Great Western Passenger Forum

I travel - a lot - by train, by bus, by ferry. And a fair proportion of the time I am alone, and that sets challenges. Short journeys are fine, but some of the hospitality elements of travel seemed geared up to the group and are less than convenient or well thought through for the solo traveller.

On train ...

Yesterday morning, I was up early and caught the 08:02 train from Melksham - change at Swindon into the 08:40 London express. Dying for a cup of coffee by the time I got on that train, I found myself a seat and heard the catering announcement - "I have just been through the train, but I am still available if you want to find me please come through to coach G". The worst of three worlds:
* For a fixed buffet, I would have boarded, gone to the fixed buffet and found a seat near there.
* At-seat catering, fine, if it really is at seat when you want it. Some continental operators let you order on the train WiFi and will deliver to your seat
* With a companion / colleague, the two or more of you can be mutually supportive - holding seats, looking after luggage for the long trek from "A" to "G"

Not just a GWR^▸ issue; I was on another operator's train later in the day, and we were invited (those of us in the unit with the trolley) by the travelling caterer to visit her at t'other end of the unit.

Awaiting the train ...

Little things. I could have gotten myself a WHSmiths Meal Deal in Swindon (at twice the price I would pay in Morrisons) or would probably have had time to grab a Starbucks at an even higher price, to juggle as I got onto the train. I have a reputation (more than that - a fatal record) for pouring liquids into equipment and am disinclined to juggle.

Away from the station ...

Yesterday evening ... and I wait (away from the railway) in a vibrant town centre. Modern ordering system - and the option to have it delivered to the table. Good - order placed, number flag picked up, made myself comfortable at table. Young lady brings over tray a few minutes later as I'm tapping away at my laptop, settled in. Drink cup is empty - "oh - you help yourself from the fountain around which is [indicated around corner]". Busy town centre; I really did not feeel like leaving my stuff, nor packing up and carrying it including my meal over to what turns out to be a queue for the soda machine. Again - how is the solo eater supposed to cope, or are we an unwanted customer segment?

The "Big Box" meal WAS that - a big box. Mostly filled with fresh air. But I did enjoy the food. The tub of spiced beans was a challenge; really tasty, but how to eat them? A disposable fork or spoon would have been nice. Wandering up to the counter at the other end of the restaurant would have meant packing up again and carrying - with a now-full cola. Solution / fold the lid of the bean pot and use it like a spoon. Awkard, but probably a better solution that tearing a strip off the box lid and trying to fashion something bean-juice-proof out of that. And - as an aside - when I came to put the "big box" into their recycling bin, it was too big to fit through the slot!