Railway refreshment room
{{Short description|Railway station catering facility}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2018}}
A railway refreshment room is a catering facility attached to a railway station that was formerly common in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. They were opened in the 19th century to serve passengers when trains did not convey catering facilities, and thus served passengers en route. Refreshment rooms were similar to tearooms, and generally served a variety of hot drinks, pastries, cakes, and light meals. With the introduction of buffet and restaurant cars, their importance began to decline.
File:Oxford_Station_refreshment_room_geograph-3965283-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg refreshment room in 1992]]
Britain
The first railway refreshment rooms opened at Wolverton in November 1840,{{Cite web|last=Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service|date=|title=Wolverton & New Bradwell Historic Town Assessment|url=https://old.buckscc.gov.uk/media/130612/wolverton.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}} a year earlier than those at Swindon.{{Cite web|title=History: New town built for railway workers|url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/4679720.history-new-town-built-for-railway-workers/|access-date=2021-02-07|website=Swindon Advertiser|language=en}} Trains stopped for 10 minutes at the station.{{Cite book|last=Lipscomb|first=George|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mXkgAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22wolverton%22+railway+%22refreshment+rooms%22&pg=PA418|title=The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham|date=1847|publisher=J. & W. Robins|language=en}} In 1849 they used 85 pigs for pork pies.{{Cite book|last=HEAD|first=Sir Francis Bond|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W8RLc1rqsC0C&dq=%22wolverton%22+railway+%22refreshment+rooms%22&pg=PA87|title=Stokers and Pokers: or, the London and North-Western Railway, the Electric Telegraph and the Railway Clearing House. By the author of "Bubbles from the Brunnen of Nassau" [Sir F.B. Head]. Third edition|date=1849|publisher=John Murray (printed by William Clowers and Sons)|language=en}} The quality of pork pies, sandwiches and tea later came in for criticism.{{Cite web|title=How British Rail limited the butter on its sandwiches, and other Station Stories|url=https://blog.railwaymuseum.org.uk/how-british-rail-limited-the-butter-on-its-sandwiches/|access-date=2021-02-07|website=National Railway Museum blog|language=en-GB}}
At the time of the formation of British Railways in 1948, 595 refreshment rooms existed across the United Kingdom.Railway Catering The Railway Magazine issue 577 September 1948 page 283[https://www.railgourmet.com/about-us/our-history/ Our History] Rail Gourmet
File:Railway_Refreshment_Room_-_Tamworth_(2548905805).jpg refreshment room in 1949]]
The pivotal scenes in classic 1945 film Brief Encounter takes place within a British railway refreshment room.
Australia
On the Queensland Railways network, the first refreshment room opened at Toowoomba station in 1867. By 1915, there were 47.[https://www.qhatlas.com.au/railway-refreshment-rooms Railway refreshment rooms] Queensland Historical Atlas
New Zealand
The first refreshment room was at the country's first station, Christchurch, which opened in 1863.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=13 Feb 1864|title=SUMMARY OF INTELLIGENCE FOR THE MONTH ENDING FEBRUARY 13, FOR TRANSMISSION TO ENGLAND. LYTTELTON TIMES|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18640213.2.34|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-07|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} In 1874 Otago Province passed a law to allow alcohol to be sold.{{Cite web|date=2 Jun 1874|title=PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. OTAGO DAILY TIMES|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18740602.2.15|access-date=2021-03-01|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} By 1898 there were refreshment rooms at Auckland, Mercer, Te Aute, Waipukurau, Woodville, Kaitoke, Hāwera, Aramoho, Halcombe, Palmerston North, Patea, Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Palmerston, Dunedin and Clinton.{{Cite web|date=1898|title=AtoJs Online — Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives — 1898 Session I — D-11 RAILWAY REFRESHMENT-ROOMS (RENTS RECEIVED FOR).|url=https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1898-I.2.2.2.12|access-date=2021-02-28|website=atojs.natlib.govt.nz|language=en-NZ}} and in 1909 also at Ohakune, Te Kuiti, Marton, Masterton and Totara Flat.{{Cite web |date=10 Apr 1909 |title=RAILWAY REFRESHMENT ROOMS. DOMINION |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19090410.2.49 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}
The Refreshment Branch of NZR was set up as a separate unit in August 1917,{{Cite web|date=1 Dec 1932|title=New Zealand Railways Refreshment Branch, NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS MAGAZINE|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov07_07Rail-t1-body-d17.html}} when NZR took over the rooms of 8 previous lessees.{{Cite web|title=Refreshments on the New Zealand Railways. — The Art Of Pleasing Patrons|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov02_06Rail-t1-body-d5.html|access-date=2021-02-28|website=nzetc.victoria.ac.nz}} By 1935 NZR had 4 sit-down dining rooms, 18 stalls and 30 counter refreshment rooms.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=11 Mar 2016|title=Stations and refreshment rooms|url=https://teara.govt.nz/mi/railways/page-8|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-07|website=teara.govt.nz|language=mi}} Stations with rooms in the 1930s included Ohakune, Whangārei, Paekakariki, Marton, Palmerston North, Woodville, Waipukurau, Taihape, Mercer, Frankton, Taumarunui, Putāruru, Hāwera, Kaitoke, Patea, Maungaturoto, Tauranga, Helensville, Paeroa, Masterton, Te Kuiti, Aramoho, Napier,{{Cite web|title=NZR crockery {{!}} Westport Railway Preservation Society|url=http://www.westportrailmuseum.org.nz/?page_id=69|access-date=2021-02-07|language=en-US}} Kaikōura (1944),{{Cite web|date=17 Aug 1943|title=MAIN TRUNK LINE. PRESS|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19430817.2.38|access-date=2021-02-28|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Waipara, Christchurch, Otira, Ashburton, Oamaru, Palmerston, Dunedin, Milton,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Stations|url=http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Heritage_listings.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208074304/http://railheritage.org.nz/assets/Heritage_listings.pdf|archive-date=2013-02-08|access-date=2020-08-10|website=NZR Rolling Stock Lists|language=en}} Clinton, Gore, and Queenstown. In the late 1940s rooms were converted from table to counter-service to save staff and speed service;{{Cite web|date=8 Jan 1946|title=MODERN SYSTEM. EVENING STAR|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19460108.2.136|access-date=2021-02-28|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} for example 600 people were served in 7 minutes at Ashburton.{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 1945 |title=RAILWAY REFRESHMENTS. WAIKATO TIMES |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT19451121.2.47 |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Customer numbers peaked at over 8.5m a year during World War II. Closures then included Marton in 1954, Frankton and Taumarunui in 1975, and Oamaru in 1980. In 1969 rooms remained at Whangārei, Wellsford, Auckland, Frankton, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, Taihape, Hāwera, Wairoa, Napier, Waipukurau, Palmerston North, Wellington, Masterton, Otiria, Christchurch, Kaikōura, Springfield, Otira, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Palmerston, Dunedin, Clinton, Stillwater, Ranfurly and Lumsden.{{Cite web|title=Refreshment Branch Services|url=https://timetableworld.com/ttw-viewer?token=f43586b2-171d-432f-9aa4-22e35644f705|access-date=2021-11-29|website=timetableworld.com}}
Cafes remain at some stations, such as National Park,{{Cite web|title=The Station Café, Bar and Restaurant|url=https://www.thestationcafe.co.nz/|access-date=2021-02-07|website=www.thestationcafe.co.nz}} Ohakune,{{Cite web|title=The Craft Haus|url=https://www.visitruapehu.com/eat-drink-shop/all/the-craft-haus/|access-date=2021-02-07|website=www.visitruapehu.com|language=en}} Otorohanga{{Cite web|title=Get in contact with us|url=http://origincoffee.co.nz/locations/|access-date=2021-02-07|website=Origin Coffee Company|language=en-NZ}} and Wellington.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Trax Bar & Cafe|url=http://www.traxbar.co.nz/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-07|website=|language=en-NZ}}
A railway refreshment room is a major part of the New Zealand folk song "Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line".
References
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External links
- [https://www.livingarchive.org.uk/content/local-history/areas/wolverton/the-wolverton-refreshment-room Wolverton refreshment rooms illustration]
- Frankton - [http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/Gov02_06Rail-fig-Gov02_06Rail011a.html 1927 photos of refreshment rooms]