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

[whole diary]

[bobm]

My usual bill was around £75-£80.

On Monday it was £43.50. Admittedly I had two beers rather than a bottle of wine but even so.

[bobm]

The early trials have gone well and from the 12th July there will also be Pullmans on the following services:

13.22 – Swansea to Paddington
18.48 – London to Swansea
13.04 – Paddington to Plymouth
18.15 – Plymouth to Paddington

[IndustryInsider]

The early trials have gone well and from the 12th July there will also be Pullmans on the following services:

13.22 – Swansea to Paddington
18.48 – London to Swansea
13.04 – Paddington to Plymouth
18.15 – Plymouth to Paddington

Excellent news.  Is that a full restoration of the pre-COVID levels of services or are there a couple more still missing?  Six daily services, a very similar menu to before and of the same quality.  And a big unexpected bonus - a decent discount on the previous prices.  What was expensive before is now fairly reasonable.

I don’t think you can argue that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) are doing all they can to restore the Pullman service, though I’m sure some will try! 

Time will tell if it is still viable in a post pandemic world.

[bobm]

There’s no breakfast service at present which makes a direct comparison hard.

Previously there was a service on the 05:05 ex Penzance (from Plymouth). The crew then did lunch on the 12:04 back.

While from Swansea there was breakfast on the 05:58 and brunch on the 10:48 back.

The other was the 10:00 ex Penzance (from Plymouth) returning on the 18:04.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks, Bob.  Nearly there then.  I’m guessing the breakfast product is the one where demand is likely to change the most given the huge reduction of business travellers? 

Going forward perhaps a morning service more akin to the old Travelling Chef might be better for breakfast?  Not of the same standard, but still of good quality and available to all on the train and ordered on the app for delivery to your seat?  Breakfast baps with sausage, egg, bacon and tomato combinations, and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on toast - that sort of thing.

[TaplowGreen]

Thanks, Bob.  Nearly there then.  I’m guessing the breakfast product is the one where demand is likely to change the most given the huge reduction of business travellers? 

Going forward perhaps a morning service more akin to the old Travelling Chef might be better for breakfast?  Not of the same standard, but still of good quality and available to all on the train and ordered on the app for delivery to your seat?  Breakfast baps with sausage, egg, bacon and tomato combinations, and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on toast - that sort of thing.

Don't forget Port! 

[broadgage]

Port with breakfast ? I think not !

[TonyK]

Port with breakfast ? I think not !

Never rule anything out, broadgage!

[jamestheredengine]

Going forward perhaps a morning service more akin to the old Travelling Chef might be better for breakfast?  Not of the same standard, but still of good quality and available to all on the train and ordered on the app for delivery to your seat?  Breakfast baps with sausage, egg, bacon and tomato combinations, and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on toast - that sort of thing.

Eggs Benedict. Used to really enjoy that years back when I used to go to Didcot (or some little town just north of there) twice a week.

[bobm]

The early trials have gone well and from the 12th July there will also be Pullmans on the following services:

13.22 – Swansea to Paddington
18.48 – London to Swansea
13.04 – Paddington to Plymouth
18.15 – Plymouth to Paddington

These have been pushed back a week due to issues with catering supplies.

From the 26th July they will be bookable on line for first class ticket holders.

[bobm]

This month's Modern Railways has a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) supplement - which is worth a read.   In it GWR confirms there are no plans to reintroduce Breakfast Pullmans due to the change in commuter travelling  habits.

[IndustryInsider]

Understandable IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).  Business travel is unlikely to return to anything like pre-Covid levels.  Perhaps a new breakfast offering, along the lines of my previous post, and/or additional lunch/dinner services might follow in time? 

[grahame]

This month's Modern Railways has a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) supplement - which is worth a read.   In it GWR confirms there are no plans to reintroduce Breakfast Pullmans due to the change in commuter travelling  habits.

If the change in commuter habits is so marked that it removes the justification for a breakfast service, does it also remove the justification for sky high fares at breakfast time?

Edit - this sparked a discussion not about catering - I have split the topic - see http://www.passenger.chat/25153

[Jamsdad]

I can live without a Pullman Breakfast but not without bacon rolls. LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) and West Coast can provide them, and deliver to your seat in standard class so why not GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)??

[broadgage]

I can live without a Pullman Breakfast but not without bacon rolls. LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) and West Coast can provide them, and deliver to your seat in standard class so why not GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)??

Years ago when it was admitted that the new trains would not have have buffets, a number of grand promises were made about the trolley service.
"improved trolleys that keep hot things hot and cold things cold"
"hot food served at ones seat in standard class"

In fact none of this was regularly achieved, a brief trial was undertaken of hot food, including bacon rolls,  in standard class but produced the expected result that it was not viable.
GWR cant even cope with reliably providing a very basic trolley.