Retiring on-train trolleys

[whole diary]

[grahame]

What happens to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) refreshment trollies when they retire?   How would I set about getting hold of one (or two - one for spares) - don't see them at Railwayana sales ...

[bobm]

The ones on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) say they are owned by Hitachi judging by an ID plate on them.  Might be worth approaching them. 

[TonyN]

Try Cross Country they have just removed trolleys from the 170 services.

[broadgage]

" Restaurants are replaced by buffets, buffets replaced by a trolleys, and trolleys are replaced by nothing"

This is called progress.

[TaplowGreen]

What happens to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) refreshment trollies when they retire?   How would I set about getting hold of one (or two - one for spares) - don't see them at Railwayana sales ...

I think Broadgage is hoping to get hold of one.....he can offer the cats a packet of seagull scratchings & other delicacies 

[Mark A]

Keep thinking the title of this is 'Shy and retiring on-train trolleys'. Tempted to name those cubicles found on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) that unexpectedly contain one, the 'Drawing room'.

Mark

[1st fan]

I would hope when they are retired we get the ones Mr Rule hinted at, but then didn’t deliver.

A cynic like me might suspect that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) "have generally not been very good at articulating what we intend to offer in terms of food and drink" because they wanted to conceal the fact that the new trains don't have buffets, until it was too late to alter this.
For some year on these forums I have offered as an opinion, and more recently I have stated as a fact that "the new trains wont have buffets"
Many respected members of these forums felt that such views were unduly negative.

"of course they will have buffets"
"they will probably have buffets"
"a buffet could be installed if the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) want one"
"a buffet could be retrofitted"

And eventually an admission that they don't have buffets.

I too share the doubts expressed by others as to how precisely hot food is to be served in standard class from a trolley, I also have doubts about the sufficiency of trolley stocks of chilled beer. I have observed very substantial volumes of beer being sold on some trains and doubt that a trolley could cope.

Sorry this is your view, but we've not sought to hide it. Staff started looking at and giving feedback on the plans for the new trains around three years ago.

I think many of the concerns you mention are based on the idea that somehow we think we can deliver this service with something similar to the current trolleys. We can't.
There are plenty of more sophisticated trolleys on the market that keep things hot, and keep things cool, and even serve a proper cup of coffee. A quick google will give you some idea.





Edit note: Quote marks fixed, purely for clarity. CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[Richard Fairhurst]

Keep thinking the title of this is 'Shy and retiring on-train trolleys'. Tempted to name those cubicles found on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) that unexpectedly contain one, the 'Drawing room'.

The signs on those proclaim them to be "Staff storage room". This strikes me as a great idea - when the train is held awaiting a driver, they can just get a spare one out of the staff storage.

[TonyN]

Keep thinking the title of this is 'Shy and retiring on-train trolleys'.

This certainly applies to the 08:56 Great Malvern-Paddington. The Trolley always stays in hiding on this service.

[broadgage]

I would hope when they are retired we get the ones Mr Rule hinted at, but then didn’t deliver.

A cynic like me might suspect that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) "have generally not been very good at articulating what we intend to offer in terms of food and drink" because they wanted to conceal the fact that the new trains don't have buffets, until it was too late to alter this.
For some year on these forums I have offered as an opinion, and more recently I have stated as a fact that "the new trains wont have buffets"
Many respected members of these forums felt that such views were unduly negative.

"of course they will have buffets"
"they will probably have buffets"
"a buffet could be installed if the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) want one"
"a buffet could be retrofitted"

And eventually an admission that they don't have buffets.

I too share the doubts expressed by others as to how precisely hot food is to be served in standard class from a trolley, I also have doubts about the sufficiency of trolley stocks of chilled beer. I have observed very substantial volumes of beer being sold on some trains and doubt that a trolley could cope.

Sorry this is your view, but we've not sought to hide it. Staff started looking at and giving feedback on the plans for the new trains around three years ago.

I think many of the concerns you mention are based on the idea that somehow we think we can deliver this service with something similar to the current trolleys. We can't.
There are plenty of more sophisticated trolleys on the market that keep things hot, and keep things cool, and even serve a proper cup of coffee. A quick google will give you some idea.





Edit note: Quote marks fixed, purely for clarity. CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

And after TEN years what has happened ?
Improved trollies has changed from a commitment, to an aspiration, and now sunk without trace.
Hot food in standard class, also sunk without trace (after a brief trial that produced the expected result that it was uneconomic)

[ChrisB]

I suspect that they are owned by the catering company (Rail Gourmet?), or Hitachi as in the post above for the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)).