| Re: On train (self) catering Posted by Mark A at 21:19, 3rd May 2026 |     |
Anecdote: siblings on an intercity train to Bath in the distant past. No idea of the form of the catering on offer - this wasn't restaurant car stuff and nor were we, but around Reading we asked for (and were granted) a boiled egg. It was in the cutting by Pangbourne - I recall the chalk cutting sides, sunshine and was it an autumn afternoon - anyway, passing through that cutting it emerged that while the egg was on its way, the catering crew were unable to source a teaspoon with which to eat it, this was the start of a hunt for a teaspoon along the entire length of the train, to their great credit one was found.
This may have been the same trip that started from Kingston, and our (Edmondson) tickets were lettered to the effect 'Via Swindon or Devizes' - the latter, even then, had not been possible for several years
Mark
| Re: On train (self) catering Posted by Mark A at 21:08, 3rd May 2026 | |
Ah. I would have expected those sockets to have protection so that they are unable to deliver currents unacceptable to them. (More than a bit hazy on how this would be done in an appropriate way though). Provision of USB 'c'... would that be happier because doesn't the connection between two of those mutually negotiate what each is capable of and come to an agreement as to what's best.
Fresh in my mind is a certain brand of not cheap rechargable Bluetooth speaker that advertised the ability to recharge other devices via the USB socket that it provided. Not advertised was that plugging a device in that overloaded the speaker's USB supply circuit simply blew an internal fuse protecting the battery, immediately and permanently killing the (not user serviceable) speaker. It was very important to do this within the guarantee period as the manufacturer wouldn't replace them once that had passed, but how they let the device out of the door in the first place I don't know.
Mark
| Re: On train (self) catering Posted by bobm at 17:38, 3rd May 2026 | |
In the past I have seen someone using hair straighteners for their intended purpose on a train. Quite apart from the electrics, it is an accident waiting to happen as they take time to cool down after use (I am told).
| On train (self) catering Posted by grahame at 17:28, 3rd May 2026 | |
From Devon Live
A football fan who was filmed cooking strips of steak with hair straighteners on a train to London could have blown the electric circuit for everyone on board the carriage, GWR has warned.
Tony Goodman, 52, was spotted onboard the 10.19am Great Western Railway service to Paddington at the weekend as he was heading to watch his West Ham team play Everton at the London Stadium.
In a video shared with CornwallLive he can be seen plugging a pair of hair straighteners into the train socket beneath his seat and using them as a makeshift grill for the marinated steak.
Describing the stunt, in which he butters slices of sourdough ready for the fresh meat, he said it was "the greatest triumph of train cooking you've ever seen".
Footage shows Tony calmly preparing the sandwich at a table seat, slicing open Lidl sourdough rolls and layering them with mayo and grated mozzarella.
Tony Goodman, 52, was spotted onboard the 10.19am Great Western Railway service to Paddington at the weekend as he was heading to watch his West Ham team play Everton at the London Stadium.
In a video shared with CornwallLive he can be seen plugging a pair of hair straighteners into the train socket beneath his seat and using them as a makeshift grill for the marinated steak.
Describing the stunt, in which he butters slices of sourdough ready for the fresh meat, he said it was "the greatest triumph of train cooking you've ever seen".
Footage shows Tony calmly preparing the sandwich at a table seat, slicing open Lidl sourdough rolls and layering them with mayo and grated mozzarella.
