ (Electronic Point of Sale)) terminals will greatly improve getting the right number (and right type) of stock items delivered to the train based on current and past sales, if you believe the blurb!


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[John R]

Will make all the difference between having two or three sandwiches on the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) trolleys then...

[TonyK]

The most I ever enjoyed on-board service of food was around 1978, heading back to Blackpool from Temple Meads. I forget the specifics, but it was something loco-hauled to Preston that had come from further South West. It was heaving. It had no buffet, but had a guards / luggage carriage, which I got into because the train had just started moving off as I arrived - you wouldn't try this on a High Speed Train (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) - and the sliding doors were still open. It was not even at walking pace, and the door was closed before we got to the end of the platform.

The train managers, as we would now call them, had several shrink-wrap packs of beer and lager, and someone's wife had been busy making most acceptable sandwiches. Prices were very reasonable. Trade, drummed up by passing on the news during an unusually enthusiastic ticket inspection, was brisk. I was allowed to remain there, sitting on my rucksack and sleeping bag, witnessing the prototype of privatisation. I don't know what sanction would have been brought to bear had the powers that be found out, but these chaps didn't seem at all bothered by the possibility, and there were no complaints from the passengers.

Edit : VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[JayMac]

Currently aboard the 1256 from Plymouth. I was looking forward to either belly pork or lobster. What have I actually eaten? A chicken salad sub roll, crisps and nuts.

1256 turned out with a 409xx catering vehicle. That means one pokey grill, a Merrychef oven and zero prep space. Useless for Pullman service so I was out of luck.

The crew however couldn't have been more apologetic. I was able to have some nice Chablis with my buffet fare. Slightly incongruous sitting in the cheap seats drinking an expensive wine from a plastic glass, but I'm making the best of a bad lot.

Oh, and we're running on one power car also. 25 late at the mo passing Hungryford (sic).

[TaplowGreen]

Currently aboard the 1256 from Plymouth. I was looking forward to either belly pork or lobster. What have I actually eaten? A chicken salad sub roll, crisps and nuts.

1256 turned out with a 409xx catering vehicle. That means one pokey grill, a Merrychef oven and zero prep space. Useless for Pullman service so I was out of luck.

The crew however couldn't have been more apologetic. I was able to have some nice Chablis with my buffet fare. Slightly incongruous sitting in the cheap seats drinking an expensive wine from a plastic glass, but I'm making the best of a bad lot.

Oh, and we're running on one power car also. 25 late at the mo passing Hungryford (sic).

I feel for you in your agony...........the ability to cope with such terrible human tragedy and yet still retain a sense of perspective is truly admirable........

[broadgage]

The ordinary members of these forums have no idea of the hardships suffered, and sacrifices made by the moderation team, in the interests of keeping the members informed.
Not only do the team valiantly eat Pullman meals, PURELY in the interests of reviewing and sometimes photographing  them for our interest, but even worse they sometimes FAIL TO OBTAIN the promised meal, yet still carry on with the now wretched journey in order to report upon the sad circumstances.

(BTW^▸ (by the way), I have eaten and reported upon a number of Pullman meals, but they never made me a moderator)

[grahame]

(BTW^▸ (by the way), I have eaten and reported upon a number of Pullman meals, but they never made me a moderator)

Hmmm ... I've never been a moderator here either (admin from day 1), but I now from doing the job on another forum that it can be a pretty thankless task. So I say a big thank you to our current moderator team - and also to Chris and Bob who have admin responsibilities.

[bobm]

Currently aboard the 1256 from Plymouth. I was looking forward to either belly pork or lobster. What have I actually eaten? A chicken salad sub roll, crisps and nuts.

1256 turned out with a 409xx catering vehicle. That means one pokey grill, a Merrychef oven and zero prep space. Useless for Pullman service so I was out of luck.

Just arrived in London Paddington on the 10:00 ex-Penzance. They are still taking about you and apologising to you bignosemac.

I did have a lovely meal though! 

[JayMac]

Yeah, rub it in why don't you! 

[Oxman]

Story from the Beeb today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-33650226

"A campaign has been set up to save buffet cars on First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) trains as dispute talks over the introduction of new trains continue."

All those in favour of buffets can now register on a Facebook group!

[Umberleigh]

Story from the Beeb today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-33650226

"A campaign has been set up to save buffet cars on First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) trains as dispute talks over the introduction of new trains continue."

All those in favour of buffets can now register on a Facebook group!

The FGW Spokesman says that buffets take up the space of 50 seats, which I don't dispute. However, surely will the number of seats gained be substantially lower once you account for the new kitchens?