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GWR Pullman dining reinstated

alastair

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I'd read in the latest Modern Railways mag. that the intention was to restart Pullman dining, but I have not seen anywhere that it has already restarted, albeit apparently on 2 services only. A member of my family is currently on the 1931 Reading/Plymouth and reports that a full dinner service is available. The prices appear to have been reduced somewhat with a £25 2 course or £30 3 course set menu being offered. The same high standard "proper dining car" type service is unchanged and standard class passengers are welcomed as before.

An interesting development, hope it does well. Pity it can't be a more inspiring train than the IET which, even in first class, is underwhelming!
 
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Horizon22

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It's been back for a week or so now but on a very limited selection of services.
 

Essexman

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Limited menu at the moment but hopefully back to normal before too long.
 

williamn

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This is really excellent news and I'm glad I read it before booking travel to Exeter!
Now if GWR can offer full Pullman dining why can't LNER, Avanti and Caledonian Sleeper now resume their usual food offerings?
 

30907

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This is really excellent news and I'm glad I read it before booking travel to Exeter!
Now if GWR can offer full Pullman dining why can't LNER, Avanti and Caledonian Sleeper now resume their usual food offerings?
One return working per day is a bit different from an all-day offering LNER/Avanti style, to be fair.

The crew member I asked just before Spring Bank thought it was in the pipeline.
 

popeter45

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when pullman dining is back to pre-covid levels i wish they would run a afternoon/evening pullman on one of the swansea services, would 100% aim to travel on such a service where possible
 

AY1975

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Is it restricted to First Class ticket holders or also available to Standard Class passengers provided accommodation is available? The GWR website doesn't appear to say what the company's current policy is.

I seem to recall that at least in HST days GWR/FGW always used to allow SC passengers to dine in its restaurant cars as long as they could be accommodated after all FC passengers who wished to dine had been seated.
 

Fyldeboy

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Is it restricted to First Class ticket holders or also available to Standard Class passengers provided accommodation is available? The GWR website doesn't appear to say what the company's current policy is.

I seem to recall that at least in HST days GWR/FGW always used to allow SC passengers to dine in its restaurant cars as long as they could be accommodated after all FC passengers who wished to dine had been seated.
The same high standard "proper dining car" type service is unchanged and standard class passengers are welcomed as before.
 

Max

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Great news, hopefully they'll be promoting this a bit more soon. Following my move last year, the Welsh breakfast is firmly on my "to do" list once it's back! :D
 

godfreycomplex

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Hmm. If the question is
“Cod loin or duck?”, the answer for many will be a Marks and Sparks sarnie.

Having enjoyed more than excellent GWR Pullman steaks in the past, they need to sort that out ASAP.
I think all but the extremely unimaginative will manage. All of the good M&S sandwiches have duck or fish in them anyway!!

I saw a bit of the Pullman operation in the kitchen in the Before Times and even on breakfast service what we would now know as social distancing was not even remotely possible.

It’s not perfect I know, and believe me I miss Pullman steaks as much as anyone else, but at least they’re having a go. Hopefully it’s not forever.

That being said, it’s nice that GWR is continuing their commitment to being a nostalgia driven brand by bringing Romesco dressing back from 1973, not to mention the mousse based version of a Berni inn Black Forest gateau.
(Still, I’m probably being a snob, I’m sure it’s lovely)
 

Butts

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I think all but the extremely unimaginative will manage. All of the good M&S sandwiches have duck or fish in them anyway!!

I saw a bit of the Pullman operation in the kitchen in the Before Times and even on breakfast service what we would now know as social distancing was not even remotely possible.

It’s not perfect I know, and believe me I miss Pullman steaks as much as anyone else, but at least they’re having a go. Hopefully it’s not forever.

That being said, it’s nice that GWR is continuing their commitment to being a nostalgia driven brand by bringing Romesco dressing back from 1973, not to mention the mousse based version of a Berni inn Black Forest gateau.
(Still, I’m probably being a snob, I’m sure it’s lovely)

My word that's a blast from the past.....

Prawn Cocktail, Steak and Black Forest Gateau anyone.. height of sophistication in the seventies.

Served with a Bottle of Blue Nun or Mateus Rose no doubt.

Hope they can get the Breakfast Services back eventually as they used to be good.
 

godfreycomplex

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My word that's a blast from the past.....

Prawn Cocktail, Steak and Black Forest Gateau anyone.. height of sophistication in the seventies.

Served with a Bottle of Blue Nun or Mateus Rose no doubt.

Hope they can get the Breakfast Services back eventually as they used to be good.
*chef’s kiss*
 

tbwbear

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Doesn't the Modern Railways article hint that they are moving towards the leisure market with this and that Breakfast is not considered a "leisure market" product. Not sure how permanent a plan that is ? Maybe it is just a COVID thing.

I got the impression they are aiming for two return trips - two lunch trains out from Plymouth and two dinner back from Paddington (18XX and 19XX).
 

II

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Doesn't the Modern Railways article hint that they are moving towards the leisure market with this and that Breakfast is not considered a "leisure market" product. Not sure how permanent a plan that is ? Maybe it is just a COVID thing.

I got the impression they are aiming for two return trips - two lunch trains out from Plymouth and two dinner back from Paddington (18XX and 19XX).

Should be six daily services from 12th July, with these two from South Wales joining the two existing ones, and two more on the WoE route.

13.22 – Swansea to Paddington
18.48 – London to Swansea
 

AlterEgo

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Very welcome news indeed. I'm surprised the steak isn't back on the temporary menu - it's always been very popular and easy to prepare, I assume.
 

Private Baxter

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The customer and colleague guide does indeed hint that there will be a lunch time service from Swansea, with return dinner as the above poster has said, which is fantastic news. The 13.04 departure from Paddington, returning from Plymouth at 18.15 is also set to return. However no mention is made of either breakfast service, or the down 'Dutchy' lunch service, or 'Golden Hind' dinner (12.04 and 18.04 departures respectively), as well as the first lunch time train from Plymouth, which is a bit concerning, but I guess time will tell.
 

tbwbear

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if the modern railways article is correct, and breakfast won’t be returning - doesn’t that mean all the WOE lunch and dinner turns have to balance for the crews ? So they work up and down / down and up ?

so if you have the two down dinner trains at 1804 and 1904 you have to have two up lunch trains ( they did before )

but if there is no breakfast, the down lunch train 1304 has to be balanced by the 1815 up dinner and any 1204 lunch would have to be balanced by an extra up dinner

but will they really do 2 lunch and 2 dinner in both directions?
 

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