London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Failed Unit]

I think EC should publish the calories for each the options in the menu booklet. Like many FC pax (and not a few staff!) I am carrying a spare tyre and it would be helpful to know which of the complimentary are most fattening.

But that is exactly why you only get 2 sandwiches

I wonder how much effort it would take to offer soup and a roll on the all day offer? Don't know if the kitchens are suitable for mass deployment.

 

[theblackwatch]

I think EC should publish the calories for each the options in the menu booklet. Like many FC pax (and not a few staff!) I am carrying a spare tyre and it would be helpful to know which of the complimentary are most fattening.

If you have a spare tyre already, is it not a bit late for that!?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Its getting worse.
The Cheese platter desert in the former 'restaurant car' was a substantial range of slices from 3 cheeses, a stack of biscuits, butter or marge, several sticks of celery and twists of apple.
It was reduced in May severely, to 3 crackers, butter OR marge, a dollop of cuts from 2 cheeses and some celery.
Now its down to 2 crackers, no butter/marge, 2 bits of cheese and 3 sticks of celery.

Any reported issues are tackled straight away to find a solution or cause and how to prevent it happening again.

Ah, so that would have stopped the chilled red wine, then?
No, its still happening.

And the 'mains' are really unsustaining snack-sized portions. Both the 'main' and the veg are greatly reduced. I need to eat a meal when I get home. I never felt that in the days of the paid-for Restaurant Car.

As I asked in my last post, just where are all these newly attracted first class passengers hiding? Not on the services with the remaining 16 chefs.

 

[Skimble19]

Expect an influx of passengers next month.. £25 1st class travel anywhere on the route

 

[jon0844]

Problem: Red wine is being chilled.
Solution: Don't chill it.

Seems like a quick and simple fix.

 

[silentone]

Problem: Red wine is being chilled.
Solution: Don't chill it.

Seems like a quick and simple fix.

I did explain this at the time when it was asked. The wine is loaded onto the train in a cart along with the other drinks. The cart is placed into the fridge by RG, now because most of the drinks are loaded AM they are sitting in there from the time they are loaded until atleast noon. The crews of the breakfast services have no reason to touch the drinks carts so have no reason to remove the wine. The crew who next need the cart should then remove it, not every crew member knows a great deal about wine and yes some people in life don't know red wine should be room temp! Very rarely have I found red wine in the fridge which has been put there by a crew, almost all of the time it's been put in there at the point of loading.

Additional passengers are clearly there on many services, and while you might not see them I certainly have seen a huge influx of new passengers on some service which would otherwise not have that many. I've had trips recently where there are more people sat in 1st Class than Standard!

 

[Failed Unit]

Re: loadings. The Edinburgh route has always had good loadings in first class with the trains I regularly used to use often nearly full. However I understand more people are on the Leeds and Newcastle slow services.

The 1700 in particular was often full in first class to the extent if you went the the resturant your seat would not be vacant if you went back before York. (or at least that became common one the service was a HST). It would be hard to attract more passengers to these services. I suspect loadings on the 1630 have gone down a lot, as why use it when it is a 2 sandwiches service when the following one has a meal and even if you hang around you only arrive 10 mins afterwards at York and further north. Passengers will soon work that out (or be told by the crew if the say they are hungry - I was on the 1600 told if you can wait that extra hour it is worth it - which is of course true)
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I havent noticed the portion of the mains reducing since the new offer came in, but it is of course much smaller than the restaurants. The apitiser is very hit and miss in the sense that about 50% of journeys I have done since the new offering it has not even got loaded and on the others it had just been a few crispy type snacks. The main quality wise is Ok, the portion for virgin fans is about the same but much reduced from pre-may. Only had the deserts not the cheese and biscuits. None of them I would get myself from M&S or cry out eat me - but need to try new things and none of them have disappointed taste wise.

I personally won't complian about the portions, smaller yes but still satisfied and the previous 3 course meal was probably going to help my tyre, so again you could argue east coast are helping your diet .

It will come back to - it is free you expect more if you pay. But it does compare well with Virgin, my only compliant here is it should be on more Anglo-Scottish trains including some heading South!

 

[Blindtraveler]

i guess if enough people say that to them then it may be considdered. Having just orgonised a work trip with an afternoon departure and as somebody else is paying i'm going EDB - CAR, unfortunately with TPE and then joining a southbound dinner serving pendo to EUS. i'm now considering telling east coast this to see what there reaction is.

 

[All Line Rover]

Its getting worse.
The Cheese platter desert in the former 'restaurant car' was a substantial range of slices from 3 cheeses, a stack of biscuits, butter or marge, several sticks of celery and twists of apple.
It was reduced in May severely, to 3 crackers, butter OR marge, a dollop of cuts from 2 cheeses and some celery.
Now its down to 2 crackers, no butter/marge, 2 bits of cheese and 3 sticks of celery.

Goodness gracious! The previous cheese platter (in the restaurant car) was DELICIOUS, absolutely DELICIOUS. I was rather unimpressed by the picture of the "new" cheese platter (on East Coast's website) and from your description it sounds just as bad as the picture! Why don't I just go and get some cheese and crackers from the John Lewis foodhall, and eat it in Standard Class? East Coast really should have kept the cheese platter the same.
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But it does compare well with Virgin, my only compliant here is it should be on more Anglo-Scottish trains including some heading South!

In my opinion it does not compare well to Virgin (well, Virgin's Pendolinos). East Coast's Evening Meal sounds very unsubstantial - I am glad that Virgin are my local operator. East Coast only serve the Evening Meal on "selected" northbound services (and only TWO to Leeds have the Evening Meal), whereas Virgin serve Evening Meals on ALL northbound AND southbound services between 5pm and 7pm, including London to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, which could be compared to London to Leeds.

 

[YorkshireRider]

In my opinion it does not compare well to Virgin (well, Virgin's Pendolinos). East Coast's Evening Meal sounds very unsubstantial - I am glad that Virgin are my local operator. East Coast only serve the Evening Meal on "selected" northbound services (and only TWO to Leeds have the Evening Meal), whereas Virgin serve Evening Meals on ALL northbound AND southbound services between 5pm and 7pm, including London to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, which could be compared to London to Leeds.

So what do you get on the evening meal on virgin, how many options are they? All ECs evening meal trains have to have a chef on but maybe EC can take some lessons from Virgin as regard the evening meal because if everyone of there trains between 5 and 7 has it on it must be CSAs cooking it because there is no way they pay to have a chef on everyone of them services. If EC can bring in csa cooked meals then more of there evening trains could have it, north and southbound. Leeds actually has 3 trains with evening meal but i take your point it isnt very many.

 

[All Line Rover]

So what do you get on the evening meal on virgin, how many options are they? All ECs evening meal trains have to have a chef on but maybe EC can take some lessons from Virgin as regard the evening meal because if everyone of there trains between 5 and 7 has it on it must be CSAs cooking it because there is no way they pay to have a chef on everyone of them services. If EC can bring in csa cooked meals then more of there evening trains could have it, north and southbound. Leeds actually has 3 trains with evening meal but i take your point it isnt very many.

Every single Evening Meal service I've been on (with Virgin Trains) has had a chef.

You always have two options with Virgin, but they are quite substantial (in my opinion) and are better than bangers'n'mash!

Travelling southbound (from Birmingham/Manchester/Liverpool) on one of the Evening Meal services is very nice, as they have plenty of staff but few customers. I took the 18:48 service from Liverpool once. I had FOUR staff waiting on me and had the whole of Coach K to myself!

 

[Pumbaa]

Every single Evening Meal service I've been on (with Virgin Trains) has had a chef.

Really? I thought only the breakfasts were done by the chef, the rest was done by the crew and a microwave!

 

[All Line Rover]

Really? I thought only the breakfasts were done by the chef, the rest was done by the crew and a microwave!

On Evening Meal services I've frequently seen someone in white clothes, with a hat, and the words "Virgin Trains" on their uniform. They must be a chef!

You would think that Evening Meals - not Breakfasts - would be done by chefs, since they must be harder to prepare.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Really? I thought only the breakfasts were done by the chef, the rest was done by the crew and a microwave!

You're not think of Voyagers, are you? Evening Meal's are definitely not microwaved on Pendolino's - they have a full size oven! (Although they are microwaved on Voyagers. )

 

[YorkshireRider]

Every single Evening Meal service I've been on (with Virgin Trains) has had a chef.

You always have two options with Virgin, but they are quite substantial (in my opinion) and are better than bangers'n'mash!

Can you tell us what they are then, at least on the days when you have been travelling? That is pretty impressive if they have chefs on them all.

 

[Squaddie]

I was rather unimpressed by the picture of the "new" cheese platter (on East Coast's website) and from your description it sounds just as bad as the picture! Why don't I just go and get some cheese and crackers from the John Lewis foodhall, and eat it in Standard Class?

Is that why you travel in first class? For the cheese and crackers?

 

[All Line Rover]

Is that why you travel in first class? For the cheese and crackers?

Partly, yes. One of the main reasons I travel First Class is for the service. I don't bother travelling First Class on the 21:07 service from London to Crewe, for example. Why pay £17 for a First Class ticket, when I can buy a Megatrain ticket for £3.50, buy a meal deal from Sainsbury's for £3, and sit in a priority seat with plenty of leg room in the Quiet Carriage?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Can you tell us what they are then, at least on the days when you have been travelling? That is pretty impressive if they have chefs on them all.

I have traveled on the 18:48 from Liverpool and the 18:55 from Manchester, which both had a member of staff in the type of clothing I described previously.

 

[Failed Unit]

So what do you get on the evening meal on virgin, how many options are they? All ECs evening meal trains have to have a chef on but maybe EC can take some lessons from Virgin as regard the evening meal because if everyone of there trains between 5 and 7 has it on it must be CSAs cooking it because there is no way they pay to have a chef on everyone of them services. If EC can bring in csa cooked meals then more of there evening trains could have it, north and southbound. Leeds actually has 3 trains with evening meal but i take your point it isnt very many.

Is that why no southbound service in the evening offer nothing better than 2 sandwiches, the company can't diagram the chefs. I guess the 1630 Edinburgh - London is the crew from the 1100 London - Edinburgh so bye bye chef as the are only working one way. (although the same arguement must apply in the other direction)

 

[YorkshireRider]

Is that why no southbound service in the evening offer nothing better than 2 sandwiches, the company can't diagram the chefs. I guess the 1630 Edinburgh - London is the crew from the 1100 London - Edinburgh so bye bye chef as the are only working one way. (although the same arguement must apply in the other direction)

Yeah basically that i think is the reason, all the remaining Edinburgh chefs are all diagramed to breakfast trains or the evening meal trains coming out of Kings X, and all the remaining London chefs are only diagramed to breakfast trains. The London chefs are only diagramed to work as far as Newcastle then get off and come back assist/pass. Im sure if enough complaints come in about edinburgh southbound they will have a rethink on this one.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have traveled on the 18:48 from Liverpool and the 18:55 from Manchester, which both had a member of staff in the type of clothing I described previously.

Sorry i wasnt very clear there, i meant what exactly were the meals offered?

 

[All Line Rover]

Yeah basically that i think is the reason, all the remaining Edinburgh chefs are all diagramed to breakfast trains or the evening meal trains coming out of Kings X, and all the remaining London chefs are only diagramed to breakfast trains. The London chefs are only diagramed to work as far as Newcastle then get off and come back assist/pass. Im sure if enough complaints come in about edinburgh southbound they will have a rethink on this one.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Sorry i wasnt very clear there, i meant what exactly were the meals offered?

One was pork chops in red wine sauce with "shredded potato" (I've forgotten what the shredded potato is called). It looked very nice (I got off at Crewe so didn't eat it myself, but I could see everyone else eating it!). The other was a pork dish too. Basically they're a lot more fancy and tasty than East Coast - a bit more thought is put into them. They seem to have improved greatly in recent years.

 

[Pumbaa]

The only decent VT meal I've had was chicken and lemon risotto on the 1755 off MAN a while back. I think the dinner portions are too small, the best VT meals are the all day sandwiches (proper sandwiches!). Chicken and roast potatoes springs to mind as a memorable disappointment, as does the summer stirfry last year, as does the pork in plum sauce with mash.

 

[All Line Rover]

The only decent VT meal I've had was chicken and lemon risotto on the 1755 off MAN a while back. I think the dinner portions are too small, the best VT meals are the all day sandwiches (proper sandwiches!). Chicken and roast potatoes springs to mind as a memorable disappointment, as does the summer stirfry last year, as does the pork in plum sauce with mash.

Virgin often serve the sandwiches with (decent) crisps too, which is a nice touch. It certainly makes the sandwich much more filling - more like a lunch. Even when they don't offer crisps with the sandwich I still ask for a packet off the trolley!

 

[Failed Unit]

One was pork chops in red wine sauce with "shredded potato" (I've forgotten what the shredded potato is called). It looked very nice (I got off at Crewe so didn't eat it myself, but I could see everyone else eating it!). The other was a pork dish too. Basically they're a lot more fancy and tasty than East Coast - a bit more thought is put into them. They seem to have improved greatly in recent years.

So what if you didn't like pork?

As someone who has used both recently:
Appetiser - virgin wins, but on half the trains I have used they haven't offered on at all on east coast.
Main - about the same in quality, quantity and choice.
Desert - again not much to choose.

Yes I critise east coast as the options and quantity is lower than the restaurants they replaced so I am getting less for the same price ticket (food was always included in my ticket) but the evening meal is about the same as Virgins on the trains that have it as is the breakfast.

My critism with east coast is that the don't offer the meal on enough services, hopefully the 1600 and 1630 may return (but not starting the main course as soon as it leaves KX) along with some southbound services should the feedback be actioned.

 

[All Line Rover]

So what if you didn't like pork?

They have two options - one of which is always vegetarian!

 

[Failed Unit]

Not done "all day" on Virgin yet, but 2 simple things could fix east coast here but could be rail gourmet issues.

1. Offer everything on the menu including 4 sandwiches.
2. Offer more (any ) choice as a hot meal. Chilli, soup and a roll, stew, pasta based dishes may be possible, I don't know, as the kitchens may not be able to cope, I only do 40 at once when serving this kind of dish, and you need a big pot!

 

[sidmouth]

It would be interesting to see the finances; the savings in not employing a chef against the loss of a single potential EC 1st class passenger onto VT or other alternative mode / TOC. EC must obviously think that it is economically worthwhile not to employ southbound chefs to serve dinner but I just cannot see their logic. Am I missing something?

 

[Failed Unit]

They have two options - one of which is always vegetarian!

So if you didn't like pork on that train you would have the same problems as some are finding on east coast! You need to options and a veggie one!

 

[All Line Rover]

So if you didn't like pork on that train you would have the same problems as some are finding on east coast! You need to options and a veggie one!

Although I am not vegetarian myself, some vegetarian dishes can be very tasty. I think having THREE dishes would over complicate matters.

 

[Failed Unit]

Although I am not vegetarian myself, some vegetarian dishes can be very tasty. I think having THREE dishes would over complicate matters.

Exactly the offers are exactly the same, the only are virgin wins is they offer it on more trains! (and later on the routes)

 

[AlterEgo]

I've taken advantage of the East Coast £25 offer and will be heading from King's Cross to Newcastle on 26 July. I'll be on the 0730 service.

What are people's opinions on the breakfast offering? I'm not so much fussed about the evening meal as I'm returning in the afternoon via Grand Central.

 

[All Line Rover]

I've taken advantage of the East Coast £25 offer and will be heading from King's Cross to Newcastle on 26 July. I'll be on the 0730 service.

What are people's opinions on the breakfast offering? I'm not so much fussed about the evening meal as I'm returning in the afternoon via Grand Central.

It's good - nothing wrong with it in my opinion.