London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Bungle73]

Duncan Bannatyne was complaining to East Coast on Twitter about his trip yesterday.

This was the "food" he was given... https://twitter.com/DuncanBannatyne/status/293359038165569537

I don't see what the problem is? What is it?

Other stuff had apparently run out "because of the weather".

Does that not seem like a reasonable excuse give the current conditions in the UK?

 

[GNER 91128]

What menu rotation are they currently on? I'd like to work out what I'll be getting for my trip in 3 weeks.

 

[HST Power]

There are First Class Advances available on East Coast trains between Peterborough and Stevenage. All those that I can see currently available for arbitrary dates in March and April are priced at £20.10 each they don't represent great value for such a short journey.

However, this wonderful thread is really intended for a discussion of the First Class on-board service, so I wonder if you might receive a more detailled or helpful reply in the Fares Advice sub-forum.

Oops, my mistake! I've sorted it. This was only a brief query, so I didn't see the need in using another thread or forum.

 

[YorkshireRider]

Duncan Bannatyne was complaining to East Coast on Twitter about his trip yesterday.

Duncan Bannatyne is a tw@t
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What menu rotation are they currently on? I'd like to work out what I'll be getting for my trip in 3 weeks.

week 1

 

[voyagerdude220]

Duncan Bannatyne is a tw@t

I'd love that to be the official response from EC. In case EC are reading this (wouldn't be the first time!), I'm aware that Yorkshire Rider does not in any way represent EC.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

What's the rotation on 1.3.13 likely to be?

 

[GNER 91128]

Duncan Bannatyne is a tw@t
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


week 1

Cheers!

Week 4 (as it will be for me) doesn't look as good at the others. Oh well it's free

 

[headshot119]

I'm booked onto the 12:00 from King's Cross going all the way to Inverness this Thursday.

What should I expect? I've not done the weekday offering before.

 

[HST Power]

I'm booked onto the 12:00 from King's Cross going all the way to Inverness this Thursday.

What should I expect? I've not done the weekday offering before

.
Well if the post below is anything to go by it should be a good one! It was quite a long post so I've edited it to include the relevant parts.

Officially speaking, the All Day offer commmences from 11:00, which means sandwiches, a light lunch or hot meal.

I treated myself to a free 1st-Class London King's Cross-Inverness & return journey last week [using-up accumulated "Rewards" points!].

During the journey, I enjoyed Cumberland sausage & mash, several rounds of chicken and stuffing sandwiches, even more rounds of egg & cress sandwiches ["they'll only go to waste, Sir", the waiter said], five cups of tea, two cups of coffee, three pieces of cake, two bags of crisps [and a partridge in a pear tree - No - sorry!], three glasses of red wine, one gin and tonic, and two cans of "Old Speckled Hen" before putting me and my liver to recover in an early bed in Inverness at 2030.

The following day found me watching Inverness station come to life at 0740, waiting to be admitted to the 0755 to the Cross. Expecting to be able to move again into coach "L" and relative solitariness, I was amazed to find almost every first-class seat in all three coaches reserved [mainly by people travelling just to Edinburgh and partaking of the Highland Chieftain breakfast, so had to sit with everyone else in my allotted seat in coach "M"

Nevertheless, the breakfast was superb [eaten in the warmth of a "Mallard"-refurbished HST while watching the snow-ploughs and crawling traffic on the adjacent A9 - it doesn't get any better than this - and I was actually offered three pieces of toast in all!]; followed by potato and stilton flan after leaving Edinburgh, along with as much tea/coffee, alcohol and bottles of Harrogate water as I could manage, to arrive at the Cross spot-on at 1551, and not wanting anything else to eat or drink that day.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Currently on the 0755 Inv Kgx, the H.C. Very happy with the onboard service so far. Had tea, cherry pastry (not the advertised choc one- the pastry was particularly nice- VT take note), apple J, Full English with 2 slices of toast and strawberry jam.
This is much better than VT.

 

[nicochick20]

As this forum (this thread in particular) has been so helpful to me I thought I would write a report on a journey I did last Thursday/Friday. I travelled from Peterborough to Aberdeen (changing at York on the way and Darlington on the return).

I joined the 10.15 Peterborough to Edinburgh (09.30 from Kings X) train
Offered full English breakfast shortly after boarding
2 cups of coffee
Trolley came round and I had apple juice, Danish pastry and 2 slices of toast with jam and butter
Just before I got off at York came round with the trolley offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

I then joined the 10am Kings X to Aberdeen at York at 11.53
Had 2 cups of tea/coffee (more offered)
Several rounds from the trolley offering sandwiches (mmm pork and apricot filling!), crisps, fruit and cake, also hot food was an option but didn't have room for that after my breakfast (it was a struggle fitting in the sandwiches later on!)
Had 2 ciders, 2 vodka and cokes and a glass of wine

The return on 25th
On 07.52 from Aberdeen to Kings X problem with fridges (again!) meant no cooked breakfast. Continental instead consisting of 1 slice of toast, marmalade (no jam) and butter, croissant and orange juice
Several cups of tea/coffee along with a biscuit
Hot option offered after leaving Edinburgh – I had steak and stout pie (a very big portion I thought!) and very nice
2 drinks trolley rounds before I departed train at Darlington

Upon boarding the 12.56 Darlington to Kings X soon came round with tea/coffee
Then 2 rounds from the sandwiches trolley and also the drinks one
More tea/coffee offered throughout the journey before I got off at Peterborough

All in all I was very pleased with everything. Was full up with food and had plenty to drink! Most of the crew with friendly and helpful. Doing the full Kings X to Aberdeen journey this week so will see how the consistency is!

 

[SGS]

The weekend breakfast offering isn't spectacular, is it?

I did Newcastle-London on Saturday morning, and you get two of the smallest rolls I've ever seen. They came round a couple of times with biscuits, and there were plenty of hot and cold drinks.

You couldn't do without getting your own your breakfast in the hope of being sufficiently fed on EC on Saturday morning, however.

 

[Butts]

You couldn't do without getting your own your breakfast in the hope of being sufficiently fed on EC on Saturday morning, however.

Some might argue the "Weekday Offering" is not exactly a "bellybuster" either,but definitely a step up from the Saturday Fayre !!!

Note from the post above "the fridge problem" is spreading from Inverness across to Aberdeen

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Noo!! I want decent grub. Not biscuits!!

 

[Blindtraveler]

they seamed to have sorted it for a bit but now its going on us again - no sandwitches in Standard on Sundays southbound HC

 

[E-Rail]

Why did EC stop selling Irn-Bru onboard? It's very poor for an Anglo Scottish service to only offer Coke varieties. It's this type of attention to detail that put GNER head and shoulders above anyone else for customer service. I assume it comes down to EC contracting RG and therefore having no choice or say in the suppliers, whereas GNER's GoEat menus were all created and sourced in house. I still miss those double choc chip muffins from the bakers in Northumbria - delicious!

 

[Butts]

Currently on The Chieftain (boarded at FKG) nearing London Kings Cross (and a much deserved burn after 5 hours !!!)

This is an EC Rewards Trip so cost me zilch !!!!

Boarded at FKG unusually quiet service , able to get a"4" in L no problem at all.

Coffee served between FKG and EDB.

Offered a copy of the Times.

Full service on Departures from Edinburgh,Newcastle and York (ie hot food and booze runs)

Finally sampled the "fabled" Fish & Chips - let's face it a kiddies portion arrives. (more like a fish finger !!)

However when supplemented with sandwiches,cake,fruit,crisps quite adequate.

My only possible gripe would be the lack of further "runs" after York as it's non-stop to Kings Cross.

Having consumed the equivalent of 8 single whiskies perhaps thats just as well.

I am looking forward to my smoke when I get out of Kings Cross !!!

 

[Blindtraveler]

sounds good mate. In answer to an earlier post I thought Iron Brue was available?

 

[Butts]

sounds good mate. In answer to an earlier post I thought Iron Brue was available?

No sign of IB on the First Class Freebie Trolley.......

Currently just North of Newcastle on the 1800 ex Kings Cross...

What can I say (not much after 8 double scotches in 10 hours....)

This Train was Busy - I had to sit in my correct reserved seat K55......

Good service... Meal Run (I had chicken ....ok followed by cheese and biscuits ..not as good as the picture but hell who cares....)

Most impressed by a 2nd booze run before York.

Further booze and grub runs ex York and Newcastle.

I checked how much it would have cost me to book my journey to London and back yesterday.....over £400 !!!!!

Kings Cross has changed a lot since I was last there and St Pancras - I was in a time warp with the view of Kings Cross that used to appear in the "Minder" opening sequence titles.

 

[ainsworth74]

I checked how much it would have cost me to book my journey to London and back yesterday.....over £400 !!!!!

That'll be walk-up tickets, on advances you could probably do it for around £100-120.

 

[GNER 91128]

Can't wait for my trip next week!! PBO to EDB return £57.40 (With a railcard)

I hope I'm as lucky with the food and drinks runs!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . on the 1800 ex Kings Cross...

. . . I had chicken ....ok followed by cheese and biscuits ..not as good as the picture but hell who cares....

I care! Very much!

There's a chef on the 18:00 and whom would be able to provide a reasonably satisfying range of variations on the meals. The progressive erosion of the 'evening mea'l, by small steps of attrition, has been a tale of depressingly and relentless loss (in terms of quality, nutrition, variety, and notably quantity and presentation).
It's not that long since we were enjoying, on that same 18:00 service, bread rolls with butter or spreads, fruits, a main with a choice of hot veg., a cheese platter selected from a mound of chesses, biscuits, celery, apple and spreads, and after dinner chocolates (these must have lasted a whole 3 months).
Has the loss of any of these "offerings" been announced by East Coast's "we have been listening to our customers" proclaimations?
(Not that I've seen, and anyway, who else refers to their flagship dining promotion with the vocabulary of a Victorian 'soup kitchen' and serves wine from plastic 'bottles'? )

The company has failed to pause for a momment in its committment to continuosly reduce its first class 'offering' to a programme of continuously descending quality, quantity and (recently) nutritional standards.

And all of this is so evidentially unconnected to the Company's viability (unless we play those same old tricks with the attribution of costs).

Lots of Love to EC from a decreasingly happy but regular passenger.

 

[tsr]

All I can say is that comments like the one immediately above this post on this thread, positioned as it is so exceedingly prominently on one of the UK's larger rail forums, must surely be causing EC some embarrassment.

Annoy a normal passenger and you get a minor complaint. Annoy an enthusiast and you get an industrial-scale thread where your biscuits are analysed to the last crumb.

No bad thing, IMO.

Is there yet a GO/RT standard for expert-level analysis of the provision of onboard condiments?

 

[Butts]

That'll be walk-up tickets, on advances you could probably do it for around £100-120.

Ainsworth 74 as you are well aware if I had been paying it would have been the lowest priced Advanced 1st with my Railcard

I could actually undercut £100 by some margin for the trip - if memory serves me correctly it is possible to do it for "late thirties" each way.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I care! Very much!

There's a chef on the 18:00 and whom would be able to provide a reasonably satisfying range of variations on the meals. The progressive erosion of the 'evening mea'l, by small steps of attrition, has been a tale of depressingly and relentless loss (in terms of quality, nutrition, variety, and notably quantity and presentation).
It's not that long since we were enjoying, on that same 18:00 service, bread rolls with butter or spreads, fruits, a main with a choice of hot veg., a cheese platter selected from a mound of chesses, biscuits, celery, apple and spreads, and after dinner chocolates (these must have lasted a whole 3 months).
Has the loss of any of these "offerings" been announced by East Coast's "we have been listening to our customers" proclaimations?
(Not that I've seen, and anyway, who else refers to their flagship dining promotion with the vocabulary of a Victorian 'soup kitchen' and serves wine from plastic 'bottles'? )

The company has failed to pause for a momment in its committment to continuosly reduce its first class 'offering' to a programme of continuously descending quality, quantity and (recently) nutritional standards.

And all of this is so evidentially unconnected to the Company's viability (unless we play those same old tricks with the attribution of costs).

Lots of Love to EC from a decreasingly happy but regular passenger.

I perfectly understand your stance in relation to the current catering arrangements compared to the previous offering.

The basis of my comments were connected to my experience since the new regime commenced.

Given the choice I would happily pay for the fayre you have mentioned which was available in the "silver service" days.

 

[GNER 91128]

Personally and selfishly, I like the complementary menu as it's a real treat for me the few times I get to travel first class, yes albeit on dirty cheap advance fares with railcard discount, but I just wouldn't be able to afford to pay for the food and drink if it went back to the old way!

But I don't think that's the point Dave was making, I think like most who use the service regularly wants it be at a consistent level.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I perfectly understand your stance in relation to the current catering arrangements compared to the previous offering.

The basis of my comments were connected to my experience since the new regime commenced.

Given the choice I would happily pay for the fayre you have mentioned which was available in the "silver service" days.

I might not have been clear. I am referring to the erosion by attrition since 20th May 2011. The erosion of the offering for First Class passengers during the period of the current 'complimentary offering' !

 

[sheff1]

I am referring to the erosion by attrition since 20th May 2011. The erosion of the offering for First Class passengers during the period of the current 'complimentary offering' !

It gives me no great pleasure to have it confirmed that my decision to abandon East Coast back in June 2011 (post #691 refers) was the right one. I would certainly return if the former EC 'offering' was introduced, but obviously there is no chance of that.

Clearly for those living in the North East, rather than South Yorkshire, the change of TOC which I made is not possible.

 

[AlterEgo]

All I can say is that comments like the one immediately above this post on this thread, positioned as it is so exceedingly prominently on one of the UK's larger rail forums, must surely be causing EC some embarrassment.

East Coast had a surprisingly impressive NPS score this year. I don't believe First Class food offering is one of the scoring categories, however.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Anyone know which week it is going to be on the 1st March. I hope its Fish and Chips whilst on my HST.

 

[Searle]

Anyone know which week it is going to be on the 1st March. I hope its Fish and Chips whilst on my HST.

Rotation 1 started on 26th November, so I make March 1st rotation 2, which is Beef Lasagne (or maybe horse! ). Sorry about that! :P