Greater Anglia - First Class offering

[anti-pacer]

I am shortly going to be travelling from Norwich to Liverpool Street in First Class, on an advance ticket. What offering will be available to me?

 

[gordonthemoron]

according to their website:

•Selection of Teas or Coffee, - Latte, Cappuccino, Americano, Ordinary White -
•Tea - Traditional English, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Peppermint, Darjeeling
•Cold - Still or Sparkling water, Orange Juice
•Snacks - Selection of biscuits or crisps

 

[Be3G]

•Snacks - Selection of biscuits or crisps

‘Selection’ is exaggerating things a bit in my experience.

 

[anti-pacer]

according to their website:

•Selection of Teas or Coffee, - Latte, Cappuccino, Americano, Ordinary White -
•Tea - Traditional English, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Peppermint, Darjeeling
•Cold - Still or Sparkling water, Orange Juice
•Snacks - Selection of biscuits or crisps

So compared to East Coast, not a lot then!

 

[transportphoto]

And free WiFi...

 

[bezzer]

I am shortly going to be travelling from Norwich to Liverpool Street in First Class, on an advance ticket. What offering will be available to me?

You will get a seat at a table with a lamp! What more do you want?! Otherwise don't expect to be wowed!! It is nothing like the East Coast/Virgin etc

 

[anti-pacer]

You will get a seat at a table with a lamp! What more do you want?!

Tablecloths
Cutlery
Crockery
Some nice food to decorate the plate
and a nice chilled beer or glass of wine

Not asking too much I hope!

 

[ainsworth74]

So compared to East Coast, not a lot then!

Nope but then the average journey is only around two hours so the demand is probably not quite as high for full meals and whatnot. Though NXEA for a time introduced breakfast services on a couple of morning trains that offered a full cooked breakfast and a few other bits and pieces (paid for). That went by the wayside once Abellio won the franchise however and GA haven't seemed interested in reintroducing it.

Once upon a time back in the early days of privitisation Anglia Railways (when the franchise was with GB Railways) operated a large number of full restaurant services which, I believe, even won some awards. However they got ditched once National Express took over (at least I think it was NatEx that did for them).

 

[badassunicorn]

If you're REALLY lucky you might get the usual loco hauled stock substituted for a 321! Now that first class is totally worth it on a 1hr50 journey!

 

[yorkie]

Some nice food to decorate the plate
and a nice chilled beer or glass of wine

It would be cheaper to purchase these items separately and bring on board (or possibly buy from the buffet depending on what you had in mind), rather than pay the necessary price increase if they were included in the cost of a 1st class ticket.
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So compared to East Coast, not a lot then!

How much was your ticket? I suspect compared to East Coast, not a lot

 

[dk1]

Greater Anglia do not try to pretend to offer anything like the EC or VT 1st class service. They do however offer spacious seating, wifi & (subject to availability) newspaper, unlimited tea/coffee/juice/water & light snacks all from just a £7 supplement for journey of upto 115 miles. To me that is an absolute bargain.

 

[Sleepy]

It would be cheaper to purchase these items separately and bring on board (or possibly buy from the buffet depending on what you had in mind), rather than pay the necessary price increase if they were included in the cost of a 1st class ticket.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

How much was your ticket? I suspect compared to East Coast, not a lot

The cheapest tier of 1st Advance tickets start from 13.00 ( compared to 8.00 in std) so IMO a couple of coffee' s and nicer environment are worth the extra.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Under NXEA you got got nothing apart from a lamp and a table and a more comfy seat, so if you think it's plain now, it's much better than it used to be!

 

[MP33]

On Greater Anglia's metro services. You get the chance to shut the door on standard class passengers that you do not wish to see or hear. Also in peak hours you can travel with a load of railway senior managers, who are a right bunch of miseries.

 

[SprinterMan]

Nope but then the average journey is only around two hours so the demand is probably not quite as high for full meals and whatnot. Though NXEA for a time introduced breakfast services on a couple of morning trains that offered a full cooked breakfast and a few other bits and pieces (paid for). That went by the wayside once Abellio won the franchise however and GA haven't seemed interested in reintroducing it.

Once upon a time back in the early days of privitisation Anglia Railways (when the franchise was with GB Railways) operated a large number of full restaurant services which, I believe, even won some awards. However they got ditched once National Express took over (at least I think it was NatEx that did for them).

The breakfast service won awards when it was still going back when NXEA was ONE, but when NX lost the East Coast, all restaurant service was ditched as a cost cutting measure. Since then GA have reintroduced a chef on one return train to London from Norwich (0800 ex-NRW, 1030 ex-LST).

http://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/catering


Adam

 

[yorkie]

The cheapest tier of 1st Advance tickets start from 13.00 ( compared to 8.00 in std) so IMO a couple of coffee' s and nicer environment are worth the extra.

Agreed, this compares with EC for a journey of similar length[1] the extra[2] is around £20, rather than £5.

[1] Based on journey time - which is not a valid method for comparison of the cost of travel, but is a valid comparison for the cost of upgrading to a nicer environment for the duration of time.

[2] Based on the non-discounted, lowest tier.

It would seem unrealistic to expect a £20 level of service for £5.

 

[dk1]

The breakfast service won awards when it was still going back when NXEA was ONE, but when NX lost the East Coast, all restaurant service was ditched as a cost cutting measure. Since then GA have reintroduced a chef on one return train to London from Norwich (0800 ex-NRW, 1030 ex-LST).

http://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/catering


Adam

The chef is Saturdays only. Anglia & Intercity before them ran a superb restaurant. NX initially shew some promise of continuing the good work as ONE but that was short lived.

 

[breadfan]

You also get to spend a few fun minutes looking for a socket to charge your phone.

 

[Essexman]

I find the extra cost above Standard Class (Advance or Weekend First) to be good value for the extra space (usually table to myself) and quiet. I'm not bothered by free food or drink - but I'd love the opportunity to buy full meals again. Norwich line restaurants used to be excellent - and often well used.

 

[Bald Rick]

You also get to spend a few fun minutes looking for a socket to charge your phone.

I wouldn't use any of the power points in the MkIIIs. The supply is variable and I know of at least 2 people who have had laptops fried as a result.

 

[barnet_fair]

I wouldn't use any of the power points in the MkIIIs. The supply is variable and I know of at least 2 people who have had laptops fried as a result.

No need to worry about that on this route, there aren't any power points...

 

[dk1]

No need to worry about that on this route, there aren't any power points...

There are but they are not meant for laptops etc. The only ones that are a those in the kitchen area, but they are strictly for staff devices only