Ex LNER (and Grand Central) Mark 4 sets for TfW

[Techniquest]

That was the busiest food service so far on a Manchester .
A lot of comments about how the food needs to be promoted and people glad it’s on board .

I'd use it myself if the menu had anything suitable to my diet on it, a proper meal served on a plate with cutlery etc on the trek from Hereford to Manchester would be nice. Until the menu, which according to the one I looked at a few days ago on the TfW website is useless to me, is changed then I'm taking my own supplies with me!

I really hope that when I do book a First Class ticket to Manchester that I get an ex-GC set! I hope to be booking tickets tomorrow, Manchester has been calling for a long time and if I can still get a good fare for 1st February I'll finally change that!

They're all exactly the same with First next to the DVT then the buffer then Standard with disabled space then Standard then the loco.

Thanks! This is extremely useful to know, given I'm almost always with a cycle on a MK4 set. Having First Class next to the DVT is very useful for me! Is there normally a preference for which end the loco is on, such as having it away from the blocks at Piccadilly? Obviously this won't always be possible.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

I'd use it myself if the menu had anything suitable to my diet on it, a proper meal served on a plate with cutlery etc on the trek from Hereford to Manchester would be nice. Until the menu, which according to the one I looked at a few days ago on the TfW website is useless to me, is changed then I'm taking my own supplies with me!

I really hope that when I do book a First Class ticket to Manchester that I get an ex-GC set! I hope to be booking tickets tomorrow, Manchester has been calling for a long time and if I can still get a good fare for 1st February I'll finally change that!



Thanks! This is extremely useful to know, given I'm almost always with a cycle on a MK4 set. Having First Class next to the DVT is very useful for me! Is there normally a preference for which end the loco is on, such as having it away from the blocks at Piccadilly? Obviously this won't always be possible.

The sets are constantly being turned so I doubt there's any plans to try and keep a set orientation. I'd hope there would be for uniformity but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Techniquest]

The sets are constantly being turned so I doubt there's any plans to try and keep a set orientation. I'd hope there would be for uniformity but we'll have to wait and see.

Oh I have no doubt it's an incredibly difficult task to keep them in one direction with the reversal at Chester in some diagrams, certainly not impossible.

 

[sd0733]

Oh I have no doubt it's an incredibly difficult task to keep them in one direction with the reversal at Chester in some diagrams, certainly not impossible.

They're all booked to be 67 leading out of Cardiff and DVT leading out of Holyhead/Manchester. Being the other way around does cause slight complications at Canton and Holyhead for fueling so in an ideal world they would all be that way round.

 

[Techniquest]

They're all booked to be 67 leading out of Cardiff and DVT leading out of Holyhead/Manchester. Being the other way around does cause slight complications at Canton and Holyhead for fueling so in an ideal world they would all be that way round.

Fair enough, thanks! Hopefully one day the screens at places like Hereford will be smart enough to include such useful information as which end First Class is at. When you're used to the DVT being on the back, as it always is in my experience on the 1716 (now 1714 I see) Cardiff to Holyhead, it's a bit awkward to then try and dash past the crowds!

The important information about it being first stop Shrewsbury was, at least, clearly shown. Although every few minutes on the auto announcements it was made known many times before Shrewsbury that the train was no longer calling at Leominster or Ludlow. Rather unhelpful information when cruising through Church Stretton!

Other than those niggles, it was nice to finally sample the loco-hauled sets north of Hereford Those who have done all the hard work getting them into action, top job and here's hoping for good reliability from here on in, once the final SDO works are done!

 

[Envoy]

Are second class passengers permitted to use any of the dining facilities and if so, are the menus distributed in second class?

 

[D6130]

Are second class passengers permitted to use any of the dining facilities and if so, are the menus distributed in second class?

No and no....but they can purchase hot & cold drinks and snacks from the buffet counter.

 

[Envoy]

No and no....but they can purchase hot & cold drinks and snacks from the buffet counter.

Hmm.. I was once on a Penzance to London train and they said that second class passengers could go to the restaurant car if they wanted a meal.

 

[D6130]

Hmm.. I was once on a Penzance to London train and they said that second class passengers could go to the restaurant car if they wanted a meal.

Yes, it's different on GWR (wasn't it always?). Standard class passengers can eat in the restaurant car if there are spare unreserved seats available, but they are supposed to return to their seats once they have finished their meal.

 

[CardiffKid]

No and no....but they can purchase hot & cold drinks and snacks from the buffet counter.

And worth noting that the buffet counter on a TfW Mark 4 is a big step up from the offerings available on a TfW Trolley - Bean to Cup coffee, hot rolls at breakfasts and burgers and paninis the rest of the day for example.

 

[Clouds]

And worth noting that the buffet counter on a TfW Mark 4 is a big step up from the offerings available on a TfW Trolley - Bean to Cup coffee, hot rolls at breakfasts and burgers and paninis the rest of the day for example.

Also, I found there was rarely a trolley on TfW services anyway (talking Cardiff to Manchester here)

 

[Rhydgaled]

They're all booked to be 67 leading out of Cardiff and DVT leading out of Holyhead/Manchester. Being the other way around does cause slight complications at Canton and Holyhead for fueling so in an ideal world they would all be that way round.

Wouldn't that have been impossible when all TfW's mark 4 workings were Holyhead-Cardiff via Wrexham (therefore with a reversal at Chester)? If the 67 is leading out of Cardiff it would then be on the rear from Chester to Holyhead meaning it would be on the front (ie. not where it is wanted) leaving Holyhead on the way back.

No and no....but they can purchase hot & cold drinks and snacks from the buffet counter.

No takeaway hot meals for standard class passengers to order at the buffet? That's a shame if so.

 

[D6130]

No takeaway hot meals for standard class passengers to order at the buffet?

Yes....hot breakfast rolls, burgers and panini, as mentioned in post #2,080. (Although I would class those as snacks!).

 

[sd0733]

Wouldn't that have been impossible when all TfW's mark 4 workings were Holyhead-Cardiff via Wrexham (therefore with a reversal at Chester)? If the 67 is leading out of Cardiff it would then be on the rear from Chester to Holyhead meaning it would be on the front (ie. not where it is wanted) leaving Holyhead on the way back.

It indeed is and would be impossible for that to happen!!

Bit of a faux-pas I'll try again-
On Manchesters DVT Is booked to lead from Manchester to Cardiff and 67 booked to lead Cardiff to Manchester

On Holyheads, 67s booked to lead Cardiff-Chester and Holyhead to Chester whilst the DVT is booked leading Chester to Holyhead and Chester-Cardiff

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2023 ==

Might you know if 67020 is working please? Haven't seen it in a while.

67020 is now on HD06 and is scheduled to enter service on 1W96 tomorrow night.
HD04 which is on the early part of the diagram is pencilled in for 1w23 to Manchester.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

67020 is now on HD06 and is scheduled to enter service on 1W96 tomorrow night.
HD04 which is on the early part of the diagram is pencilled in for 1w23 to Manchester.

Oh wonderful, thanks for that update

 

[Wizard51]

Off the top of my head as I only started less than 3 weeks ago on mk4s after working the trollies and I’m off on holiday at present .

Standard can have bacon rolls

Massive bacon sausage egg and hash brown baguette for breakfast

Bacon roll and coffee for £4.95

Light bite menu after breakfast

Pizza
Nachos
Pies

No burgers or panini

1st at present
2 course £17 3 course £20

Chicken wings /soup

Cauliflower curry/ faggots

Apple pie / sticky toffee pudding

Website is being worked on for relaunch.
I have already had a number of enthusiasts use the buffet and 1st with some good deals going on at present .

 

[D6130]

Off the top of my head as I only started less than 3 weeks ago on mk4s after working the trollies and I’m off on holiday at present .

Standard can have bacon rolls

Massive bacon sausage egg and hash brown baguette for breakfast

Bacon roll and coffee for £4.95

Light bite menu after breakfast

Pizza
Nachos
Pies

No burgers or panini

1st at present
2 course £17 3 course £20

Chicken wings /soup

Cauliflower curry/ faggots

Apple pie / sticky toffee pudding

Website is being worked on for relaunch.
I have already had a number of enthusiasts use the buffet and 1st with some good deals going on at present .

Thanks for that. Do you know whether there is a veggie breakfast option?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Thanks for that. Do you know whether there is a veggie breakfast option?

It appears there is

First Class breakfast menu | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

tfw.wales

 

[D6130]

It appears there is

Thanks. I wonder if there's also a veggie option from the buffet too

 

[Ash Bridge]

Thanks. I wonder if there's also a veggie option from the buffet too

Yes!

Food bar menu | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

tfw.wales

 

[D6130]

Thanks again! I suppose I could have looked that up for myself, but you've given it to a wider audience on the forum.

 

[Techniquest]

That vegan steak and onion pie does sound nice, and a good price for on-train catering. The pizzas sound like excellent value, £6.45 for a 10" pizza, but there's no vegan cheese option

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

67020 is now on HD06 and is scheduled to enter service on 1W96 tomorrow night.
HD04 which is on the early part of the diagram is pencilled in for 1w23 to Manchester.

It now appears 1W23 will be 175007

 

[sd0733]

It now appears 1W23 will be 175007

The system will just show the normal booked diagrams until its manually changed.
HD04 should do the Holyhead and back as normal but then swap onto the 16:49 Manchester with HD06 then coming off Canton to form the 17:14 Holyhead.

Obviously things can change over the day but that's what's intended to happen.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The system will just show the normal booked diagrams until its manually changed.
HD04 should do the Holyhead and back as normal but then swap onto the 16:49 Manchester with HD06 then coming off Canton to form the 17:14 Holyhead.

Obviously things can change over the day but that's what's intended to happen.

Great thanks. I’ll do my best to catch 020 on the Holyhead.

 

[E-Rail]

What's the plan with Saturday diagrams now? Are they booked out on both routes yet?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

What's the plan with Saturday diagrams now? Are they booked out on both routes yet?

There will not be Saturday running for Holyheads except for a rugby special potentially. 2 diagrams currently booked for Manchesters on a Saturday, but don't know whether it's happening this week. @sd0733 what's the plan for this weekend?

 

[E-Rail]

No Saturday Holyheads explains why the 1634 ex Holyhead only had a restaurant service as far as Chester last night. Presumably the chef and First Class hosts pass back from Chester to Holyhead depot leaving the set with a trolley service from Chester to Cardiff.

 

[sd0733]

There will not be Saturday running for Holyheads except for a rugby special potentially. 2 diagrams currently booked for Manchesters on a Saturday, but don't know whether it's happening this week. @sd0733 what's the plan for this weekend?

There's no Manchesters of any description, everything terminating at this weekend so no Mk4s are planned to be out again.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

There's no Manchesters of any description, everything terminating at this weekend so no Mk4s are planned to be out again.

Ah ok makes sense, thanks for confirming. Assuming you forgot to say terminating at Crewe.