Now the old Restaurant service on Norwich to London lime needed a cook, someone to serve at counter, staff to serve in restaurant car, or coach area, that has food served, staff to do washing up, etc, so how many staff was needed in this small area, and Vs The Blue Pullman train service from London St P to Manchester Central ?
The classic on-board catering teams on British rail lines varied significantly depending on the level of luxury, train layout, and historical era. Comparing a standard main-line operations team to a dedicated luxury pullman team reveals stark differences:
1. Norwich to London Mainline (Great Eastern) Restaurant Cars
On the Norwich to London Liverpool Street (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fm%2F0p0jt) route (which famously ran full-service dining cars from the 1960s until they were retired in 2009), a standard crew consisted of 4 to 5 staff members managing the entire restaurant and buffet space: [1] (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3795631/Scrap-the-buffet-car-Thats-off-the-rails.html), [2] (https://au.pinterest.com/pin/pin-em-long-distance-rail-travel--387802217885932799/)
• 1 Chef / Cook: Stationed in the tiny travelling kitchen, responsible for all hot meals (e.g., full breakfasts, lunches, and dinners). [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk/7915153.stm), [2] (https://www.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7747687.stm), [3] (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3795631/Scrap-the-buffet-car-Thats-off-the-rails.html)
• 3 Waitresses / Stewards: Dedicated to taking orders, checking passengers' final destinations (to manage cooking/serving time), and carrying plates back and forth between the kitchen and the 24-seat restaurant section. [1] (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3795631/Scrap-the-buffet-car-Thats-off-the-rails.html)
• 1 Counter / Buffet Attendant (sometimes doubled by a steward): Responsible for standard walk-up bar/counter sales (sandwiches, hot drinks, snacks) for the rest of the train. [1] (https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/catering), [2] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UtPQ5kYFY)
Because the workspace was incredibly compact, the stewards shared washing-up duties and general tidying inside the pantry during turnaround windows and quiet stretches.
2. The Blue Pullman (London St Pancras to Manchester Central)
In stark contrast, the Midland Pullman (launched in 1960) was a luxury, all-first-class premium business train. Food was not just a side offering—gourmet meals and wine were served directly to every single seat on the train. [1] (https://www.cruiselinehistory.com/deluxe-midland-pullman-between-london-and-manchester-in-the-1960s/), [2] (https://www.modelraildatabase.com/classes/details/88/british-rail-class-251/)
Because of this intensive operation, a 6-car Midland Pullman set required a massive catering crew of around 8 to 10 staff members: [1] (https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/134469-blue-pullman-train-crews/)
Staff Role Midland Pullman Allocation (Per Train)
Chefs / Cooks 2 Chefs (1 positioned in each of the train's two dedicated kitchen cars).
Stewards / Waiters 6 to 8 Pullman Stewards (3 to 4 attached to each kitchen car/pantry section to serve the adjacent parlour cars).
Train Supervisor 1 Pullman Conductor / Manager to oversee the premium silver-service standards.
Summary of the Difference
While a small, hardworking team of 4–5 staff successfully managed the 24-seat dining compartment and counter on the short Norwich-to-London hop, the Blue Pullman was a traveling luxury restaurant that deployed double the staff (8–10 people) to deliver high-end, silver-service dining across multiple first-class carriages simultaneously. [1] (https://www.cruiselinehistory.com/deluxe-midland-pullman-between-london-and-manchester-in-the-1960s/), [2] (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3795631/Scrap-the-buffet-car-Thats-off-the-rails.html), [3] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk/7915153.stm), [4] (https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/134469-blue-pullman-train-crews/)
Would you like to know more about what kinds of food were on the menus for either the Norwich line or the luxury 1960s Blue Pullman? [1] (https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/nov/19/transport-dining-cars-axed), [2] (https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?action=printpage;topic=5508.0)
The difference in catering team sizes directly reflected the radically different menus and service styles on these lines.
The 1960s Blue Pullman Menu & Service
The Blue Pullman (Midland Pullman) was a luxury business train intended to rival top hotels. Food was prepared from scratch in a narrow kitchen car and served directly to passengers' first-class armchairs using premium silver service.
A typical 1960 sample menu featured multi-course, high-end French and British cuisine: [1] (https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageMenus/comments/ylc7a6/british_rail_blue_pullman_sample_menu_1960/)
• Breakfast: Freshly squeezed fruit juices, grilled kippers with melted butter, traditional full English breakfasts (eggs cooked to order, Wiltshire bacon, premium sausages, grilled tomatoes), and fresh croissants with preserves.
• Lunch / Dinner: A rigid, formal multi-course affair.
• Appetiser/Soup: Consommé double or cream of tomato soup.
• Fish Course: Fillet of Sole Bonne Femme or grilled plaice.
• Main Course: Roast sirloin of beef with horseradish sauce, grilled lamb chops, or roast duckling, accompanied by fresh seasonal vegetables (bouquetière of vegetables) and duchesse potatoes.
• Dessert/Cheese: Classic English puddings (like apple tart with clotted cream), crème caramel, followed by a formal cheese board (Stilton, Cheddar) served with celery and biscuits, fresh fruit, coffee, and petits fours.
• Wine & Spirits: An extensive, premium wine list featuring French Bordeaux, Burgundies, champagnes, and fine scotch whiskies served in heavy, Pullman-branded glassware.
The Intercity Norwich to London (Great Eastern) Menu & Service
The Intercity Great Eastern route ran a hybrid operation: a dedicated, full-service restaurant car alongside a walk-up buffet counter. The vibe was high-quality, traditional British "comfort food," scaled to fit a shorter, 2-hour commuter run. [1] (https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/catering), [2] (https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/train-times/norwich-to-london-liverpool-street), [3] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_onS5B2zVYw)
• The Full Breakfast (The Legendary "Great Eastern Breakfast"): This was the crown jewel of the Norwich line, famously serving generations of business commuters. It included fruit juice, a massive plate of fried or scrambled eggs, grilled bacon, local pork sausages, black pudding, mushrooms, fried bread, and unlimited pots of fresh tea or coffee with toast.
• Lunch / Dinner (Restaurant Car): A simpler, faster three-course menu designed to be turned over quickly within the journey.
• Starters: Fruit juice, a soup of the day, or a prawn cocktail.
• Mains: Traditional hearty options like roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, steak and ale pie, grilled gammon steak with pineapple, or baked cod loin.
• Desserts: Warm apple crumble with custard, chocolate fudge cake, or cheese and biscuits.
• The Buffet Counter / Coach Lounge: For passengers sitting in standard coaches, the buffet offered walk-up service with a completely different, fast-casual menu:
• Hot toasted sandwiches (bacon, cheese, and tomato) and fresh triangular cold sandwiches.
• Sausage rolls, pork pies, and crisps.
• Muffins, fruit cakes, and biscuits.
• Ales, lagers, miniature bottles of wine, and hot tea or coffee served in paper or plastic cups. [1] (https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/first-class), [2] (https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/catering)
Service Style Comparison
Feature The Blue Pullman (1960s) Intercity Norwich (1970s–2000s)
Dining Location Served directly to you at your own seat across the train. Dedicated 24-seat restaurant car or walk-up buffet counter.
Service Style Formal silver service; white linen tablecloths, heavy silver plate, Pullman crests. Traditional plated table service in the dining car; over-the-counter paper bags in the buffet.
Pace Slow, leisurely dining designed to occupy the entire journey. Brisk and efficient; meals timed perfectly so you finished just before your stop.
Would you like to know more about how much these meals cost in their respective eras, or how British Rail managed to cook hot food at 100 mph? [1] (https://uktransport.fandom.com/wiki/Great_Eastern_Main_Line)
