End of catering on SWR

[RPI]

That is incorrect (in bold). The number of pax travelling from east of Exeter (from Feniton onwards) to SE destinations. is considerable. That's why the catering trolleys are based at Axminster.

I wouldn't say its considerable, still a hell of a lot from Honiton travel in to Exeter to travel to Paddington, I travel from Honiton to Exeter most days and return, very few people with luggage board heading East, at work I regularly see Honiton to London Terminals on my Paddington trains (as anywhere Pinhoe to Honiton can be "Any Permitted")

 

[dk1]

Catering temporarily withdrawn again on Greater Anglia Norwich services from tomorrow.

 

[Mike Machin]

Just thinking back to when I was travelling home from university most evenings in the late 1970s. I used to regularly take the 18.38 Waterloo service from Southampton Central to Basingstoke, and would often enjoy a coffee and hot snack in the buffet car, which I think was possibly an RMB in the 4-REP units? Someone more knowledgeable than me will know.

Anyway, as the train pulled in, one could see the beautiful polished cutlery, starched white tablecloths and menus propped invitingly against the windows of the adjoining motor open second, which was used as a restaurant car. Sometimes the chef would be leaning from the window, taking a breather and enjoying the fresh air.

Once on board, the coffee and hot snack in the buffet was always an enjoyable way to end the day, and the bar would be busy, functioning as a mobile pub for business travellers going back up to ‘the smoke’.

Very different times indeed!

 

[Butts]

Just thinking back to when I was travelling home from university most evenings in the late 1970s. I used to regularly take the 18.38 Waterloo service from Southampton Central to Basingstoke, and would often enjoy a coffee and hot snack in the buffet car, which I think was possibly an RMB in the 4-REP units? Someone more knowledgeable than me will know.

Anyway, as the train pulled in, one could see the beautiful polished cutlery, starched white tablecloths and menus propped invitingly against the windows of the adjoining motor open second, which was used as a restaurant car. Sometimes the chef would be leaning from the window, taking a breather and enjoying the fresh air.

Once on board, the coffee and hot snack in the buffet was always an enjoyable way to end the day, and the bar would be busy, functioning as a mobile pub for business travellers going back up to ‘the smoke’.

Very different times indeed!

They could even have a smoke going back up 'the smoke' to go with the drink.

 

[Colin1501]

Just thinking back to when I was travelling home from university most evenings in the late 1970s. I used to regularly take the 18.38 Waterloo service from Southampton Central to Basingstoke, and would often enjoy a coffee and hot snack in the buffet car, which I think was possibly an RMB in the 4-REP units? Someone more knowledgeable than me will know.

Anyway, as the train pulled in, one could see the beautiful polished cutlery, starched white tablecloths and menus propped invitingly against the windows of the adjoining motor open second, which was used as a restaurant car. Sometimes the chef would be leaning from the window, taking a breather and enjoying the fresh air.

Once on board, the coffee and hot snack in the buffet was always an enjoyable way to end the day, and the bar would be busy, functioning as a mobile pub for business travellers going back up to ‘the smoke’.

Very different times indeed!

The buffet cars on the original 1967 4-REPs were converted from RB vehicles. The conversion work involved removal of the pantry to create a much larger bar area, and in addition, the staff compartment and staff toilet at the end of the vehicle were converted to form two passenger toilets. The kitchen was retained, and as you say, full meal service was provided into the adjacent DMSO, which had tables fitted in the four bays at the inner end.

In the later (1974) batch of 4-REPs, the 'donor' vehicles were RUs. As originally built, these had no buffet counters at all, so the conversion work was more extensive than on the earlier units, but the end result was almost identical.

 

[route101]

Learnt something new, there was Meal service in the third rail land!

 

[Essexman]

Learnt something new, there was Meal service in the third rail land!

The first time I ate in a restaurant car was between Southampton and London. It was 1967, I was 6 and my father and I had been round the Queen Mary before it sailed to the USA for the final time. We had afternoon tea on the train.