Wrexham and Shropshire: the best railway company in the UK?

editor · Nov 10, 2008

We've just been up to Chirk (nr Wrexham) and back using the new Wrexham and Shropshire railway company and the service was fantastic.

The fare was £28 each return, we had a lovely train on the way up with - get this - friendly table service of freshly prepared and cooked food. Loads of locally sourced food was available including absolutely delicious Welsh cakes from Llangollen.

On the way back things got even better with the first class carriage being opened up to standard class travellers, and really tasty meals being served to our table on china plates. The service was friendly and the food high quality, all at a cut down price.

Bravo Wrexham and Shropshire!

_pH_ · Nov 10, 2008

sounds good :cool:

I wonder how long companies like that might last though, either before going bust or being bought up by one of the bigger players (e.g., Hull Trains being bought by First iirc) Limited number of routes, services etc. doesn't seem to be a brilliant business plan, but I may be wrong. I hope I'm wrong, it's nice to see that service like this still exists

_pH_ · Nov 10, 2008

wrexham and shropshire railway website said:
The senior steward will serve your food to you at your seat. Bone china, steel cutlery, glasses (no plastic cups!) and linen napkins all complete the effect.

editor · Nov 10, 2008

If you travel first class you get a free cooked meal!

Agent Sparrow · Nov 10, 2008

The big drag factor is 4 hours between trains in the daytime if they're cancelled.

OK, I'll stop moaning about it! I just wanted to have a meal in the restaurant cart.

editor · Nov 10, 2008

Claim yer compensation!

7. Making it up to you when things go wrong
Compensation on your used ticket
If you are delayed aboard a Wrexham & Shropshire train, our compensation
policy is:
• For a delay of 30 minutes or more, we’ll offer you rail travel vouchers or, for
awards over £30, a cheque refund to the value of 50% of the fare for the
outward or return portion of your journey affected by the delay.
• For a delay of 1 hour or more, we’ll offer you rail travel vouchers or, for awards
over £30, a cheque refund to the value of 100%of the fare for the outward or
return portion of your journey affected by the delay.

han · Nov 10, 2008

let's do it (get a refund.)

But yes - I'd agree, Ed - that it's the best rail company I've been on in the UK. Good service, cheap fares, freshly-prepared food, friendly staff.

If it wasn't for the fact that the return leg of our journey was cancelled, I'd be frothing at the mouth with enthusiasm for them

teuchter · Nov 10, 2008

I traveled with them in the summer, as part of a slightly devious route back from Holyhead.

It was a very friendly atmosphere on board; it felt a bit like a kind of family enterprise - they all seemed to know each other and genuinely wanted to do stuff well. It was quite soon after they'd started running the service so there were still a few things that they still hadn't gotten sorted out fully, but otherwise it was all good.

And of course it's nice to travel on a proper train. And the coaches painted in BR blue & grey for extra nostalgia effect (although I know that's only a temporary arrangement).

It's a bit hard to see exactly how they make much money out of that service, if they do, but good luck to them.

editor · Nov 11, 2008

teuchter said:
It was a very friendly atmosphere on board; it felt a bit like a kind of family enterprise - they all seemed to know each other and genuinely wanted to do stuff well. It was quite soon after they'd started running the service so there were still a few things that they still hadn't gotten sorted out fully, but otherwise it was all good.

Apparently, they've only got 50 staff!

As you say, the staff were really friendly and it felt that they were actually interested in making your journey enjoyable.

han · Nov 11, 2008

han said:
let's do it (get a refund.)

Actually, I'm not going to get a refund - they need our money by the looks of it (ie. not that many people use that line). I think they're great.

editor · Nov 11, 2008

Check out the fabulous meals. On a train! With the carrots tied up!

_pH_ · Nov 11, 2008

wow, knocks seven shades of shit out of the crap food on most trains. is it prepared on board, or chill'n'reheat like in InterCity days?

editor · Nov 11, 2008

_pH_ said:
wow, knocks seven shades of shit out of the crap food on most trains. is it prepared on board, or chill'n'reheat like in InterCity days?

Freshly prepared. The rice was sublime!

_pH_ · Nov 11, 2008

what do they charge if you're not in 1st class?

editor · Nov 11, 2008

_pH_ said:
what do they charge if you're not in 1st class?

Nipsla and memespring had a two course meal for (I think) £12 each. Ours was a tenner each. Not cheap, but well, well worth it (the fare was fuck all and we were travelling in a first class carriage with in-seat service and eating off china plates!

_pH_ · Nov 12, 2008

not especially cheap, no, but good value for what you'd get by the look of it :cool:

probably cheaper than many restaurants too

e2a: 8000th post w00t!

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

I am possibly visiting both Swansea and Shrewsbury in the not too distant future. How can I work this meal into one of my trips?

embree · Nov 12, 2008

I doubt very much that the Wrexham & Shropshire run services to Swansea

teuchter · Nov 12, 2008

quimcunx said:
I am possibly visiting both Swansea and Shewsbury in the not too distant future. How can I work this meal into one of my trips?

They stop at Shrewsbury. About 3.5 hrs from there to Marylebone.

Shrewsbury has a very impressive signal box, I'm sure you will be interested to learn.

Here are their timetables:

http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/timetables.php

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

embree said:
I doubt very much that the Wrexham & Shropshire run services to Swansea

Shrewsbury is in Shropshire. I don't know where Wrexham is. It could be in Wales for all I know.

Thank you, teuchter.

embree · Nov 12, 2008

quimcunx said:
I don't know where Wrexham is. It could be in Wales for all I know.

seriously?

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

embree said:
seriously?

I'm not English or Welsh and i've never been to Wrexham, or through Wrexham, to my knowledge.

embree · Nov 12, 2008

blimey.

It's quite a large town

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

So's Retford.

Tell me where that is without looking.

editor · Nov 12, 2008

Sadly, Shrewsbury monster signal box is scheduled to disappear soon. I took a blurry pic of it as we passed through.

quimcunx - Wrexham (Wrecsam yn Cymraeg) is in Wales, you plonker!

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

teuchter said:
They stop at Shrewsbury. About 3.5 hrs from there to Marylebone.

Shrewsbury has a very impressive signal box, I'm sure you will be interested to learn.

Here are their timetables:

http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/timetables.php

That sounds ideal, actually. I was interested to learn that Shrewsbury has an impressive signal box. Thank you for reminding me. I shall try and work it into my trip.

embree · Nov 12, 2008

quimcunx said:
So's Retford.

Tell me where that is without looking.

Nottinghamshire, England.

I'm seriously taken aback that you don't know anything about the biggest town in north Wales, didn't even know which country it's in

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

editor said:
Sadly, Shrewsbury monster signal box is scheduled to disappear soon. I took a blurry pic of it as we passed through.

quimcunx - Wrexham (Wrecsam yn Cymraeg) is in Wales, you plonker!

I thought it was. Which is why I mentioned a trip to Swansea as being a possible opportunity to pass through it. Embree's authoritively dismissive post suggested that I was foolish to think so, though.

I'm trying to flummox him/her. I've seen his/her Wrexham and raised him/her with a Retford.

teuchter · Nov 12, 2008

editor said:
Sadly, Shrewsbury monster signal box is scheduled to disappear soon. I took a blurry pic of it as we passed through.

That's a shame. Why? I would have thought it would be a listed structure or something.

quimcunx · Nov 12, 2008

embree said:
Nottinghamshire, England.

I'm seriously taken aback that you don't know anything about the biggest town in north Wales, didn't even know which country it's in

Except I did think it was in Wales. It was you that made me doubt.

Oh well. I expect you'll get over your amazement one day. :rolleyes:

Wrexham and Shropshire: the best railway company in the UK?

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