What would YOU do with the rail network?

[Kameron]

A soon as people saw those lovely little puffers coming down the track, resplendent in shining copper and Brunswick Green, they'd welcome my new steam vision!

So the Greens will Lynch you as well? Just after the people who like trains that travelling at 120mph do it.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

doesn't this already happen on most of the long distance routes?

In first class on virgin you even get free wine don't you?

he is talking about a couple of bottle of red......

how long are you planning your rail journey for, cobbles? is that some kind luxurious overnight train? will the staff have to deal with a drunken passenger?

anyway this would entail the return of the restaurant car. is there a market for that?

 

[Cobbles]

doesn't this already happen on most of the long distance routes?

In first class on virgin you even get free wine don't you?

You have to work really hard to get a train with a proper kitchen restaurant car - a month ago acolleague and I had to give up on 2 trains to Leeds from Kings X before we found a third (a really old knackered GNER job with tatty brown velour seats) with a restaurant car.

I've only ever once been on a non-Voyager Virgin train so I can't vouch for the restaurant facilities. As far as I was aware,it's just an airline tray job.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

Businesses manage to continue to operate their core functions whilst cutting overheads - why can't Government do the same? The Gershon review has come and gone but there's no sign of any reduced running costs and therefore reduced tax bills.

shows how little you know at the moment the dti the envrioment misitry and the home office are allunder incredable unparalled review with the home office being cleaved down the middle today and the dti going (prolly before the next election) and the enviroment and ofgin offices picking up the remains...

so acutally our talking bollocks...

 

[Cobbles]

he is talking about a couple of bottle of red......

how long are you planning your rail journey for, cobbles? is that some kind luxurious overnight train? will the staff have to deal with a drunken passenger?

Gentleman's dining rule of thumb - one bottle per person per hour. Anyone who can't handle that should stick to lager.

anyway this would entail the return of the restaurant car. is there a market for that?

If there's a any real urge to encourage folk away from the speed and convenience of air travel than you have to supply something that's at least unique if not better.

If the food on trains is as dire and prepackaged as it is on a comparable flight (e.g. Edin.-Lon. Train= 5 hrs./flight=1hr.), then where's the incentive.

5 hours in aircraft cabin style seating with microwaved food - why not just spend one hour under the same conditions?

5 hours in pleasant spacious surroundings with a 7 course degustation menu designed by a Michelin starred chef with appropriate wines for each course - now that's worth giving up 4 hours for.

 

[teuchter]

I've only ever once been on a non-Voyager Virgin train so I can't vouch for the restaurant facilities. As far as I was aware,it's just an airline tray job.

As far as I know the Pendolinos (London - Glasgow/Birmingham/Manchester/Liverpool) have a proper restaurant car for first class.

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/travelling_with_us/onboard/first_and_club/default.aspx

The Voyagers don't.

But we all know they're rubbish in lots of ways.

 

[teuchter]

comparable flight (e.g. Edin.-Lon. Train= 5 hrs./flight=1hr.),

For the record, this comparison is nonsense as already demonstrated here.

Even by Cobbles' hopelessly optimistic calculation (omitting to include various portions of the journey) here the flight time is at the very least 2hrs 30.

That said, it's quite correct to say that the trains should be looking at sorting out decent dining cars etc. to compete with flying.

 

[Cobbles]

For the record, this comparison is nonsense as already demonstrated here.

Even by Cobbles' hopelessly optimistic calculation (omitting to include various portions of the journey) here the flight time is at the very least 2hrs 30.

That said, it's quite correct to say that the trains should be looking at sorting out decent dining cars etc. to compete with flying.

What we're actually talking about here is the time actually spent ON the train or IN the plane (e.g. 1 hour in an aircraft seat with a tray meal versus 5 hours in the relative salubriousness of a dining car with food prepared to order and served silver service style).

Having said that, nothing on earth would tempt me to spend 9 or 10 hours on a couple of Voyagers from, say, Aberdeen to Bristol when the alternative's an hour's flight. That's just insane.

 

[teuchter]

What we're actually talking about here is the time actually spent ON the train or IN the plane (e.g. 1 hour in an aircraft seat with a tray meal versus 5 hours in the relative salubriousness of a dining car with food prepared to order and served silver service style).

Fair enough. Won't argue with you there. I would certainly go for the latter given the choice.

Having said that, nothing on earth would tempt me to spend 9 or 10 hours on a couple of Voyagers from, say, Aberdeen to Bristol when the alternative's an hour's flight.

Not even 9 or 10 bottles of red wine?

 

[Cobbles]

Not even 9 or 10 bottles of red wine?

No way - the toilets on Voyagers are uniformly disgusting.....

Not even the perfume from recycled Cabernet Sauvignon could damp down the septic tank fug.

 

[davesgcr]

Just came back from Paris in 4 hrs Nord to St Albans - with a 45 min delay Lyon - Paris ,,,,way to go.

Nice meal on Eurostar with 3 small bottles of wine and proper cutlery (fish pie)

Food on TGV "plastic" and worse than anything in Britain.

this after 2 days of storming Marseille to Lyon and Alps on a 1930s train with 2 "beast" steam locos - .....

 

[guinnessdrinker]

I tell you what.

bring your own favourite sarnies and plenty of wine..............and do not attract too much attention as you're reentering saaf london