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Author Topic: Great Western Railway: on-board catering, buffets, Travelling Chef, Pullman - ongoing discussion  (Read 629361 times)
Mookiemoo
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« Reply #60 on: November 25, 2009, 13:35:01 »

Promo video for ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company)))'s Premier Class Restaurant. Slightly cheesy accompanying music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHNLayx-CQU&feature=player_embedded#

ATW dont even have first class!
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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love"
Mookiemoo
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« Reply #61 on: November 25, 2009, 13:38:52 »

Promo video for ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company)))'s Premier Class Restaurant. Slightly cheesy accompanying music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHNLayx-CQU&feature=player_embedded#

ATW dont even have first class!

Also its stopping pattern is bizarre - Newport - Cwmbran - Abergavenny then nothing until Shrewsbury - completely misses out Hereford and Ludlow

I can understanding missing ludlow (dont like it but can understand it) but Hereford?

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Ditched former sig - now I need to think of something amusing - brain hurts -I'll steal from the master himself - Einstein:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love"
Btline
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« Reply #62 on: November 25, 2009, 14:03:13 »

Promo video for ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company)))'s Premier Class Restaurant. Slightly cheesy accompanying music!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHNLayx-CQU&feature=player_embedded#
ATW dont even have first class!
Also its stopping pattern is bizarre - Newport - Cwmbran - Abergavenny then nothing until Shrewsbury - completely misses out Hereford and Ludlow
I can understanding missing ludlow (dont like it but can understand it) but Hereford?

I agree, I've always found the calling pattern strange, completely missing out the whole of Southern Shropshire and Herefordshire!
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Mookiemoo
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« Reply #63 on: November 25, 2009, 14:22:13 »

Promo video for ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company)))'s Premier Class Restaurant. Slightly cheesy accompanying music!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHNLayx-CQU&feature=player_embedded#
ATW dont even have first class!
Also its stopping pattern is bizarre - Newport - Cwmbran - Abergavenny then nothing until Shrewsbury - completely misses out Hereford and Ludlow
I can understanding missing ludlow (dont like it but can understand it) but Hereford?

I agree, I've always found the calling pattern strange, completely missing out the whole of Southern Shropshire and Herefordshire!

Which is probably why I did not even know it existed!
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Ditched former sig - now I need to think of something amusing - brain hurts -I'll steal from the master himself - Einstein:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love"
inspector_blakey
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« Reply #64 on: November 25, 2009, 23:17:01 »

ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) dont even have first class!

On a technicality, yes they do, on this service only. That's why rather than inventing a whole new (and largely redundant) FC(resolve) pricing structure you simply pay a supplement on top of the standard class fare which also includes din-dins or breakfast.
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willc
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« Reply #65 on: November 25, 2009, 23:50:24 »

FGW (First Great Western) are plugging new Pullman menus with a link from the website homepage and clearly listing all four trains offering restaurants, plus what to do to reserve a restaurant seat on the Paddington evening departures - though only first class ticketholders can reserve apparently.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=70

A recent article (in Rail I think) quoted an ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) bigwig as saying the WAG» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) Express doesn't serve Hereford basically because that's not its job, which is link North and South Wales (except, of course, the biggest town in North Wales).
« Last Edit: June 03, 2011, 10:10:31 by willc » Logged
broadgage
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« Reply #66 on: November 28, 2009, 09:36:15 »

The new menu does not seem much different to the old one, though that is not a criticism as the old menu was very good.
The main course still consists of steak, a fish option or a vegetarian option.

The cheese selection is now served in the proper fashion from a cheeseboard, thus allowing a choice, in the past it was ready plated.

The soup, steak and cheese were certainly most enjoyable on thursday (27/11/09) and I am very pleased to say that that my booking was honoured.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
Phil
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« Reply #67 on: November 28, 2009, 09:44:21 »

A recent article (in Rail I think) quoted an ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) bigwig as saying the WAG» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) Express doesn't serve Hereford basically because that's not its job, which is link North and South Wales (except, of course, the biggest town in North Wales).

I thought Wrexham was the biggest town in North Wales?
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John R
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« Reply #68 on: November 28, 2009, 11:18:00 »

Isn't that the point - it doesn't serve Wrexham?
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willc
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« Reply #69 on: November 28, 2009, 12:45:32 »

Just so. The train runs Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury.

Capacity issues between Chester and Wrexham, which is a single line section, and also on the double track on to Shrewsbury where there are no intermediate signals on Wrexham-Gobowen and just one between Gobowen and Shrewsbury, limiting how many trains can run and also creating some very long sectional running times. Though there are plans afoot to tackle all these problems.

In addition, they would need a DVT(resolve) in the formation to reverse direction at Chester.
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Phil
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« Reply #70 on: November 28, 2009, 15:08:11 »

Thanks for clarifying that, Willc. I do like a bit of clarity, me.
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Btline
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« Reply #71 on: November 28, 2009, 23:03:26 »

True, but putting in a stop at Ludlow would perhaps get some Midlands - Cardiff commuters/businessmen to travel.

But I agree that the priority is to get the North - South journey time down, and that involves cutting stops. At least ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) understand the meaning of express! **cough** FGW (First Great Western) **cough** Cornwall trains!
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devon_metro
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« Reply #72 on: November 28, 2009, 23:11:12 »

But I agree that the priority is to get the North - South journey time down, and that involves cutting stops. At least ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) understand the meaning of express! **cough** FGW (First Great Western) **cough** Cornwall trains!

Do you actually understand the market?

1000 Penzance - London Paddington was today well loaded past Plymouth, clearly the prospect of stopping at such places as Ivybridge not causing anybody any major distress.
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broadgage
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« Reply #73 on: January 18, 2011, 16:51:42 »

It would appear that the restaurant menus have recently been changed.
If I have understood the website correctly, it would appear that we now have only 2 menus instead of 4.
Very frequent users might find this a bit boring, but I only use the Pullman every couple of weeks on average, and am therefore not worried.
Both the new menus include fillet steak, which to my taste is a decided improvement.

Prices have been increased, but still compare favourably with those charged elswhere for meals of similar qaulity.

Hope they can obtain some port ! has not been available for a while, due I believe to the supplier going bust.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
broadgage
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« Reply #74 on: February 08, 2011, 12:30:27 »

Update re above.
Port is now available on the restaurant trains, and very good port it is too, better than before.
But now they have no brandy ! hopefully easier to source than port.
The new menus are in use, less choice than before, but at least fillet steak is on both menus, a decided improvement.
I have used the pullman several times in the last few weeks and been very impressed.EDIT the above was true when I wrote it, but we now have no port, again. Though there is brandy
« Last Edit: September 06, 2011, 15:00:16 by broadgage » Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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