Poor food offering on MML

[Donny Dave]

Yes it's slow. It takes an hour more compared to the ECML to get from London to Doncaster.

 

[Max]

Yep - yesterday i took the 1740 from St Pancras and arrived in Hull at 2145. The M-F Hull Executive meanwhile leaves Kings Cross about 1730 and arrives in Hull at 2000. Only a small difference there

 

[class 313]

But doesn't MML only operate 2 trains a day onto the ECML

 

[Tom B]

The reason is that Rail-Gourmet was ***closed***. This doesn't mean they wouldn't give us food, it means they were shut, doors locked, no-one there, lights switched off and all that... so we couldn't get anything.

In which case it's MMLs fault for contracting it out in the first place, and the contractor should be sacked.

 

[Daniel]

Your right that MML shouldn't have contracted them if they are failing to deliver; however them being sacked for being closed at one station for one day seems rather harsh.

I've never heard anything majourly wrong with them, apart from on-train staff saying they always bring the wrong things... that in itself should be dealt with.

 

[Tom]

The one station being a rather major one in the centre of London.....:roll:

 

[yorkie]

But doesn't MML only operate 2 trains a day onto the ECML

4 northbound on Saturday evenings (only 2 on weekdays as the other 2 go via Bolton-on-Dearn, avoiding Doncaster). The 17:40 is the second through Leeds service (16:25, 18:25 and 19:25 are the others). There are less southbound (one runs ECS from Leeds instead).

They're only on the ECML for a fraction of a mile though.

In addition there is 1 train that goes to York in the morning and goes back in the evening, this is on the ECML between Donny and York.

 

[richa2002]

Are there not as many fridges on MML buffet cars as on GNER ones? GNER seem to have huge stocks of food, there must have been at least 10 bacon sandwiches on the Hull Executive yesterday morning, plus all the other types of sandwich! Regarding the limits on food, I suppose that's what you get for using a big company like Rail-Gourmet. If food was sourced from smaller companies like on GNER you would be able to order as much as you want. The fact that Rail-Gourmet was closed at St Pancras really meant that MML was stuffed!

Question though, why can't Rail-Gourmet have a local supply depot at Leicester? Surely this would make perfect sense and allow for stocking en-route, because if you can only stock your London-Leeds train at the start of the journey, it's clearly going to run out of food very quickly!

It must vary from train to train because I asked for a bacon sandwich just north of Stevenage on the 08:15 from London on Saturday and they had already ran out!

 

[class 313]

It must vary from train to train because I asked for a bacon sandwich just north of Stevenage on the 08:15 from London on Saturday and they had already ran out!

Tbh all this hoo haa is rather not needed. As there is perfectly valid reasons why your train ran out of hot food by Elstree and Borehamwood. Besides just like Rich said, depends from train to train and how much demand there is. If there is so much demand that the train's food is sold out, you cant blame the TOC for being such a high demand. Somtimes more demand than the actual train can carry as like in this incident.

 

[ChrisCooper]

It's funny how whilst MML are great on reliability and punctuality (although slack timetables help a lot), things like catering and customer service are not anywhere close to the best. I've often been on trains where the buffet has been closed (quite often only one buffet on a double Meridien, and it's usually the front one, that you need for Loughborough that's closed aswell), or there is no hot water (wouldn't be so bad if they offered free cold drinks instead of hot in those cases). Compared to other similar TOCs selection doesn't seem as good, and things do seem to sell out quick.
As for the HST buffets, MML have TRFBs, which originally were identical to those used on the ECML, Great Western and West Coast (when they ran HSTs to Blackpool and later Hollyhead), so any differences are the result of post-privatisation changes. Cross Country had the TRSBs which had smaller buffet areas and standard class seating. When MML recieved extra HST trailers from Cross Country, including some TRSBs, these were converted to have the same layout as TRFBs. It's possible to tell these since they have an extra full size window on the corridor side.

 

[devon_metro]

Wow-fGW not being ripped in this thread

 

[Darandio]

Wow-fGW not being ripped in this thread

At least not yet anyway, just wait until they are finished with MML.

 

[class 313]

fGW suck. Better?

 

[Darandio]

Not harsh enough.

 

[yorkie]

It's funny how whilst MML are great on reliability and punctuality ...

Reliability - loads of trains on lease that are not needed, paid for at taxpayers (and ECML users) expense because of a SRA/MML blunder.

Punctuality - if GNER timetabled their trains to wait here, there and everywhere for 5-10 mins they'd easily match MML for reliability.

So they're only "good" at things that they really should be good at - for the simple fact is they're lucky at the outcome of the rolling stock fiasco and they are able to get away with average timetabled speeds of around 60mph because they do not serve a long distance market.

One day their luck may run out and they'll be exposed for the poor TOC they are, like Central.

 

[Max]

Tbh all this hoo haa is rather not needed.

Frankly it's more interesting than some of the things you talk about - at least it has produced some decent discussion!

I can see there is a valid reason, I just think it's poor planning on the part of the TOC and the contractor. Ah well, what's done is done I suppose, just doesn't leave me with a good impression of MML!

 

[Darandio]

Lets just bring it down to the crunch here. If I get on a MML service in the morning, say around 8:45am, am I going to get a bacon sandwich or not? If not, I aint interested.

 

[Daniel]

Depends where you board, where the train is going, and where you go to the buffet. Services from St. Pancras that are fully stocked normally run out at Leicester in the peak, and Derby or Chesterfield off peak.

 

[Darandio]

Can I have it toasted?
Never mind, going slightly off topic now. Should start a new one with menu options.

 

[Nick W]

Reliability - loads of trains on lease that are not needed, paid for at taxpayers (and ECML users) expense because of a SRA/MML blunder.

Appears to be helping though!

Punctuality - if GNER timetabled their trains to wait here, there and everywhere for 5-10 mins they'd easily match MML for reliability.

I've had that at stevenage even after ther train was late at doncaster.

So they're only "good" at things that they really should be good at - for the simple fact is they're lucky at the outcome of the rolling stock fiasco and they are able to get away with average timetabled speeds of around 60mph because they do not serve a long distance market.

Going up north was 83mph the other day. Coming back at 65mph still beats One Railway. What's this obsession with speed anyway? The weakest link was having to go between London terminals.

One day their luck may run out and they'll be exposed for the poor TOC they are, like Central.

I don't think it's luck that they're the best ToC.

The only 2 cheeseburgers I've had were on MML. Keep up the good work!

 

[theblackwatch]

One day their luck may run out and they'll be exposed for the poor TOC they are, like Central.

Or GNER....the company which turfs people off a train running two late at Newcastle at 1am and forces them to endure a 2 hour bus ride to get to York. I'd rather have had a train with no bacon sarnies than a bus....

 

[AlexS]

MML aren't too bad, they suffer from operating on a slightly rural hole of a line.

As for Memorex, do you suddenly have a full time job with MML? The continual 'we' is confusing!

Getting in someone's way for a few weeks doesn't make you part of the organisation!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Not harsh enough.

Now that someone's mentioned FGW, under this subject of buffet catering, Is it me, or are the bacon rolls, and breakfast rolls on FGW disgusting or what?!

What annoys me even more though, is that they could easily freshly make one in the buffet's kitchen, which would be good.

I personally think that the bacon rolls available from VXC on a Voyager (yes, from a shop which is tiny compared to the HST buffet!) are far superior and better tasting than the FGW crap.

 

[class 313]

Frankly it's more interesting than some of the things you talk about - at least it has produced some decent discussion!

Woah calm down mate!

I was just saying you asked and you got answers, I've seen other threads that had the same then got locked or deleted...

As for Memorex, do you suddenly have a full time job with MML? The continual 'we' is confusing!

Getting in someone's way for a few weeks doesn't make you part of the organisation!

ROFL, I wonder if Alex would care to explain what some MML staff do at Derby RTC

 

[Donny Dave]

Woah calm down mate!

I was just saying you asked and you got answers, I've seen other threads that had the same then got locked or deleted...

The thing is, you have been very confrontational and negative recently. If you have nothing to add to a topic, don't post.

Anyway, to answer Nick W, why should an Intercity TOC be allowed to pad their timetables with so much slack, that at every station they either have to wait for a platform to become available, then sit there for 5 minutes, or arrive 10 minutes early?

Trans Pennine don't serve a long distance market either, and they have to go through more pinch points than MML, but their average speeds are higher than MML. Why is that?

 

[devon_metro]

Now that someone's mentioned FGW, under this subject of buffet catering, Is it me, or are the bacon rolls, and breakfast rolls on FGW disgusting or what?!

What annoys me even more though, is that they could easily freshly make one in the buffet's kitchen, which would be good.

I personally think that the bacon rolls available from VXC on a Voyager (yes, from a shop which is tiny compared to the HST buffet!) are far superior and better tasting than the FGW crap.

I would imagine there was no travelling chef on board.

I personally find Voyager catering awful. I was once on the 1002 Paignton-Manchester and there was no WATER until Bristol!!!

 

[class 313]

I would imagine there was no travelling chef on board.

I personally find Voyager catering awful. I was once on the 1002 Paignton-Manchester and there was no WATER until Bristol!!!

VWC on their Pendo's offer the best food IMO

 

[voyagerdude220]

I would imagine there was no travelling chef on board.

I personally find Voyager catering awful. I was once on the 1002 Paignton-Manchester and there was no WATER until Bristol!!!

That's unlucky about the water then. At least VT was able to top it up just over an hour into the journey, so that they had water for the majority of the journey- unlike the original MML example, where they were unable to take stock at St Pancras.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

VWC on their Pendo's offer the best food IMO

At least someone agrees with my opinion that VT catering's very good!

I've never really used the shop on Pendos really, as I've only ever travelled FC on them, and not yet standard.

I do find it annoying that VT can't just have an at-seat drinks service in FC on the weekend, especially when Pendos have the kitchen available, and it also means that I have to walk down an often very busy, cramped 390.

Having said that, FGW only offer biscuits on weekdays and no proper complimentary food/sandwhiches, but thats another subject/story.

 

[devon_metro]

That's unlucky about the water then. At least VT was able to top it up just over an hour into the journey, so that they had water for the majority of the journey- unlike the original MML example, where they were unable to take stock at St Pancras.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


At least someone agrees with my opinion that VT catering's very good!

I've never really used the shop on Pendos really, as I've only ever travelled FC on them, and not yet standard.

I do find it annoying that VT can't just have an at-seat drinks service in FC on the weekend, especially when Pendos have the kitchen available, and it also means that I have to walk down an often very busy, cramped 390.

Having said that, FGW only offer biscuits on weekdays and no proper complimentary food/sandwhiches, but thats another subject/story.

At the prices they are though, it is a small comfort! They also offer Coke etc. I've been told MML offer nothing furing weekends.

 

[class 313]

MML offer free tea and coffee to all...