Train stations in Ireland that used to have "refreshment rooms"?

xband

I think though Irish Rail would want to be careful that they don't just lose all of their unique selling points.

They're not a high speed service and they're not particularly cheap. The things they can sell are all around comfort and convenience.

Things like good on board catering that's properly resourced is important and is largely not there anymore.

Being able to get a breakfast on board would be a huge seller. It could be modernised a bit from the days when it was a big greasy fry up and nothing else, but there should be a much better level of catering.

I bring my own food on board nowadays because what's available is just prepackaged sandwiches or, if you're lucky, a microwave ready meal (and not a very good one either).

Even putting a proper coffee machine in the MK 4 dining cars would be a major improvement.

Del.Monte

xband wrote: »

I think though Irish Rail would want to be careful that they don't just lose all of their unique selling points.

They're not a high speed service and they're not particularly cheap. The things they can sell are all around comfort and convenience.

Things like good on board catering that's properly resourced is important and is largely not there anymore.

Being able to get a breakfast on board would be a huge seller. It could be modernised a bit from the days when it was a big greasy fry up and nothing else, but there should be a much better level of catering.

I bring my own food on board nowadays because what's available is just prepackaged sandwiches or, if you're lucky, a microwave ready meal (and not a very good one either).

Even putting a proper coffee machine in the MK 4 dining cars would be a major improvement.

You're late to the party on this one - CIE/Irish Rail no longer have any unique selling points and as presently operated - no future. As for bringing your own food - this has been going on for decades as CIE catering has been outrageously overpriced for years and the private operator little better.

LXFlyer

Breakfasts are still available on the following trains:

07:00 Cork-Dublin
07:00 Tralee-Dublin
07:00 Dublin-Cork
07:35 Dublin-Belfast
10:35 Belfast-Dublin

Once the Enterprise sets return to service, you can add in:

06:50 Belfast-Dublin
08:00 Belfast-Dublin
09:35 Dublin-Belfast
11:00 Belfast-Dublin

n97 mini

What's the difference between a dining car and a buffet car? IE's website mentions both on this page.

For some reason one seems to be more expensive than the other. E.g. Waterford Blaa with Bacon & Sausage is €4.80 from a buffet car and €5.80 from the dining car.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

xband

At least the MK3 could cook chips and omelettes.

LXFlyer

n97 mini wrote: »

What's the difference between a dining car and a buffet car? IE's website mentions both on this page.

For some reason one seems to be more expensive than the other. E.g. Waterford Blaa with Bacon & Sausage is €4.80 from a buffet car and €5.80 from the dining car.

One is served to you at your seat, the other is at the counter.


Daft and totally unjustifiable price difference.

roundymac

xband wrote: »

At least the MK3 could cook chips and omelettes.

They could also do steak and chip's,,,,, and on a rugby special at that.

GM228

Victor wrote: »

Then how does Raphoe have a licence?

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Under an act of 1902. Presumably it has different critiera and condidions applicable to it.

Gerry Robinson only used a clause in the Licensing Act 1902 to enable him to apply for a licence for Raphoe, the 1902 Act didn't specify any conditions etc, it just made it possible to apply for a licence.

He used this clause:-

2. From and after the passing of this Act, no licence shall be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors, whether for consumption on or off the premises, except—

(1) For premises which are now licensed or which were licensed at any time since the first day of January one thousand nine hundred and two; or

(2) For an hotel, which expression shall refer to a house containing at least ten apartments set apart and used exclusively for the sleeping accommodation of travellers, and having no public bar for the sale of intoxicating liquors; or

(3) For a railway refreshment room.

The Circuit Court issued him with a licence under clause 2(3) after he showed that Raphoe was officially a railway under the definition of the Railway Safety Act.

But he got a Publican's Licence (Ordinary) Railway Refreshment Rooms Licence which is still subject to the 10 mile rule.

My reckoning is the judge failed to realise the 10 mile rule, afterall if I remember correctly the judge believed he/she was the only judge to ever issue such a licence so probably wasn't 100% aware of the conditions.

The Revenue Commissioner issues all such licences with the 10 mile rule.

A list of all the licence types and restrictions is here on the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation website:-

http://www.pointofsinglecontact.ie/starting-a-business-in-ireland/table9.xls

Publican's Licence (Ordinary) Railway Refreshment Rooms Licence

This is a full publicans licence and entitles to sell to all persons at any time for consumption on and off the premises to persons who have travelled or hold tickets entitling them to travel on trains for a distance of not less than 10 miles or persons who have recently travelled or hold tickets for travel by ship.

Whilst the Circuit Court/Revenue have issued the licence it's a matter for the Gardaí to actually enforce it, but all someone has to do I suppose is say they did several runs on the train to cover the 10 miles

magentis

xband wrote: »

The food available on the Cork-Dublin train is pretty poor compared to the previous generation. It actually makes paying for 1st class a bit of a pointless exercise if you can't get a decent meal most of the time.

Its awful!!!
Those sandwiches really are terrible.
Most of the trains to Cork I have traveled on lately only had a trolley service,so even if you would like a beer or two,they would not be very cold:(
I have fond memories of getting the full Irish served to the table in the dining car!
Never to be seen again?

LXFlyer

magentis wrote: »

Its awful!!!
Those sandwiches really are terrible.
Most of the trains to Cork I have traveled on lately only had a trolley service,so even if you would like a beer or two,they would not be very cold:(
I have fond memories of getting the full Irish served to the table in the dining car!
Never to be seen again?

As per post 64 above - full breakfasts are still served on the trains listed.

n97 mini

GM228 wrote: »

Whilst the Circuit Court/Revenue have issued the licence it's a matter for the Gardaí to actually enforce it, but all someone has to do I suppose is say they did several runs on the train to cover the 10 miles

I reckon you're spot on. These are the intricacies of the law. While you may qualify for a licence, the enforcement of the 10 mile rule is not a matter for the courts, but for the gardaí.

I reckon that if you had a 2 mile railway and issued a 5 journey ticket that you'd probably be covered.

n97 mini

magentis wrote: »

Its awful!!!
Those sandwiches really are terrible.
Most of the trains to Cork I have traveled on lately only had a trolley service,so even if you would like a beer or two,they would not be very cold:(
I have fond memories of getting the full Irish served to the table in the dining car!
Never to be seen again?

I used to travel on the Sligo line a lot in the early 1990s. I remember the bar car and you'd always meet people actually drinking at the bar, especially around holidays. And you didn't get rode either. The fare (as in food and drink) wasn't spectacular but it was reasonably priced.

Those are the kind of USPs that differentiated the train from the bus which are sadly lost.

xband

Yeah, basically as I see it now the MK4 is just the bus with bigger toilets and significantly worse ride - your tea comes shaken, not stirred.

The Chieftain

I fondly remember not just the full breakfasts, but the mixed grills on the way home in the evening, served with tea from what I believe were silver teapots and milk jugs...(I seem to recall seeing hallmarks).
Then there was the time I introduced my Japanese girlfriend to Bovril in the Rosslare Harbour (as it then was) refreshment rooms out on the pier...
And don't get me started on the Japanese removing all the wonderful bi-level restaurant cars on the Shinkansens... no more full cooked "Western" breakfasts as you whisk from Tokyo to Fukuoka... At least Amtrak still operate bi-level full restaurant cars where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner for several days in a row on a single journey...

Del.Monte

The Chieftain wrote: »

I fondly remember not just the full breakfasts, but the mixed grills on the way home in the evening, served with tea from what I believe were silver teapots and milk jugs...(I seem to recall seeing hallmarks).
Then there was the time I introduced my Japanese girlfriend to Bovril in the Rosslare Harbour (as it then was) refreshment rooms out on the pier...
And don't get me started on the Japanese removing all the wonderful bi-level restaurant cars on the Shinkansens... no more full cooked "Western" breakfasts as you whisk from Tokyo to Fukuoka... At least Amtrak still operate bi-level full restaurant cars where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner for several days in a row on a single journey...

Memory plays tricks, and unless you were in a time machine the teapots and milk jugs were stainless steel or possibly EPNS.

elastico

roundymac wrote: »

They could also do steak and chip's,,,,, and on a rugby special at that.

My father told me once about how he went to a rugby match in Dublin, train was black, only seats were in first class, himself and his buddies plonked themselves down, next minute yer man came out and started serving wine, beer, full dinner and never asked them about tickets.

The Chieftain

Del.Monte wrote: »

Memory plays tricks, and unless you were in a time machine the teapots and milk jugs were stainless steel or possibly EPNS.

Perhaps I am the time machine. I am talking of the 60's, and the service items were already old.... definitely not stainless steel.
I took trips like Cork to Rosslare on the Express - via Mallow and Dungarvan to Waterford, and played in Manor St. station in Waterford...

roundymac

elastico wrote: »

My father told me once about how he went to a rugby match in Dublin, train was black, only seats were in first class, himself and his buddies plonked themselves down, next minute yer man came out and started serving wine, beer, full dinner and never asked them about tickets.

That could have been the "all in" special. CIE tried it for one year Full meal service in both directions served to your table and all the drink you could hold. Train went straight to Landsdowne Rd, on the return I can't remember whether it was from Hueston or Connolly. Never tried again after that, lost a fortune.

Stephen15

Pity they don't still have them. In italy a lot of stations have snack bars which serve alcohol aswell as doubling up as a newsagent, tabaconist, lotto agent and since some are in unmanned stations they train tickets aswell. Handy if you have a long wait for a train.