I am going to be severely tempted over the next 4 months!

 
Now if you want decent catering...

https://jidelnivozy.cz/menu/index.html

There is a slightly different menu for the conventional loco hauled trains which has an excellent roasted ham with 3 or 4 fried eggs on top and some bread to soak up the yolk with, 119 kč or a tad over £4.

I try not to eat out too often.

Recommended 2 course dinner is the guláš polévka with the veal, gorgeous! To drink there's a craft beer from Chroust brewery, proper Bud or draught Pilsner Urquell. And if in first class, all done from your seat, the first class host regularly walks through the coach.

 

Good answer!  As it's Sunday I will put one on the BBQ for you and leave it there till a GWR train comes along - should be cinders by then!!!)   

 
As said in the comments a great chef will cook a steak well done even if he dies a little inside.
Prefer ours well done (to potentially get banned by TG for saying such things on a public forum) 

 


Worth noting;

"GWR had booked me on the Pullman Dining train back to London. Tickets for both trips were provided by GWR for review purposes".

.............and anyone who asks for a fillet steak "well done", should be ejected from the establishment in question immediately, whether restaurant or train! 

 
Yesterday I posted in the Night Riviera thread a review of the service on frequent flyer site Head For Points (which sometimes covers other modes of transport), today they've posted one of Pullman Dining on a journey from Plymouth to Paddington:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/13/review-gwr-pullman-dining/

 
These days the tanks are filled at a depot but the same risks apply.

In my opinion the bigger problem is - would you want an open vessel containing a litre or more of liquid open on a moving train?   

There is also the issue that space is at a premium on the single tables and a jug would probably take up more room than a bottle, glass or plastic. 

 

In most cases I agree, I keep a supply of bottled water for emergencies but almost always drink tap water at home or when out and about.
However trains are different. The "tap water" on a train is from a storage tank that is filled via a hose from the mains water supply at the station. There is a slight risk of contamination from the tank or the hose. I would be reluctant to drink such water, unless in an emergency.

Back in BR days, drinking water in catering vehicles was sterilised by means of an ultraviolet lamp. A small spy hole in the sterilising unit allowed visual confirmation that the lamp was lit.

 
Changing to a plastic bottle seems an odd move in these environmentally-conscious times.  Tap water in a jug is simple enough, tastes just as good and the jug is reusable.

 
Could in my view be summarised as "not bad, but not as good as it used to be"
But at least it has not been withdrawn.

 
For various reasons I haven't travelled on the GWR Pullman for over a year but had the opportunity to put that right yesterday.

While the food is still excellent, some of the "polish" has gone.

There used to be three menus which rotated - now there is just the one which runs for a few months.

The food arrives already plated rather than silver service.

The individual small jars of mustards have been replaced with sachets - and only of english mustard.

Pre-dinner Gin and Tonic now comes ready mixed but is served with ice and lemon.

Complimentary water now in a plastic bottle rather than a fullsize glass one.

After dinner coffee now brought to the table in individual pots rather than poured to the cup.

However the overall bill is likely to be cheaper.   Two courses are £37 and three £44.   There is a £15 supplement for steak.   Looking back in this thread, a menu from 2017 showed an average three course meal (not steak) costing £47.

Obligatory pictures from yesterday



Pressed Ham Hock



6oz Fillet steak

(normallu served with green beans and dauphinoise potatoes)

..and yes there is still port.

 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002142q will find this on BBC Sounds

 
Just caught the start of an article on BBC Radio 4's Food Program (Friday,11am) about catering on trains and stations, both in the UK and abroad.  It's the first thing on the show so it's not difficult to find.  Some interesting information including an interview with a chap from the ORR.

 
Former Strategic Rail Authority and National Express Group chief executive, Richard Bowker, has recently sampled GWR's Pullman Dining service. YouTube vlog of his experience:

https://youtu.be/6fHub4_Vkb0?si=Mv7JGeMj1g7OS8vf

 

Or two small ports versus one large one.  (There's a joke there somewhere about ships and harbours - is Felixstowe a large port?)

 

This is why I always ask for my pizza to be cut into six pieces. I couldn't manage eight.

 
Two steaks seems excessive, in a way that a single larger steak of the same total weight does not.

 

I prefer mine medium rare!   

 
I have seen someone do that! 

 

You could always have two? 

 
Sorry, I should have said the supplement is indeed £15. 

Apparently the steak is one of the most popular main courses. Presumably that’s why it features on every menu.

 
I rarely order a steak in a restaurant as whilst I find them tasty, I also find them a bit boring.  So, I’d save my pennies (if it’s £15 extra that’s a lot!) and go for one of the other options which are reasonably priced given the unique experience.

 
£15 is in my view a reasonable supplement for a small steak, though I would prefer a larger steak for a larger supplement. 

 

£15 I believe.

 
So what is the supplement?

 

It's certainly a big supplement for a small steak!

 
I might consider a 5 ounce fillet steak to be rather inadequate, but still a lot better than no steak.

 

I travelled to the South West on Friday and there were 11 of us dining on the lunchtime service.

It has been a while since I had a meal on board and the menu is slightly different to the sample one shown on the website.

Starter was a very nice crab & haddock salad with a lemon mayonnaise



Other choices were a lentil and paprika soup, a Singapore chicken satay salad or chargrilled artichoke and sweet potato.

As I have got older I have found my appetite getting smaller so a five ounce fillet steak suits me well but may not be sufficient for all.



Other choices were quinoa stuffed pepper, saffron haddock or roasted chicken supreme

I will always go for cheese and biscuits when it is available in a restaurant but there was also a rich chocolate torte or bread and butter pudding available.



As mentioned higher up this thread the meals are now priced per the number of courses (£32.50 for two or £37.50 for three) although there is a premium for the steak.  As this thread (and my waist) will attest my bills in the Pullman since the change came in have been reduced despite rampant inflation.  Agreed the service has changed in that there is no silver service with the main course; it arrives already plated but the food is till excellent.

,,and of course there are the everchanging views

 
Hitachi own the trains. They may not want the kitchens changed/removed

 
One of the alleged merits of the IETs was that every train has a full kitchen, and that there was therefore no question of Pullman cancellations due too "wrong sort of train"
And of course hot food in cattle class from the wonderfully improved trolley service.

The hot food has sunk without trace, and plenty of other reasons found to cancel Pullmans.

Time to build some proper intercity trains for long distance services and then use the wretched IETs on secondary services and outer suburban routes for which they are more suited.

 
I did the 16.15 PZ - PAD throughout the other day and did the Pullman Dining between Plymouth and Paddington and great it was to. Unfortunately only seven people were dining which isn't much for a crew of 3/4? I'm also fairly surprised they don't have dedicated sets for the Pullman services as for only six services - two from and to the West Country and one to and from South Wales, there must be an awful lot of unused kitchens on IETs? Some of those kitchens could possibly be used for other things (luggage, buffet car (if you move things around))? I do take the point that if you start taking out kitchens completely on IETs then that means that hot food for trolleys (as originally proposed) will then probably never be a reality on those particular sets.

 

I recently used easyJet Holidays for a weeks break in Crete and they were advising in advance that they may not be able to provide hot food in flight. So our solution was sandwiches at Boots Gatwick (There was a massive queue to get into Wetherspoons) & a steak and chips meal at our resort before the flight home.

Crisps, snacks & coffee were available plus obviously the Duty Free trolley which I have absolutely no interest in.

 
Bit disappointing that they've decided to cancel the Pullman dining car tomorrow (Friday 29 July), even though no union is actually on strike that day. Doesn't bode well for Friday 19th August, when I was contemplating making a booking for, with the RMT getting their braziers out on the days either side.

 
That’ll be the wine talking then. 

 

I have absolutely no idea what bobm is on about.

 
And a very nice treat it was.  Thank you.

Probably best I don’t mention we had half a bottle of wine left over which is currently being swigged on an SWR service towards Yeovil. 

 
Today, bobm and I partook of a GWR Pullman meal between Paddington and Devon. By my reckoning it was the first time in nearly three years I've had the pleasure of fine dining with GWR.

There have been some changes. The menu is these days what one would call, "Table d'Hote". Fixed price for 2 (£30) or 3 (£35) courses. 3 or 4 choices per course, with a £15  supplement for fillet steak, although that option wasn't available to us today.

Bob and I both chose Terrine of Confit Duck & Chicken with Apple & Celeriac Remoulade for starter. To follow, Bob had the Thai Green Curry and I went for Herb Crusted Haddock with Leek, Potato and Tenderstem Broccoli.

Cheese and Biscuits for Bob and a devine Chocolate & Whisky Tiramisu for me.

All washed down with an agreeable couple of bottles of Chenin Blanc, G&Ts and Port.

I happened to mention to the crew that the reason for the Pullman meal was a belated birthday treat for Bob from me. Cue the embarrassing (for Bob) "Happy Birthday" salutation from the Pullman crew, including chef, along with a complimentary Tiramisu and free Port top up for him.

Excellent food, faultless service. Still truly one of the best ways to enjoy travelling by train. If you can find the time, excuse, and money, to dine on a GWR Pullman service then do it.








And finally. The birthday boy with his 'cake'. No lockdown rules broken. No resignation needed. (Belated) Happy Birthday Bob. Goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway - A true friend. One in a million.

 
A whole bottle sounds a bit excessive for one person but could be more reasonable for a party.
Pity that I travel less these days, largely due to the new trains.

 
There is a new Pullman menu on line.

https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/menus/pullman-set-menu-spring-summer-2022.pdf?la=en

Although not mentioned above, the website says sirloin steak is now available on all evening services for a supplement of £10.

Someone will also notice they now sell port by the bottle!

 
It isn't just GWR - I recently survived a 4-hour flight to Cyprus without catering of any kind. It was worse on the way home - they had some, but far from good. In fact, not even edible. Refund, apology, free drink followed.

 
No catering at all according to the “Guard” on my train down from Hereford to Paddington. Odd given I saw people with what looked like GWR supplied hot drinks in 1st and annoying because I might not have paid for Weekend 1st had I known. It’s not mentioned on GWR Journey Check either.

 

Live testing now taking place.

 
I dont know much about how the S Wales Pullman crews work, but from long years of experience of the Plymouth /Penzance restaurant car service, they only take orders up from Paddington and Reading, have always tried to finish service by Taunton, clear tables by Exeter and have a sit down with all packed up by Taunton. Always Plymouth crews, so thats where they leave. So I cant imagine practice on the Wales services would be much different, hence the early finish.

 

Perhaps on the 18:48, there was time for the crew to tidy down and vacate the kitchen in Swansea before the train returned to London, but now with a much shorter stop in Swansea (on to Llanelli etc), they have a shorter time to get clear?

 
Very strange, seeing as the 1748 is the Red Dragon to Carmarthen. In terms of time, they could even do last orders at Cardiff.

 

This is now confirmed on the May timetable available in the GWR website - 12:23 ex-Swansea and 17:48 from Paddington.  However on the return, dining is only available for those joining at Paddington and Reading.  Previously it included Swindon too.

 

That puzzled me as an older child. I knew what contraceptives were but was unfamiliar with the term "and anything for the weekend" and wondered what was meant by this term.

 

And the barber used to ask if I wanted anything for the weekend, rather than if I wanted my earholes trimmed.

 
Both had fewer customers too....

 

That's still the case in my experience, but then again Wetherspoons is not a better class of public house.

 
In the good old days, the better class public house offered table service, at least in the lounge bar, or a prompt and efficient counter service in the saloon bar or public bar. This worked well without any electronics.

Long distance trains had a buffet with a prompt and efficient counter service for second or third class, and usually table service in first class. This also worked well without any electronics.

 

Or make the same cock-up I did of connecting to the Cloud whilst ordering. Result: ordered two rounds of drinks, once on mobile data, once on Wifi.

 

Best to order again before starting the first.

 

At one Wetherspoons that I used to frequent, I waited ages for my order and went to the bar to ask why it was taking so long. Turns out they had brought my meal out but the occupants of the other table with the SAME number had turned it away!
On the plus side, I have often waited less than two minutes from ordering via the app before the drink arrives at my table. But not on Thu, Fri, Sat nights when the wait times are considerably longer.

 

If it depends on the on-train WiFi, that could mean an upgrade in the service, possible to as high as "actually working". I'm therefore all for it. A slight reservation - I have been amused more than once by users of the Wetherspoon app demanding to know where their indifferent meal is, only to find they ordered it for the wrong pub. I can't wait to see someone being told "Sorry sir, but your sandwich and cup of tea are on the 1638 to Plymouth".

 
Yeah, that's what the staff told me. Also an hour earlier on the eastbound (so more lunchtimey from Wales).

 
The app was talked about in post #1576 and prior to that as well.  Originally hoped to be up and running last Spring.  Don’t think it’s been live trialled yet but looks like it’s still going to happen from what Bob has heard.

 
I don't know anymore.  It was only mentioned in passing in a presentation.

 

Was not something similar trialed a while ago ? With the expected result that it was not worthwhile.

What goods will be available ? Same as from the trolley ? or will something more be offered such as hot food.

 

About a year later than expected, but good news that it’s still in development.

 
I was told at a meeting last week that GWR are in the closing stages of developing an app to provide at an seat buffet service in standard class on IET services.

 
So no actual improvement in Pullman provision, but at least no reduction.

 
From May according to posters over on RailForums.  Thought only instead of the 18:48 rather than an additional service.

 
Elsewhere on these forums a respected member states that the "1748 to Carmarthen is going to have a Pullman shortly"

Sounds good, is this confirmed or only a possibility ?

 
If my employer books a train ticket, it can be collected with any credit or debit card, so maybe PayPal is the same?

 
I remember seeing a thorough discussion on another forum a few years ago about exactly what card may be sufficient when collecting from a TVM.  My imperfect recollection is that different networks TVMs vary in what they allow, and some are happy to accept pretty much any card - the reasoning being that the TVM just wants to have some sort of record of who collected the ticket.  Of course in every case you need the ticket reference.

 
Drifting away from catering a bit.  The GWR app allows you to pay for tickets via PayPal - I am not sure what card the TVM expects in those circumstances.

 

A very generous gesture! (you of course appreciate that you are paying for the "free" drinks etc within the higher ticket price!)

I normally collect tickets from the machine at Taplow station and they are generally available pretty much straightaway after booking, and yes in those circumstances you need the card with which they were purchased and the reference number.

 
We've just booked a 1st class ticket from Penzance to Paddington for one of our 'children', a Friday in mid April.
Said 'child' opted to collect the ticket at Penzance ticket office - when might that be available please?
Could we collect it, or would we need to produce the card the ticket was booked on as proof?
Any ideas to what the current state of free drinks and nibbles might be?

Opted for 1st class in the hope it might be marginally less crowded than cattle class - of course, that depends on whether it's a 5 car throughout with 1st being declassified!

 
The Mail's take on the GWR Pullman service

 
You always were first class.

 

I used to sit in the carriage right next to the restaurant, and enjoy free coffee, croissants, pastries etc.

 
And standard class ticket holders could use the restaurant for breakfast, or other meals subject to availability of space. This is still the case.

 
There was certainly Pullman breakfast on the 07:30 from Paddington to Penzance via Bristol in the late 1980s/early 1990s. 

 
Does anyone recall: what was the catering provision on the Paddington to Bristol route around 1990? Not thinking pullman - just the everyday trains.

I can remember travelling in the morning peak but on the return half of a standard class ticket around then (if I remember correctly, peak restrictions on off-peak trains then only applied to the outward journey) - and I think the restaurant carriage served breakfast to standard class ticket holders if there was room - which there was - so, breakfast it was.

After I sat down in the bay of four, a couple joined me who were travelling from Essex to Bristol last minute, were unfamiliar with train travel, and had paid something that in those days sounded spectacular for a pair of  Essex - Bristol first class single tickets. They were pleased to get a meal out of it too though.

Then... speaking of first world problems, while the breakfast was lovely, the sausages were a bit basic, so I later wrote to BR, who agreed, and responded that they'd already changed their supplier to up their quality.

Mark

 

........that may also be due to a nostalgic festive over indulgence in Port? 

 
Thanks for that update, not as bad as I thought.

 
My waistline is probably more in the know! 

It is the six - for the record from the GWR website



I must admit, with everything else going on, getting a silver service meal on a train is not top of my list at the moment.  In any event the Pullmans will finish after the 22nd December and resume on the 5th January 2022.

 
Looks like the same six daily ones that have been running post-Covid restrictions as detailed earlier in the thread?  At least, that’s what the GWR website says.  BobM is our man in the know…?

 

So how many Pullmans are running under the new timetable ?

 

Then I guess we can excuse you for getting muddled up in your post of late last night.

 

I now travel much less by train than back in the good old days. Mainly due to the nasty new trains.

 

The good old days indeed. Buffets on most Brighton services, a full restaurant on some, modernised over the years to the present position of nothing.

 
There has been talk among the staff that the 18:04 may return in May - but that was before the latest increase in virus cases.

I suspect what we won't see, certainly for a long time, is the Breakfast ones coming back.

 

Some trains to Brighton used to be the full Pullman thing.  The Brighton Belle was a joyous thing to behold and travel aboard.  Although, you did sometimes wonder how the rattly old darling used to hold together and stay on the road

 

Broadgage is on every one! 

 

Err, there are six per day.

 

The 18:04 hadn't been reinstated following the Covid situation, had it?

 
If I have understood correctly, Pullman dining on the 18-04 from Paddington has been withdrawn. Only a single Pullman now.
Most regrettable.

At an earlier meet the manager on line session, GWR stated that they "were very proud of the service" but as I observed that is is not the same as saying "it will continue"

 
I do not believe that any TOC takes trolley provision seriously, a trolley is more regarded as an interim step between a proper buffet, and the long term aim of nothing.

I can remember buffets on Waterloo services, then replaced by a trolley and now by nothing.

Trains to Brighton used to have buffets, then a trolley, and now nothing.

 

Yes I know, except she's travelled to a fair few developing countries in her career and travelled by train within them. She's had what she considered to be decent freshly ground coffee on a train in a fair few of those. It staggers her that we went so backwards in the name of progress in what's offered on a train to the South West. It has gone from freshly ground Americano, Cappuccino, Cafe Latte & Espresso to "bloody instant". It's to do with the volatile oils that are released when the beans are ground that are lost not long after grinding or something like that.

 
Indeed the lack of decent coffee, or any other proper catering could be described as a first world problem.
However the UK is still a first world nation, in which one might reasonably expect that trains would have buffets, and also padded seats, and suitable stowage for cycles, surfboards and holiday luggage. One might even hope for full length trains.

 

A strong contender for First World problem of the year! :-)

 

The exact wording was http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15945.msg179136#msg179136


I was willing to give it the benefit of doubt and wait and see what appeared on the new trains. I did have my doubts that there would be any difference between the new ones and the trolley on a Thames Turbo but waited to see. The ones I saw on Google were vastly more improved and even had a proper coffee machine on them which boded well. Low and behold they were almost exactly the same when they turned up onboard. I don't like the idea that we were misled and the service has been reduced to a fraction of what it was. I accept that there needs to be more capacity on services and therefore the buffet had to go. Personally speaking I couldn't care less whether it's a static/moving trolley or a buffet except for the fact that there's now no hot food outside of a Pullman service. There's probably little appetite to bother given the current pandemic situation. As happened recently I finished work late and made it to Paddington with just enough time to board. As I hadn't eaten for most of the day most disappointed to find that there was nothing I could eat off the trolley outside of snack food such as chocolate bars and crisps. There was an explanation given about issues with supply at Paddington, or that the incoming train had been late and it hadn't been restocked (can't remember). Either of those could have happened to a buffet too. Though even if the trolley is fully stocked it's got less of a range than the buffet used to.

My friend who has a caffeine addiction/is a coffee snob seriously dislikes instant with a passion. She says it's criminal that they were able to do away with the coffee machines that used to be on the HST. She wants to know why the coffee couldn't be done with a Nespresso/coffee machine plugged in to a power socket on the trolley.  A trip down to the South West is not pleasant for her and she finds 3,4,5 hours without an espresso hell on earth. She knows it's an addiction and she's fine with that, just not with the inability to get a decent coffee. She has been known to get off the train and get a coffee then get back on the next service going to the same place. 

 
Very impressive, but surely a trolley would be so much better better, a survey showed this to be the case. A static trolley would presumably be better still.

More seriously, I do wonder it is always that blue ? The effect is almost certainly obtained from LED light tape which is often multi colour.

 

That's some blue!  Nurse, my shades 

 
Broadgage will be drooling!

 
Are you missing HST buffets? 

Here's a 'new' one. On the Midland Pullman HST set.



And... cue broadgage. 

 
Whether it is the main reason for the change I don't know but GWR did state there had been some time-keeping issues with coupling and splitting at Plymouth.  We have also seen reports of high passenger numbers so additional capacity would be sensible.

 

When the IETs were being introduced, I stated that a pair of 5 car units were not suitable for Pullman dining for various reasons, and at the time IET supporters said that 9 car units would "presumably be used" for Pullman services and suggested that my talk of 5 car units was unduly negative.

Then 5 car units became the norm, due it was reported to Penzance depot being unable to accept full length trains.

Yet now we ARE getting 9 cars to Cornwall. A belated positive move, but what has changed ?