What would happen if someone illicitly sold refreshments on board a train?

[algytaylor]

The Settle Carlisle Development Company provides a trolley service on daily timetabled Northern services and has done so for a number of years. AFAIK this is the only example of catering not provided by the train companies. If the rumours about on-train catering being withdrawn are correct, you would think there would be opportunities for others to step in, particularly on routes attracting large numbers of leisure travellers, but you can't just turn up on the train and sell stuff!

The marvellous Kelsam, at Llandrindod station, also provides a trolley service between Llan'dod and Llanwrtyd.

 

[D6130]

Platform trolleys were a feature of many major stations, certainly well into the 1960s.

Officially licensed trolleys were a feature of many large Italian stations until the late 1980s/early 1990s....but they were made redundant by the inroduction of air-conditioned stock without opening windows. Amongst other things they sold packed lunches, with water and wine, in paper bags.

 

[algytaylor]

With apps and the like, could it be possible if you knew the stations that your service was stopping at, to order in advance from either that station's cafe (where gated) or some deliveroo service where not gated to meet your train and hand over your food and drinks?

So their profit is the amount they charge for "delivery"? How "legal" would it be for a company outside the railways to offer that service? An example would be that excellent chippy at Arnside bringing your order to the train - win win all-round (apart from the other pax having to drool over the aroma of fish and chips)?!

As it happens, I'd wondered similar myself - there might be a market for a phone app-type thing where you order food to be delivered to a specific train (maybe only covering cafes etc that are on the station already), and the guard/trolley person hands them out to the relevant seat.

 

[TheSeeker]

where you order food to be delivered to a specific train

Didn't Portillio do something like this? Or maybe it was an indian restaurant at one of the stations on the line.

 

[Howardh]

As it happens, I'd wondered similar myself - there might be a market for a phone app-type thing where you order food to be delivered to a specific train (maybe only covering cafes etc that are on the station already), and the guard/trolley person hands them out to the relevant seat.

If certain key stations were part of the scheme, can't see why it wouldn't work as long as the train shows up. There wouldn't be a need for extra Infrastructure, just a cafe on the station willing to take orders and pass them on to the guard, who can then let pax come to him/her to collect.

Could be a nice little financial boost for them!

 

[Bartsimho]

If certain key stations were part of the scheme, can't see why it wouldn't work as long as the train shows up. There wouldn't be a need for extra Infrastructure, just a cafe on the station willing to take orders and pass them on to the guard, who can then let pax come to him/her to collect.

Could be a nice little financial boost for them!

This sort of only works with non-ticket barriered although if it is station Café staff they could have a card to let them through the gate line.
All of the London Terminii would need to be included as well as all well served stations so it might be odd if they have a queue (although you could give an option so they can stop accepting orders)

 

[Howardh]

This sort of only works with non-ticket barriered although if it is station Café staff they could have a card to let them through the gate line.
All of the London Terminii would need to be included as well as all well served stations so it might be odd if they have a queue (although you could give an option so they can stop accepting orders)

I was thinking only of cafes within the station itself so no need to worry about gates. Don't think there's any need to involve London stations, although East Croydon (if memory serves) does have a cafe and could service Thameslink trains, some travel from Cambridge to the south coast with no catering whatsoever.

But the extension would be to allow deliveries from outside a selection of gated stations where no station cafe exists (or is closed) in which case a card/pass would solve the problem. How they would be distributed I've no idea, but I suppose cafes with delivery close to those stations could bid for the franchise/rights and "buy" the pass off the station operators.

I think it would work but requires a trial, one using station cafes and one using outside agencies. Also whether it would be safe to deliver hot drinks, or whether alcohol could be purchased. Adds that it would be impractical on packed trains where the door is difficult to access, let alone a seat!

But I'll return to my original plea - vending machines on "long distance" trains that have no catering, would solve the situation perfectly and no need for deliveries!

 

[Bartsimho]

I was thinking only of cafes within the station itself so no need to worry about gates. Don't think there's any need to involve London stations, although East Croydon (if memory serves) does have a cafe and could service Thameslink trains, some travel from Cambridge to the south coast with no catering whatsoever.

But the extension would be to allow deliveries from outside a selection of gated stations where no station cafe exists (or is closed) in which case a card/pass would solve the problem. How they would be distributed I've no idea, but I suppose cafes with delivery close to those stations could bid for the franchise/rights and "buy" the pass off the station operators.

I think it would work but requires a trial, one using station cafes and one using outside agencies. Also whether it would be safe to deliver hot drinks, or whether alcohol could be purchased. Adds that it would be impractical on packed trains where the door is difficult to access, let alone a seat!

But I'll return to my original plea - vending machines on "long distance" trains that have no catering, would solve the situation perfectly and no need for deliveries!

I was thinking that there are stations with ticket barriers but the station café is outside of the barriers

 

[rapmastaj]

On the Trans-Siberian, with long waits scheduled at numerous stations, local pensioners would pop on board to sell punnets of soft fruit from their gardens - very tasty!

Similarly, on most long distance coaches in developing countries, you can buy snacks through the windows when waiting at bus stations. It makes the journey far more enjoyable.