London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[mad_rich]

I'll be pretty miffed if they've run out of Roasted rump of lamb served with dauphinoise potatoes, red cabbage and a natural jus. Accompanied with a damson jelly to complement the lamb

I needn't have worried. Fantastic service from a lovely Newcastle-based crew this evening.

I already had a 1st Advance ticket from PBO-NCL, and had intended buying a Standard Super Off Peak from KGX-PBO to connect with it. In the event, by the time I got round to buying the KGX-PBO ticket, there were no reservations to be had in Standard Class.

I wouldn't mind standing to Peterborough, but I didn't fancy being told 'Passengers with Reservations Only', and missing the Advance ticket, so I bit the bullet and bought a 1st class KGX-PBO, with reservation, for £58.

Coffee within a minute of leaving London, and orders taken shortly thereafter. The wine was flowing, and food orders were taken at King's X, Newark and York. On this evidence, I would merrily travel First again.

 

[extendedpaul]

Did you get the lamb?

I travelled south from Scotland yesterday( on the delayed 17.31 from Edinburgh) and the choices were jacket potato with chilli beef or a cheese and brocolli flan. The food and service were, however, excellent and the train arrived at Kings Cross 45 down so I think I'll get half my fare back.

 

[mad_rich]

Did you get the lamb?

Yep. The lamb wasn't great (OK, but tough), but the rest of the food was very good. I suspect I passed you somewhere in North Yorkshire.

Annoyingly, although my southbound journey was 50 min delayed (our train failed at York, and we had to trudge over to another platform for the next service), I'm not eligible for Delay Repay as it was a Rewards ticket. It won't stop me writing in though - shy bairns get nowt!

On the plus side, having had my fill of croissants and bacon butties by Darlington, we got another meal on the second train, which was by now an 'all-day' service.

 

[ASharpe]

I'm not eligible for Delay Repay as it was a Rewards ticket. It won't stop me writing in though - shy bairns get nowt!

Has anyone had any success with any sort of compensation with EC rewards tickets?

My partner ended up having to travel to Leeds via Manchester out of Euston on one a while ago due to problems on EC. She was three hours late and didn't get a full evening meal (as she would have done on the booked EC train) and they wouldn't give me anything. STD on the Virgin train was absolutely packed, so she was glad I got her a 1st ticket.

 

[ModernRailways]

Has anyone had any success with any sort of compensation with EC rewards tickets?

My partner ended up having to travel to Leeds via Manchester out of Euston on one a while ago due to problems on EC. She was three hours late and didn't get a full evening meal (as she would have done on the booked EC train) and they wouldn't give me anything. STD on the Virgin train was absolutely packed, so she was glad I got her a 1st ticket.

Yes. I was only 45 minutes late, but I put in my delay repay. I received a response saying 'Sorry, we are unable to refund Rewards tickets.' I sent them a nice email asking if I could have another free trip because my last one was ruined due to a poor experience on board. I received a reply a few weeks later apologising for the delay and that if I ring them up and quote your reference number I would be given another free journey to London. I rang them a few weeks later and they had actually given me a free return journey, I was very happy at that as it saved me another £30 for coming back!

 

[westv]

Yes. I was only 45 minutes late, but I put in my delay repay. I received a response saying 'Sorry, we are unable to refund Rewards tickets.' I sent them a nice email asking if I could have another free trip because my last one was ruined due to a poor experience on board. I received a reply a few weeks later apologising for the delay and that if I ring them up and quote your reference number I would be given another free journey to London. I rang them a few weeks later and they had actually given me a free return journey, I was very happy at that as it saved me another £30 for coming back!

That's interesting to know. I had a poor run of free ticket problems last year with almost all being 30+ minutes late.

 

[Butts]

There seems to be a paucity of comments regarding the service just lately....

Fear not Butts is coming out of "EC Retirement" shortly and will be reporting in.

I have managed to swing a £19 ticket to Darlington (on Breakfast Service) and will be coming back the same day on The Chieftain from Berwick Upon Tweed.

I will be exiting at Newcastle (spending a few hours there) and then heading to Berwick for my return which drops me off on my doorstep.

Main points to look out for - "toast availability" on the way down and "scotch availability" on the way up.

 

[Blindtraveler]

bare in mind, lest youve forgotten, the Berwick>Falkirk is a Scone Express!↲

 

[DaveNewcastle]

There seems to be a paucity of comments regarding the service just lately....

True, but as someone noted on another thread just a few days ago - those little packs of biscuits seem to have disappeared from the food trolley - and having moaned recently that the only fruit on offer in recent weeks was bananas, I haven't even seen them recently either.

Even the small pack of 3 wafer thin biscuits as part of the 'cheese platter' seem to have gone in the last couple of weeks.

Is this the continuing erosion of the 'offer' by attrition?

 

[Blindtraveler]

I feer so Dave

 

[transmanche]

Is this the continuing erosion of the 'offer' by attrition?

A gradual run down of the offer (a la the infamous American Airline 'removing one olive from the salad' trick) in preparation for the franchise being transferred to the private sector?

 

[Blaahh]

Has anyone had any success with any sort of compensation with EC rewards tickets?

My partner ended up having to travel to Leeds via Manchester out of Euston on one a while ago due to problems on EC. She was three hours late and didn't get a full evening meal (as she would have done on the booked EC train) and they wouldn't give me anything. STD on the Virgin train was absolutely packed, so she was glad I got her a 1st ticket.

Yes, i travelled up 7pm from KGX and due to the storms in early dec, the emergency timetable meant we got into ncl at 11.30pm, some 90 mins late. Got 50% of my first class advance back, some 61 quid.

 

[transmanche]

Has anyone had any success with any sort of compensation with EC rewards tickets?

Got 50% of my first class advance back, some 61 quid.

That's not a Rewards ticket though.

EC say they don't offer any delay compensation for journeys made with Rewards tickets. So it's refreshing to see that they showed some discretion to ModernRailways (see upthread).

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yes, i travelled up 7pm from LKX and due to the storms in early dec, the emergency timetable meant we got into ncl at 11.30pm, some 90 mins late. Got 50% of my first class advance back, some 61 quid.

Eh?
You were travelling on a free 'Rewards' ticket and received £61 for a delay? How come?

 

[tony_mac]

I've got a 90-minute delay to claim for from last Sunday.
I suppose I should at least get the £10 for the child's ticket, but a replacement rewards ticket would be very nice!

 

[Deerfold]

True, but as someone noted on another thread just a few days ago - those little packs of biscuits seem to have disappeared from the food trolley - and having moaned recently that the only fruit on offer in recent weeks was bananas, I haven't even seen them recently either.

Even the small pack of 3 wafer thin biscuits as part of the 'cheese platter' seem to have gone in the last couple of weeks.

Is this the continuing erosion of the 'offer' by attrition?

Biscuits were available on the 1205 ex-Leeds last Sunday down and the 1803 return from KGX. Didn't see any fruit at all.

Cheese platter?

I did see the crisps that the 1st class lounge at Kings X hasn't had since October.

I wasn't impressed that perhaps the only meal they do that could be vegan (the pasta) can't be as it's actually presumably pre-created and heated up as a single entity - so they can't serve it without the parmesan topping.

Eh?
You were travelling on a free 'Rewards' ticket and received £61 for a delay? How come?

I don't think Blahhh spotted that a free ticket was being used.

 

[A-driver]

I wasn't impressed that perhaps the only meal they do that could be vegan (the pasta) can't be as it's actually presumably pre-created and heated up as a single entity - so they can't serve it without the parmesan topping.

Surely pasta is as vegan as cheese is? I doubt east coast use vegan pasta do they?

And I think it unfair to criticise them for not offering vegan food. Vegetarian options yes but vegan...they are a train operator providing food, not a restaraunt. Any one with such specific dietary requirements would be unlikely to expect a complimentary meal on a train to cater for them to be perfectly fair...

 

[bb21]

And I think it unfair to criticise them for not offering vegan food. Vegetarian options yes but vegan...they are a train operator providing food, not a restaraunt. Any one with such specific dietary requirements would be unlikely to expect a complimentary meal on a train to cater for them to be perfectly fair...

They can, if we go for the "lowest common denominator".

But as a meat-eater I doubt I would be very happy if the only thing on offer is vegan and halal or vegan and kosher, nor the vast majority of the population.

 

[Deerfold]

Surely pasta is as vegan as cheese is? I doubt east coast use vegan pasta do they?

And I think it unfair to criticise them for not offering vegan food. Vegetarian options yes but vegan...they are a train operator providing food, not a restaraunt. Any one with such specific dietary requirements would be unlikely to expect a complimentary meal on a train to cater for them to be perfectly fair...

Plenty of pasta is vegan. The spaghetti dish would usually be as spaghetti is rarely made using egg.

I wasn't saying they should offer vegan food - I wasn't expecting there to be any. It says more about how little actual cooking takes place on board though - even the cheese topping is already on the dish.

On the other hand, a growing number of places now often a vegan option as this can be offered just as easily to vegetarians - I'm sure the vegetarian sandwich doesn't have to be cheese every day - it could be roast vegetable - many vegetarians such as my wife would appreciate a change from the relentless cheese sandwich.

 

[YorkshireRider]

The parmesan is loaded separate to the pasta dish so you can ask for it without if you want, although yes its true there is now a lack of actual cooking on board. I've no idea if the pasta is vegan however. There is always plenty of biscuits on the train, in fact the new bicys are much nicer than the old ones, if they are not on the trolley just ask. Were they ever listed on the menu before?
People moaning about lack of compo on a reward ticket need to get real, its in the term and conditions that you get none. Is there another intercity TOC which offers a better scheme? If so go and use it.

 

[Butts]

bare in mind, lest youve forgotten, the Berwick>Falkirk is a Scone Express!↲

Forget the Scones - I'm aiming for a "Scotch Express" (as it comes thankyou)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

True, but as someone noted on another thread just a few days ago - those little packs of biscuits seem to have disappeared from the food trolley - and having moaned recently that the only fruit on offer in recent weeks was bananas, I haven't even seen them recently either.

Even the small pack of 3 wafer thin biscuits as part of the 'cheese platter' seem to have gone in the last couple of weeks.

Is this the continuing erosion of the 'offer' by attrition?

I thought the biccies had been replaced by cake last time I went.

 

[Deerfold]

The parmesan is loaded separate to the pasta dish so you can ask for it without if you want, although yes its true there is now a lack of actual cooking on board. I've no idea if the pasta is vegan however. There is always plenty of biscuits on the train, in fact the new bicys are much nicer than the old ones, if they are not on the trolley just ask. Were they ever listed on the menu before?

I asked if it was possible to have the dish without the parmesan and was told it wasn't. If it had been I would have asked more questions about the dish and possibly ordered it.

 

[Blindtraveler]

i hope youd hav got a satisfactory answer? I get0he impression that most staff are clueless about what there serving, due, as pointed out, to the pre packed, convenience nature of whats being served these days. as an aside, I volunteer (I found out at the weekend) with a girl whos Dad is an Edinburgh based sheff for EC. Cant wate for a good chat with him!↲

 

[mad_rich]

People moaning about lack of compo on a reward ticket need to get real, its in the term and conditions that you get none. Is there another intercity TOC which offers a better scheme? If so go and use it.

Doesn't mean that you can't ask, and doesn't mean that you can't/ won't/ shouldn't get anything .

I think it's a bit mean not to give anything back, when they could fling you an e-voucher or a few points at relatively little cost. Even BA will compensate for delays if I've paid with Avios!

Agree on how good the scheme is, though. I value the points at 15-20p each, which is an astonishing return compared with a couple of % cash back that everyone else is offering.

 

[YorkshireRider]

I asked if it was possible to have the dish without the parmesan and was told it wasn't. If it had been I would have asked more questions about the dish and possibly ordered it.

I can't think why you were told that :neutral:

 

[westv]

Forget the Scones - I'm aiming for a "Scotch Express" (as it comes thankyou)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I thought the biccies had been replaced by cake last time I went.

It used to be biscuits + cake.
Only cake on the 17:19 from Kings X on Fridays.

 

[a good off]

We travelled First Class on the 0900 KX - Edinburgh this morning and we chose that train specificly to get a cooked breakfast as advertised. Breakfast had however been cancelled "due to having a busy train" and we were offered the choice of a bacon or sausage sandwich, microwave porridge or a scrambled egg and salmon bagel. I opted for the sausage sandwich which was completely devoid of moisture, butter or any flavour. My wife opted for the bacon option which was a bit nicer but still tasted very dry and bland. We left both virtually uneaten. There were two further coffee rounds and then one sandwich round after Newcastle. We didn't take any as were still completely unappetised from earlier.

Summary: A totally disappointing experience but the crew were very friendly and seemed almost resigned to the fact that their "offering" was not the best...

 

[Marton]

Bananas and apples tonight on 1530 Edinburgh to KX.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Butts]

We travelled First Class on the 0900 KX - Edinburgh this morning and we chose that train specificly to get a cooked breakfast as advertised. Breakfast had however been cancelled "due to having a busy train" and we were offered the choice of a bacon or sausage sandwich, microwave porridge or a scrambled egg and salmon bagel. I opted for the sausage sandwich which was completely devoid of moisture, butter or any flavour. My wife opted for the bacon option which was a bit nicer but still tasted very dry and bland. We left both virtually uneaten. There were two further coffee rounds and then one sandwich round after Newcastle. We didn't take any as were still completely unappetised from earlier.

Summary: A totally disappointing experience but the crew were very friendly and seemed almost resigned to the fact that their "offering" was not the best...

"A busy train" - is that a wind up

Don't tell me 90% of 1st Class Passengers were "walk up's" :roll:

 

[a good off]

"A busy train" - is that a wind up

Don't tell me 90% of 1st Class Passengers were "walk up's" :roll:

No, absolute fact. From what I could see most seats in our coach were reservations. They in my opinion should be allowing enough catering provision to meet the needs of busy trains...