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

[whole diary]

[RobT]

I'm surprised GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) haven't published seating plans for their IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) to assist passengers wishing to book seats in advance. Cross Country have diagrams for their High Speed Trains (HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)))s and Voyagers. Early days I suppose.

Edit: VickiS - clarifying Acronym

[Chris from Nailsea]

I am not that interested in limited free food offers in first class.
However availability of the Pullman, and priority in use of same, is a major factor in my decision to go first.

As I stated, there will be a handful of people for whom it is a consideration, but for the most it is largely irrelevant.

... and (teasing broadgage gently here) " ... for the large it is mostly irrelevant." 

[1st fan]

There are more seats owing to longer carriages?

I was specifically thinking of 1st and from looking at the available draft layouts there will 53 seats in 1st. From looking at the two 1st carriages (buffet and full carriage) in an High Speed Trains (HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))) there are 70 seats. That's 17 fewer isn't it although I admit that the actual IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) layout might have more seats.

Edit: VickiS - clarifying Acronym

[Umberleigh]

I am looking at timetable W1c for 11 September to 31 December. It shows that the 1903 Pullman is now Friday Only (FO) with the Mon-Thu 1903 shown as having no catering. Is this correct?

[bobm]

Haven’t seen that timetable but I can confirm the 19:03 is scheduled to have a Pullman Monday to Friday. 

Eaten on it midweek on a couple of occasions since September.

[Umberleigh]

That is good news, and it does state this on the page dedicated to the Pullman service at the front of the timetable. Bit confusing though.

[Adelante_CCT]

W1C is the timetable from Plymouth to Penzance, and therefore only shows direct services or connections north of Plymouth... The 19:03 terminates at Plymouth Monday to Thursday therefore only shows the connection times and not the actual train itself.

Having a catering symbol above that service would mean having a restaurant on a class 150 

[LiskeardRich]

Standard class had a buffet and a trolley service on the 0645 Penzance to paddington this morning. The trolley service was unannounced yet around half of the passengers in my carriage purchased something between Plymouth and Exeter in one walk through. Would half of passengers of used the buffet? I somewhat don’t think so, suggesting a trolley is maybe a better system for increasing sales?

[broadgage]

I hope to take lunch on the latter of the two up Pullmans on Friday 17 November, boarding at Taunton, 14-24.
Will I have the honour of meeting any forum members on the train ?

I might also be taking dinner the same day on the Golden Hind, departing Paddington at 18-03.

Hopefully, a sufficiency of port will be available.

[chuffed]

We've all heard of someone who has single handedly rescued an apparently failing organisation.

In broadgage's case, we might have to call it single stomachly.....

[JayMac]

I'm aware of another trencherman from around these parts who Pullman dines even more regularly than broadgage. Or myself.

[bobm]

Possibly - but I am not sure I could manage two meals in the space of a few hours, despite what Chris from Nailsea may think!

[Chris from Nailsea]

... availability of the Pullman, and priority in use of same, is a major factor in my decision to go first.

As I stated, there will be a handful of people for whom it is a consideration, but for the most it is largely irrelevant.

... and (teasing broadgage gently here) " ... for the large it is mostly irrelevant." 

With the benefit of hindsight, I should have included 'and bobm' in that text. 

[grahame]

Just been served with a coffee from the trolley on an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) ... and learning a little about the catering.

Coffee - £2.30, instant.   The price list on the side of the trolley says "Tea, Coffee .... £2.10" but when I proffered my £2.10, the word "from" on the top of the column was pointed out - it's tea that's £2.10.  Coffee is £2.30.

I enquired about rumours of a better coffee being available on the trolley in comparison to the buffet - it's the same in Standard class, but they do have a filter coffee available too - "on trial".  You need to ask for it though (and I didn't know it was available at the point I ordered), so I suspect they'll find limited demand.

[1st fan]

Just been served with a coffee from the trolley on an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) ... and learning a little about the catering.

Coffee - £2.30, instant.   The price list on the side of the trolley says "Tea, Coffee .... £2.10" but when I proffered my £2.10, the word "from" on the top of the column was pointed out - it's tea that's £2.10.  Coffee is £2.30.

I enquired about rumours of a better coffee being available on the trolley in comparison to the buffet - it's the same in Standard class, but they do have a filter coffee available too - "on trial".  You need to ask for it though (and I didn't know it was available at the point I ordered), so I suspect they'll find limited demand.

Does seem a bit of a downward step compared to the Americano, Cappuccino, Cafe Latte & Espresso currently available from the Buffet/Express Cafe. Still this is progress lest we forget I'm not a coffee drinker so I wouldn't know which one is which other than the Espresso is strong but not much of it.