Well, it's happened - come December all our train services (apart from northern ireland which was never privatised) will be run by European state run rail companies. On the train at the moment and the lass in the buffet car said that they'll be refurbishing the trains and getting rid of it - so no refreshments on a 4 hour plus train journey.
I use the West Coast line regularly and will miss Virgin - best of a bad bunch ☹
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 14/8/2019
I suppose there'll be more seats if there's no buffet car. Maybe they'll keep the trolley service? Or bring your own onboard.
11 carriage train - how long would it take to get down the train with a trolley ? - takes the conductor a couple of hours. I'm up at 5.30am straight out the door to catch the early train - no services at the station either. It's a pain :( and peeps will be losing their jobs
I doubt they will be dropping the buffet car on the Pendelinos, it only takes half a car and it gets used alot.
I could see them dropping them on the Super Voyagers like Cross Country did, but they have said they will be replaced.
Remember on many trains a huge chunk is first class which gets a trolly service already. I suspect refitting one of those to standard would offer a greater capacity increase.
And we were told that the state can't run public transport! We were also told that there would be much less red-tape with privatised companies. Ha ha ha!
As a former B.R. train driver I can tell you that there is 10 times more red-tape now than there ever was. And of course, most of our public transport is state run, just not British state-run. The "profits" from these rail companies, mostly from subsidies, goes to improve European rail systems.
The provision or not of a buffet car is not down to the operator.
GWR inter city services no longer have them because when the DFT drew up the tender for the franchise agreement they decided they were no longer needed.
As someone who suffers Northern services it is obvious the franchise system has been broken for years.
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 14/8/2019
I suppose there'll be more seats if there's no buffet car. Maybe they'll keep the trolley service? Or bring your own onboard.
Definitely bring your own! Gone are the days when I regularly travelled from NE Essex to London and then on to Edinburgh and Inverness. Quite often was moved up to first class on the 1000 ex Kings Cross and twice was put up in the then North British hotel when train arrived too late for last Inverness connection.
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
Just hope First group are a bit quicker with their franchise commitments than they have been with South Western Railway.
Rail industry ticks along with little change for years then they have these mahoosive upgrades that cause disruption for months on end. It's tricky to do, you can't shut it down to do it (a bit like the NHS) and complicated with muliple layers of health & safety, cost effectiveness, risk and welfare all coming together at once. And it's the busiest it's been in years......
Question: With First taking over East Coast adding to SWR, GWR, Hull trains, Transpennine Express & London Trams; when will it be considered a Monopoly?
Quote: Originally posted by Bob61 on 17/8/2019
I once dived off a cliff, swam 300 yards out to sea, clambered on aboard a yacht...and all because the lady loved Milk Tray.
Now I have this picture in my head of you in Speedos! 😳
Quote: Originally posted by Bob61 on 17/8/2019
I once dived off a cliff, swam 300 yards out to sea, clambered on aboard a yacht...and all because the lady loved Milk Tray.
Now I have this picture in my head of you in Speedos! 😳
Would you like me to put your therapist on standby again?
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: West Coast train line
via mobile 14/8/2019 at 6:20pm
