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Great Western Coffee Shop > All across the Great Western territory > Across the West > Great Western Railway: on-board catering, buffets, Travelling Chef, Pullman - ongoing discussion
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Author Topic: Great Western Railway: on-board catering, buffets, Travelling Chef, Pullman - ongoing discussion  (Read 953515 times)
bobm
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« Reply #1755 on: August 28, 2025, 20:28:58 »
The 17:48 from London Paddington to Carmarthen normally has a Pullman service on it.   As a rule this is served in the first class coach at the London end of the train.    This means it is in the five car set which is uncoupled at Swansea and goes to west Wales.

Normally the reservation system doesn't book seats where a Pullman is scheduled to be - but then I have frequently seen the system struggle with the South Wales services.   Frequently it announces "the front portion will detach at Swansea and then call at Llanelli etc" when in reality it means the rear portion.     It gets really confused with the summer service to Pembroke Dock where the train reverses twice!

Looking at tomorrow night's service it seems it has allowed five more reservations than there are spaces in that coach, so I assume they will have to lay-up some tables in the adjoining first class coach.
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Sixty3Closure
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« Reply #1756 on: August 28, 2025, 20:56:46 »
Interesting. I've been a regular 'commuter' on that service and never noticed or heard an announcement for the dining service. Is it relatively new or a summer only service? It's probably something I would have taken advantage of if I knew about it.

Of course having just looked at booking a ticket for next week there's now a pop up for Pullman dining which I haven't seen before.

And yes the reservations on this train a routinely wrong/missing which probably added to my frustration.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #1757 on: August 28, 2025, 21:08:31 »
Probably best not to discuss this within hearing range of member 'broadgage'.  Wink
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William Huskisson MP▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
bobm
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« Reply #1758 on: August 28, 2025, 21:27:57 »
Quote from: Sixty3Closure on August 28, 2025, 20:56:46
Is it relatively new or a summer only service? It's probably something I would have taken advantage of if I knew about it.

I cannot remember exactly when an evening one was introduced but I think it was as restaurant services resumed after the pandemic.  Hitherto there was a breakfast service to London and a brunch service back.
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broadgage
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« Reply #1759 on: August 28, 2025, 23:26:35 »
Quote from: Chris from Nailsea on August 28, 2025, 21:08:31
Probably best not to discuss this within hearing range of member 'broadgage'.  Wink

Not easy to hide it Smiley
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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.
GBM
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« Reply #1760 on: August 29, 2025, 05:39:47 »
The last few days there's been a 'catering reduced' on the two pullman trains.
In fact it's been no pullman service at all!
Catering teams on leave perhaps?
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #1761 on: August 29, 2025, 16:41:12 »
Combination of skool holiday and BBQ season, perhaps?
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William Huskisson MP▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
JayMac
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« Reply #1762 on: August 29, 2025, 18:16:53 »
GWR▸ (Great Western Railway) managers have told front line staff the lack of Pullman dining is down to a "kitchen technical fault". There's been nothing more specific.

@GWRHelp told me the same on Twitter.

To have ALL kitchens unavailable suggests a fleet wide issue. Perhaps (and I'm speculating) a health & safety issue.
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Dalmeny Caterham Shiplake Tonbridge Theale Carlisle Petts Wood
BBM
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« Reply #1763 on: November 21, 2025, 13:58:46 »
Nonstop Eurotrip has just released a video reviewing Pullman dining on a PLY▸ (Plymouth station)-PAD▸ (Paddington (London) station) journey:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFmT4e5qk44
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1st fan
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« Reply #1764 on: June 14, 2026, 18:58:00 »
There’s no water, hot or cold on the 1658 Great Malvern to London Paddington therefore no hot drinks. There isn’t a full catering loaded either so no soft drinks only alcoholic.
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bobm
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« Reply #1765 on: June 14, 2026, 19:26:32 »
The “catering updates” on Journeycheck is rarely used it seems.  However I have seen over the last few weeks a number of times that Great Malvern services have been listed as having no catering at all. 
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1st fan
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« Reply #1766 on: June 14, 2026, 22:47:04 »
Quote from: bobm on June 14, 2026, 19:26:32
The “catering updates” on Journeycheck is rarely used it seems.  However I have seen over the last few weeks a number of times that Great Malvern services have been listed as having no catering at all. 
To be fair the staff on board were excellent and made the best of a bad situation. The 1st steward apologised profusely whenever she made one of her many trips in the two carriages before Oxford. The standard class trolley was static in a vestibule before Oxford. That moved back to the kitchen as we approached the station because an already full 5 car train was about to get very busy.

The train manager was also on the tannoy telling people to keep bags off seats and that they’d be charged a child fare for that seat if they didn’t. When we reached Oxford he pointed out to the boarding passengers that there was a 9 car train starting from there empty in 20mins time. Nobody seemed to take any notice of this and we were apparently full to capacity. At which point he declassified 1st so it was less crowded in standard.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #1767 on: June 14, 2026, 22:53:29 »
Well done to those pragmatic on-train staff.  They are a credit to GWR▸ (Great Western Railway).   Wink
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William Huskisson MP▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #1768 on: June 15, 2026, 00:13:28 »
Quote from: 1st fan on June 14, 2026, 18:58:00
There’s no water, hot or cold on the 1658 Great Malvern to London Paddington therefore no hot drinks. There isn’t a full catering loaded either so no soft drinks only alcoholic.

That's a darned good excuse explanation for me to offer my wife when I get home. Thanks!  Grin
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William Huskisson MP▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
grahame
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« Reply #1769 on: June 15, 2026, 07:54:30 »
Quote from: Chris from Nailsea on June 15, 2026, 00:13:28
Quote from: 1st fan on June 14, 2026, 18:58:00
There’s no water, hot or cold on the 1658 Great Malvern to London Paddington therefore no hot drinks. There isn’t a full catering loaded either so no soft drinks only alcoholic.

That's a darned good excuse explanation for me to offer my wife when I get home. Thanks!  Grin

Time was that drinking water was a health risk - and the drinking of beer was less problematic.
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