"It is sheer profiteering to strip out the
buffet cars and replace them with trolleys.
Of course, because my intended service had been scrapped, my reservations were no longer valid and chatting-on to strangers in the
buffet car was all of a sudden on the agenda.
But Bob Crow, assistant general secretary of the Railway, Maritime and Transport Union, said: "Unless GWR say otherwise we strongly believe that the
buffet car in Paddington may have been welded together from the wrecked
buffet car at Southall.
"It is frankly ludicrous that East Coast, who are introducing the same trains, have given us the assurances we are seeking but First Great Western have ignored us and are crashing ahead with the ripping out of
buffet cars and the threat to safety-critical station and train staff purely to maximise the profits from new trains bought for them by the British taxpayer."
In a previous episode, the PM nipped to a train's
buffet car but left his red box, full of official papers, on a table.
Euros Childs @ Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff (Saturday) [bar] SOMEONE here at Seven Days once stood behind Euros Childs in the
buffet car queue of a Swansea-to-Paddington inter-city train while eating a pork pie.
The abolition of the
buffet car may be lamented but, on the whole, tomorrow's changes really should make for a much better railway.
There are three classes to choose from: Standard Class includes a reserved seat at a table for four First Class includes morning coffee & Danish Pastries, tea & biscuits in the afternoon Premier Dining includes full English breakfast, light lunch & four course dinner
Buffet car available serving light refreshments Tables of two guaranteed for a supplement of pounds 15pp (subject to availability) BOOK ON LINE AT www.railwaytouring.co.uk
It ends with the Native American chief disguised as a
buffet car waiter moving up the carriage with the slogan: "Man who go on big train have big idea."
The four men who died were sitting in the
buffet car which twisted sideways and smashed into a stanchion holding the overhead wiring.
"We'll no doubt be raiding the
buffet car," laughs Sean, who performs at the festival on Sunday.
The train driver suffered shock, and a member of the
buffet car staff was treated for a minor neck injury.