Friends of the Rail Forum

I am currently planning a trip to Aberdeen. So I looked up the trains to ascertain which ones had catering facilities, only to find that only ONE has a restaurant service for part of the seven and a quarter hour journey during the working week. NO train has this service on this route on Saturday or Sunday. Do the British people not eat at weekends?
My train of choice that connected nicely with the Eurostar from Bruxelles was the 14.00 from Kings Cross, as it was possible to sit and enjoy a good meal and relax for the journey. No longer possible unless the diet is one of burgers!
Anybody remember those trains that ran non stop to Edinburgh, now long gone according to National Express, and had food available en route, or was it all a dream? Do I have a cause or am I just a grumpy old man?

Malcolm

Indeed I remember some years ago, travelling first class York to Edinburgh seated in the dining car, enjoying a very good 3-course meal (table cloth and table service) and beers (hmmm, no wine: I was much younger then!). I also remember earlier the previous day doing London to Hull, first class, where the only meal option (again with table service) available was hastily-arranged curry and chips (due to the non-arrival of the scheduled inbound train and its catering car).

I contacted the train operator with regards to the catering on trains, and got the response that 'There is no demand for restaurant food by the general public'. It appears that the only interest today is in business travellers and they are down in numbers.
I have therefore decided that I shall take the ICE to Amsterdam and then the ferry to Edinburgh, that way I can eat a proper meal. Oh for the days of the 'Queen of Scots' Pullman, it was worth the 5 shilling supplement.

Malcolm

The fast food culture has taken over the country (the world?), I'm afraid.

What I can say is that the quality of the fast food and snacks on British trains (and stations) has generally improved from the days of the stale BR sandwich which became a legend in its own right. But that's no real consolation to those of us who would like to sit down to a proper meal.

Reading through this post, brought back memories of the Nairobi - Mombasa and Nairobi - Kampala trains with the catering on those. It was a little colonial with the gongs, etc. The food was good and plenty of it for those who could cope with a large menu. Lunch comprised Soup, Tilapia fish course, main course and pudding and coffee. I did notice that no matter where one travelled on the EAR&H in Kenya or Uganda in the early 60s', be it on a train or on a lake steamer, the menu was the same. I do not know what the southern Tanganyika section of the railway was like.

What more could one ask for, good food, a truly fantastic view and a steam loco at the front!

Malcolm

It's probably around 10 years now since I travelled on the Kenya Railways train between Nairobi and Mombasa, but I did the journey quite often in the 1990s, and the food was still remarkably good. The ambience was a bit faded from its former glory, but it was still a great experience - the gongs (more like little xylophones, if I remember rightly), the starched white uniforms, the food served from big serving dishes carried down the car by the waiters. It was usually three courses - soup, then a choice of main course (a vegetable curry was usually offered as an alternative to the meat dish), and dessert. The dessert was often bread and butter pudding, which was devoured by anyone with a British heritage but viewed with some suspicion by American tourists. Breakfast was cereal followed by bacon, egg, sausage and toast. All very nice.

Even on the SS Usoga and MV Sybil the menu was the same. The Sybil I remember provided food for the officers and passengers [up to two] in the captains room Then along came a brand new ship, built for speed around Lake Victoria called MV Victoria. No need to stir your tea or coffee on her as the ship shook so much it did it for you. I also remember the Decca radar unit did not like the vibration. Now I know I am getting old!

Malcolm