London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Butts]

I can also say that after being used to the likes of EC's offer, Greater Anglias service is something of a disappointment...especially when the coaches are also falling apart!

Would you care to elaborate - any free Scotch ?

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Ice is available on VT.....the ice machine is never switched off.....the staff cba putting a bucket of ice on trolley!

 

[yorksrob]

Would you car to elaborate - any free Scotch ?

Sadly, no. Free tea coffee and ready salted crisps. Nice comfy mk3 is the main benefit. To their credit, they did give me a cup of tea just outside Norwich which I was able to take on my onward connection.

 

[Bungle73]

At that time of day I would say yes as the station is usually very busy.

My advice though is when asked to present your tickets and are then asked for payment to present a card rather than cash. The last three times I have been in the KX lounge the member of staff hasn't known how to use the machine or it's been broken. Twice I have just been waved through and the time I was asked for cash I said I don't carry and that I would have to go to the ATM, I was then just waved through.

It's nothing special tbh just hot drinks, water, coke, crisps, biscuits and if you are luck there will be fruit.

Alcohol is available to purchase. I wonder if when it changes to VTEC if they will install a bar like Euston.

And free wifi, and a TV showing BBC News. The KGX one is by far the best FC Lounge imo (out of the ones I've been in). Even the coffee/hot drinks machines are better quality than everywhere else. Worth it to pay the extra if one has a longish wait for a train. I usually use my points though

 

[Deerfold]

The Pepsi is in 250ml cans, but yes they have R Whites lemonade in 150ml ones I think. One thing I don't like is that unlike EC, VT don't offer you a glass or ice at the weekend.

Presumably that's changed recently as the 250ml can is a recent introduction.

 

[Crossover]

Would you car to elaborate - any free Scotch ?

Dream on! Had to walk through to the buffet to pick anything up, and then it was the aforementioned crisps, a biscuit and tea, coffee or orange juice.
The stock isn't in arguably the best of health either, though the current refresh program will hopefully go some way to resolve that

 

[LowLevel]

Would you car to elaborate - any free Scotch ?

I assume you'll be hoping Virgin will modify the current 'ArriveAwesome' campaign into 'ArriveArseholed' for the East Coast with particular focus on the Scotch

 

[Chrism20]

I assume you'll be hoping Virgin will modify the current 'ArriveAwesome' campaign into 'ArriveArseholed' for the East Coast with particular focus on the Scotch

Well it beats arriving 'dehydrated and berated' because there has been one run of the trolley between Newcastle and the cross.

We aren't jakeys, we are just keen supporters of Scottish Enterprise! So long as the enterprise begins life in a still its all good.

Back on topic though, I wonder if we will have a menu change before the changeover to VTEC or if it's mushrooms and noodles till then.

 

[Starmill]

I'd hate to think what's going down in the Chilterns

'Why wait until you arrive to get arseholed!'

 

[Butts]

I assume you'll be hoping Virgin will modify the current 'ArriveAwesome' campaign into 'ArriveArseholed' for the East Coast with particular focus on the Scotch

Well I'm already an arsehole so .....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Well it beats arriving 'dehydrated and berated' because there has been one run of the trolley between Newcastle and the cross.

We aren't jakeys, we are just keen supporters of Scottish Enterprise! So long as the enterprise begins life in a still its all good.

Back on topic though, I wonder if we will have a menu change before the changeover to VTEC or if it's mushrooms and noodles till then.

Hopefully the weekend Menu will be EC's and not Virgins "Bird Boxes"

 

[Kite159]

Sadly no trout or dessert for the 17:00 Edinburgh service.

Noodles were nice.

Didn't have the chance to sample the FC lounge due to Reading to Paddington being delayed for 40 minutes (plus a 10 minute stoppage at baker street)

 

[Chrism20]

When I was in Edinburgh this morning I nipped into the travel centre to pick up a new timetable and noticed that there was a Virgin leaflet advertising changes to the First Class food on the WCML.

Many services will be getting 'hot Light bites' instead of the cold options. It looks like they are moving towards the EC service in a way.

There was a picture of the breakfast - without black pudding!

I'm not too sure how to load the leaflet onto here so everyone can see it. If anyone can tell me I'll happily have a go at it.

 

[Butts]

When I was in Edinburgh this morning I nipped into the travel centre to pick up a new timetable and noticed that there was a Virgin leaflet advertising changes to the First Class food on the WCML.

Many services will be getting 'hot Light bites' instead of the cold options. It looks like they are moving towards the EC service in a way.

There was a picture of the breakfast - without black pudding!

I'm not too sure how to load the leaflet onto here so everyone can see it. If anyone can tell me I'll happily have a go at it.

Whaaaaat......absolutely outrageous - did it have a "real egg" ?

 

[Kite159]

Nice comfy seat coming back from Aberdeen on Saturday, first lot of refreshments arrived just before Stonehaven, 2nd lot arrived after Edinburgh with the crew swap-over (just felt silly the HST going into most-station stopper mode after Doncaster when a Leeds train was 10 or so minutes behind doing the same, would be more sensible for any passengers wanting stations after Doncaster to change over to the service from Leeds, with the HST making a nominal call at stevenage). HSTs have a much greater dwell time than the 225s

Although I drank too much coke.

 

[Chrism20]

Whaaaaat......absolutely outrageous - did it have a "real egg" ?

Yes. The picture on the front is of the breakfast and contains fried egg, hash brown, half a tomato, one sausage and two rashers of bacon.

It says that all Scottish services will now offer a warm light bites selection, currently some of the ones via New St have cold food only.

 

[YorkshireRider]

New menu starts Monday, details on the EC website, although it does clash with the Xmas menu

 

[Furrball]

Another early morning East coast journey with no full breakfast due to it not having been loaded onto the train. A dry (butter free), like warm bacon roll with no ketchup has to suffice instead.

 

[Aldaniti]

Another early morning East coast journey with no full breakfast due to it not having been loaded onto the train. A dry (butter free), like warm bacon roll with no ketchup has to suffice instead.

It's this sort of thing that undermines onboard catering. I now take my own food and drink on board, which I usually purchase from a coffee shop on or near to the station, and very rarely partake in the first class food and drink offer simply because I don't know whether what is advertised will be available. I often get the 'but it's free' look from the staff who seem surprised that I decline but at least I'm never disappointed. Oh, and I can't abide the mayonnaise which seems to be compulsory these days.

 

[Clip]

Doesn't look to exciting for when I next use it -

Rest of the day

Corned beef pickle with cheese sandwich on soft white bread served with hand cooked crisps

Or

A creamy free-range egg and tomato sandwich on malted bread (v) served with hand cooked crisps



Carrot muffin (v)
Tunnock’s tea cake (v)

Yay :/

 

[Tetchytyke]

That's actually more exciting than I was expecting from their "simplified Christmas menu". I was expecting the weekend offer.

 

[All Line Rover]

When I was in Edinburgh this morning I nipped into the travel centre to pick up a new timetable and noticed that there was a Virgin leaflet advertising changes to the First Class food on the WCML.

Many services will be getting 'hot Light bites' instead of the cold options. It looks like they are moving towards the EC service in a way.

This change only affects the Anglo-Scottish services. Probably because Virgin realise that one sandwich is not good enough for a journey time of between 3 and 5 hours.

 

[Bungle73]

This change only affects the Anglo-Scottish services. Probably because Virgin realise that one sandwich is not good enough for a journey time of between 3 and 5 hours.

Are you sure about that? Because it doesn't say anything about such a restriction on their website. Indeed if you look the London-Chester timetable you can see that a "hot snack" is being served to FC passengers during the day: http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/assets/pdf/timetables/vt-timetable-c-12-2014.pdf

 

[Clip]

That's actually more exciting than I was expecting from their "simplified Christmas menu". I was expecting the weekend offer.

I suppose Ill have to do a Butts and double up on the booze

 

[Butts]

I suppose Ill have to do a Butts and double up on the booze

Always assuming there is any

I'm on Virgin from BHI to EUS and then back to SAD in the Evening.

Full Service on the 23rd - including- glug,glug, Ale

 

[Chrism20]

This change only affects the Anglo-Scottish services. Probably because Virgin realise that one sandwich is not good enough for a journey time of between 3 and 5 hours.

It also affects some of the other ones as well. There is a list on the leaflet advising which services will have an enhanced hot light bites offering. There are services to New St, Piccadilly and Lime Street all included in the list.

Hot lite bites were supposed to be available on all the direct (not via New St) Glasgow services before, now they have included the Edinburgh and Glasgow ones that go via New St as well as some additional services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Anyone remember this?

Pullman dining

 

[All Line Rover]

It also affects some of the other ones as well. There is a list on the leaflet advising which services will have an enhanced hot light bites offering. There are services to New St, Piccadilly and Lime Street all included in the list.

Hot lite bites were supposed to be available on all the direct (not via New St) Glasgow services before, now they have included the Edinburgh and Glasgow ones that go via New St as well as some additional services.

I stand corrected. In the consolidated timetable, only the Anglo-Scottish services are highlighted as having this enhanced offering. However, as someone pointed out above, the recently published route-specific timetables all have the enhanced offering highlighted on at least some trains. Perhaps this was a short notice alteration, which would explain why the consolidated timetable did not contain these details.

The light 'breakfast' (if you can call it a breakfast) served on trains departing their origin station between 10am and 11am is insultingly bad, consisting of a single stale bread roll filled with poor quality bacon. I would be pleasantly surprised if the enhanced offering on former light ("lite", as VT would say) bites services is superior to this. If it is, it would be advisable to avoid the light breakfast services, unless these too are improved beyond a 10p bread roll filled with 20p of bacon.

 

[ainsworth74]

It's interesting to note that this brings Virgin West Coast closer in line with East Coast who have always offered hot food on nearly all there services. This was probably planned before but I thought it interesting.

 

[Chrism20]

I stand corrected. In the consolidated timetable, only the Anglo-Scottish services are highlighted as having this enhanced offering. However, as someone pointed out above, the recently published route-specific timetables all have the enhanced offering highlighted on at least some trains. Perhaps this was a short notice alteration, which would explain why the consolidated timetable did not contain these details.

Yes apologies, I should also have added that the leaflet says something about it superseding the new printed timetable. My bad!

 

[Drsatan]

I am intending on redeeming my East Coast Rewards points on the 0952 ABD-KGX service one weekday, travelling in First. Am I right in thinking that I would receive the mid-morning menu as opposed to the breakfast menu?

 

[yorkie]

I am intending on redeeming my East Coast Rewards points on the 0952 ABD-KGX service one weekday, travelling in First. Am I right in thinking that I would receive the mid-morning menu as opposed to the breakfast menu?

That's what the timetable says, yes. The mid-morning menu is miniscule.

By the way you redeem the points to get a free ticket but you get 6 months to actually book the ticket. So you could travel in May or June, which I'd recommend. We will be doing some forum meets involving the Inverness & Aberdeen trains in 1st on Reward points in 2015, so maybe you could join us and make up for losing out on the infamous Baldock-North Sheen trip?