Catering now on Glasgow to Carlisle via GSW

[route101]

Took train from Glasgow to Dumfries and was surprised to see a trolley , at first i thought it was a volunteer but it was Scotrail and overhearing him he was based at Carlisle . Appeared to be a few takers

 

[gsnedders]

Took train from Glasgow to Dumfries and was surprised to see a trolley , at first i thought it was a volunteer but it was Scotrail and overhearing him he was based at Carlisle . Appeared to be a few takers

Pretty sure this was a franchise requirement.

 

[route101]

Pretty sure this was a franchise requirement.

I remember someone saying . Not seen any announcement . I think the fast Shotts services would be good for catering .

 

[Macwomble]

Announced on 15 Dec.

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/news/southern-scotland-benefits-new-food-and-drink-service

Friday, 15 December 2017
New on-board food and drink services mean customers in the South of Scotland can now benefit from a warm beverage and a snack during their journey.

The ScotRail Alliance rolled out its at-seat catering service on trains between Dumfries and Carlisle for the first time this week.

Trains throughout the day will offer a menu of predominantly Scottish sourced goods, including:

• Hot drinks
• Light snacks
• Confectionery and cakes
• Soft drinks
• Beer, wine and spirits

Fifteen new hospitality stewards have been hired to support the roll out. The new staff are based at Carlisle and Glasgow Central station.

The introduction of the new food and drink service on the route follows the announcement of an additional 10 new services per day between Dumfries and Carlisle, providing an additional 1,500 extra seats per day to the region – which also came in to operation on Sunday 10 December.

Garry Clark, ScotRail Alliance Head of Customer Experience & Hospitality, said:

“We’re building the best railway this country has ever had – and that applies to all of Scotland.

“The introduction of our new food and drink service in the south is great news for those in the local community who use the railway, and is already proving very popular.

“We are making a major investment in the south of Scotland. Our new catering, the ten extra daily services, and the 1,500 extra seats for customers travelling between Dumfries and Carlisle, show our commitment to the region.

“We will continue to work closely with local communities, businesses and others to make the south of Scotland a great place to visit, work, live and study.”

 

[route101]

Announced on 15 Dec.

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/news/southern-scotland-benefits-new-food-and-drink-service

Interesting , so they have based staff at Glasgow Central too , must been a while since any Scotrail catering at Central .
I wonder if they are doing catering on Dumfries to Carlisle only trains .

 

[AY1975]

I'm guessing that this is the first time in many years, possibly ever, that catering has been provided on the GSW (apart from on longer distance trains diverted that way).

Can anyone remember GSW services ever having catering before, either trolleys or buffet cars?

 

[Bletchleyite]

A "warm beverage"? Refreshing honesty about trolley coffee there

 

[AJP62]

The morning Leeds - Glasgow C and afternoon return were routed that way and conveyed a buffet car, an old Gresley one for many years!

The Thames Clyde Express I think still had a restaurant car when it was last routed that way.

Post West Coast electrification there was a morning Glasgow C - Euston and evening return that served the GSW route with a full West Coast rake that included a restaurant/buffet.

 

[AY1975]

The morning Leeds - Glasgow C and afternoon return were routed that way and conveyed a buffet car, an old Gresley one for many years!

The Thames Clyde Express I think still had a restaurant car when it was last routed that way.

Post West Coast electrification there was a morning Glasgow C - Euston and evening return that served the GSW route with a full West Coast rake that included a restaurant/buffet.

Was there ever any catering on Carlisle-Glasgow locals, though?

 

[Starmill]

None of the trains appear to be displaying the trolley symbol in the timetable.

 

[sarahj]

When the 156's first came along there was a trolley on the services from Newcastle to Stranraer and Girvan. That would be late 80's/early 90's. Lasted a few years.

 

[route101]

I have an old timetable from 1989 that shows catering to Carlisle and Stranraer . I thnk Stranraer still has seat reservations .

 

[Firesprite]

When I came back that way in 87, there was MK1 RMB in the rake.

 

[ScotTrains]

Is there any more details regarding Scotrail catering on the GSW? The press release states it is now available on the Dumfries to Carlisle section. Is it also available on the Glasgow to Dumfries section and will it be on all GSW trains apart from the Barrhead and Kilmarnock shuttles? It would be helpful if the timetable reflected the new catering services.

 

[380101]

I have an old timetable from 1989 that shows catering to Carlisle and Stranraer . I thnk Stranraer still has seat reservations .

No seat reservations available on Stranraer trains these and havent been for a long time now.

 

[AJP62]

Was there ever any catering on Carlisle-Glasgow locals, though?

I don't recall the locals having catering in the diesel era.

 

[route101]

No seat reservations available on Stranraer trains these and havent been for a long time now.

Ok . Im sure when i was on Scotrails website looking at a fares to Stranraer it gave me the option of reserving a seat .

 

[Chrism20]

No seat reservations available on Stranraer trains these and havent been for a long time now.

Somebody should really tell ScotRail to stop allocating them then.

 

[route101]

Somebody should really tell ScotRail to stop allocating them then.

I wonder if there is an actual reservation coupon put out

 

[BlueFox]

I wonder if there is an actual reservation coupon put out

The only time I've been on a Stranraer train (using the free ticket offer the last time the franchise changed hands), there were no reservation coupons when I got on at Glasgow Central. So I sat towards the front of the train, only to be asked to move by a couple who said I was in their reserved seat. There was hardly anyone on the train so I don't know why they bothered asking me to move, unless they thought sitting in their reserved seats was compulsory.

 

[BlueFox]

I'm on the 06:08 from Carlisle. Two members of catering staff on the train, one dispensing the food/drinks, and one taking the money. Slight overkill for a train with four passengers on it, but I imagine it will get busier from Dumfries.

 

[route101]

The only time I've been on a Stranraer train (using the free ticket offer the last time the franchise changed hands), there were no reservation coupons when I got on at Glasgow Central. So I sat towards the front of the train, only to be asked to move by a couple who said I was in their reserved seat. There was hardly anyone on the train so I don't know why they bothered asking me to move, unless they thought sitting in their reserved seats was compulsory.

I think it must be around 2008 when i last seen the labels on the Stranraer route , they put them in the front of the first coach . I think its only really TPE or CS who print the seat labels at Glasgow Central now.

 

[route101]

I'm on the 06:08 from Carlisle. Two members of catering staff on the train, one dispensing the food/drinks, and one taking the money. Slight overkill for a train with four passengers on it, but I imagine it will get busier from Dumfries.

When i took the train to Dumfries from Glasgow it was just one person . I wonder if the Dumfries to Carlisle services have catering .

 

[380101]

I wonder if there is an actual reservation coupon put out

Stranraer has the printer in the office but they never put any out.

 

[route101]

Stranraer has the printer in the office but they never put any out.

Interesting , i think its more an error that the website offers seat reservations than anything .
Speaking of catering surprised the Borders line does not have a trolley.

 

[CJSwan]

I'm on the 06:08 from Carlisle. Two members of catering staff on the train, one dispensing the food/drinks, and one taking the money. Slight overkill for a train with four passengers on it, but I imagine it will get busier from Dumfries.

I'm just wondering if one person was perhaps being trained? That's the only reason I can think of there being two stewards on one service.

 

[Bungle965]

Interesting , i think its more an error that the website offers seat reservations than anything .
Speaking of catering surprised the Borders line does not have a trolley.

I seem to remember there being some sort of MShop type service at Tweedbank however?
I.e shop and ticket office combined into one.
Granted it is not very useful for those who are not boarding or alighting at Tweedbank, but does the journey time really justify the need for catering on them?
Sam

 

[route101]

I seem to remember there being some sort of MShop type service at Tweedbank however?
I.e shop and ticket office combined into one.
Granted it is not very useful for those who are not boarding or alighting at Tweedbank, but does the journey time really justify the need for catering on them?
Sam

Only been to Tweedbank once , never noticed any Scotrail M shops .

 

[Bungle965]

Only been to Tweedbank once , never noticed any Scotrail M shops .

This is what I was referring to. Merseytravel's version of these is the 'MtoGo' while ScotRail's version is simply branded as a Customer Hub.
Sam

 

[route101]

This is what I was referring to. Merseytravel's version of these is the 'MtoGo' while ScotRail's version is simply branded as a Customer Hub.
Sam

I see . Ive never seen any of these customer hubs , maybes its new thing .