I would have assumed Dish as that doesn't require a chef.
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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service
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ajp999
Member
The hot drinks service still seems very hit and miss. Can often have to wait over a hour for a drink, particularly an issue travelling northbound from Kings Cross or from intermediate stations such as Grantham / Newark.
Justin Time
Member
And it’s there on the LNER app, no chef for the up Highland Chieftain as far as Newcastle, again.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Today, or anytime?
Today, both directions between Newcastle and Inverness, as the same chef does the full out and back.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Indeed they do, hence the shortages a while back.
It is a positive they let todays customers know through the app though.
Clansman
Established Member
One of my close friends is a host and it’s interesting reading the interpretations on the service offering for the Chieftain. It’s quite long winded but it does explain a lot about what this thread has found so far.
Long story short - Weekday should be Signature on all Chieftain services, but expect more weekday trains to be Dish at least up until the autumn. Do not expect the LNER website to reflect this. Staff shortages, the new menu being more demanding, poor design of Azuma’s kitchen with small ovens and little fridge storage space all factors in this.
The full offering of Signature is contingent on there being a full crew - not just a chef. If there is a chef but there is a shortage of hosts, then the menu reverts back to Dish even with a chef. Some chefs are happy to do Signature with one or two hosts uncovered, depending on how busy the service is and if it’s morning or evening menu. Signature AM menu is easier since the Full LNER can be prepared in bulk ahead of time and kept warm throughout the journey ready to plate up as and when new passengers board and order. The items are small and lots can be prepared in a short space of time in the small space the ovens are. Not having to serve everyone at once due to the train picking up passengers gradually the further south it gets, makes this easier.
The PM menu is a different story entirely, especially leaving Edinburgh heading south since everyone gets served again at once. Therefore you have a full first class of 100 to serve in a short space of time and also you need to do desserts and clear up two courses too, while doing a cold drinks run and hot drinks run. The new menu is more difficult because there isn’t enough room in the ovens to serve 100 passengers in the 90 minutes from Edinburgh to Newcastle (Alnmouth passengers wait until after Newcastle because of this), especially if they want Chicken as the ovens are not big enough to accommodate the demand for them. Coach K tend to be neglected for Chef’s options because of this. So the service heading south takes right up until approach to Newcastle on a good day. Hot drinks tend to not get done as a result of this until after Newcastle.
Imagine the service but with one host short, or two, or three. Signature menu would be carnage in the PM, and the new menu itself already is proving difficult for colleagues to handle, and internally there is a lot of disgruntled Scottish colleagues with York head office over the apparent lack of planning or attention to the Chieftain’s ability to do a full Signature PM service from Edinburgh to Newcastle for every passenger.
When short of hosts then it’s entirely down to the discretion of the crew which service they do even if management instruct otherwise. This is irrespective of the cover they might receive from Edinburgh based spare colleagues since they want to avoid conflict by inconsistently having to change offers mid-service depending on where and when they have spares filling in (which is usually from Edinburgh to Newcastle and back, or from Perth to Newcastle and back to Edinburgh).
Inverness depot are also short staffed at the minute for hosts (multiple staff absences plus at least 2 or 3 vacancies taking months to fill due to training etc). Therefore more trains are reverting to Dish on the day without prior warning on the LNER website. The crew tend to override management (who insist on signature even when short staffed) but as it’s their train ultimately they know what service they are consistently able to provide and so opt for that.
The PM menu is a different story entirely, especially leaving Edinburgh heading south since everyone gets served again at once. Therefore you have a full first class of 100 to serve in a short space of time and also you need to do desserts and clear up two courses too, while doing a cold drinks run and hot drinks run. The new menu is more difficult because there isn’t enough room in the ovens to serve 100 passengers in the 90 minutes from Edinburgh to Newcastle (Alnmouth passengers wait until after Newcastle because of this), especially if they want Chicken as the ovens are not big enough to accommodate the demand for them. Coach K tend to be neglected for Chef’s options because of this. So the service heading south takes right up until approach to Newcastle on a good day. Hot drinks tend to not get done as a result of this until after Newcastle.
Imagine the service but with one host short, or two, or three. Signature menu would be carnage in the PM, and the new menu itself already is proving difficult for colleagues to handle, and internally there is a lot of disgruntled Scottish colleagues with York head office over the apparent lack of planning or attention to the Chieftain’s ability to do a full Signature PM service from Edinburgh to Newcastle for every passenger.
When short of hosts then it’s entirely down to the discretion of the crew which service they do even if management instruct otherwise. This is irrespective of the cover they might receive from Edinburgh based spare colleagues since they want to avoid conflict by inconsistently having to change offers mid-service depending on where and when they have spares filling in (which is usually from Edinburgh to Newcastle and back, or from Perth to Newcastle and back to Edinburgh).
Inverness depot are also short staffed at the minute for hosts (multiple staff absences plus at least 2 or 3 vacancies taking months to fill due to training etc). Therefore more trains are reverting to Dish on the day without prior warning on the LNER website. The crew tend to override management (who insist on signature even when short staffed) but as it’s their train ultimately they know what service they are consistently able to provide and so opt for that.
Long story short - Weekday should be Signature on all Chieftain services, but expect more weekday trains to be Dish at least up until the autumn. Do not expect the LNER website to reflect this. Staff shortages, the new menu being more demanding, poor design of Azuma’s kitchen with small ovens and little fridge storage space all factors in this.
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Willie Bee
Member
On Sunday morning (7th June) my wife and I travelled from Newcastle to YORK
We got the Mumbai Chicken Toastie, which was very nice followed by strawberry & lime pudding pots.
On our return (Wednesday 10th)we got smoky bean pasta which was also very nice .. I forgot to take a picture though
We got the Mumbai Chicken Toastie, which was very nice followed by strawberry & lime pudding pots.
On our return (Wednesday 10th)we got smoky bean pasta which was also very nice .. I forgot to take a picture though
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mq90
Member
infrequent traveller of LNER, travelled on a Dish service this afternoon out of Leeds.
Food order taken quickly leaving Leeds, with cold drinks following on. Hot Drinks (not today thanks!) leaving Doncaster.
Crew were very friendly and the toastie was far better than I thought it would be!
Food order taken quickly leaving Leeds, with cold drinks following on. Hot Drinks (not today thanks!) leaving Doncaster.
Crew were very friendly and the toastie was far better than I thought it would be!
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Yes, my daughter thought it might be too spicy for my taste but I liked it (1839 KGX-LDS last Friday - first time I've been on a nearly full train, and service was slow - the 2nd drinks run was around Donny, most unusual).
Butts
Veteran Member
See LNER have taken over the redundant Sleeper Lounge at Leuchars and opening it as a 1st Class Lounge from August 6th.
Due to it's location on the Station must be scanner entry.
Surprising and at least a positive move - opening rather than a closing.
Opening Hours Mon,Thu,Fri,Sat 0815-1215 and Sun 0940-1340
Due to it's location on the Station must be scanner entry.
Surprising and at least a positive move - opening rather than a closing.
Opening Hours Mon,Thu,Fri,Sat 0815-1215 and Sun 0940-1340
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Odd opening hours! Though obviously a positive to an opening rather than closing.
Butts
Veteran Member
It's so far from the Ticket Office I'm a bit concerned it could be "cleaned out" - think there is only the Ticket Seller staff wise at Leuchars.
The choices of day are strange, but the times make some amount of sense, covering two of the three LNER departures per day.
Butts
Veteran Member
D1537
Established Member
There are eight LNER departures per day (four each way)* and the times cover three of them (two southbound and one northbound). I appreciate the takeup for northbound first class travel might be somewhat limited.
*Six on a Sunday (three each way)
Oh yes, the York - I was looking at services to London. But yes, the lion’s share of first class demand will be to London.
telstarbox
Established Member
Just noticed this thread has been going for 15 years - is that a record?
Clansman
Established Member
The lounges are trials at least until the winter to gauge demand. Staffed by Edinburgh platform and first class lounge staff who live near the area, and are primarily there to serve 1E11 and 1E15 which are usually full and standing by Dundee and Leuchars.
Hence the limited opening hours.
Hence the limited opening hours.
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Ah interesting! Hopefully it's successful.
Butts
Veteran Member
Ah that's good news at least from an access and security point of view.
The camera entry systems like the Avanti one at Birmingham International are notoriously fickle.
ScotTrains
Member
Is the Dundee sleeper lounge also going to be taken over by LNER?
I'd have thought a Dundee lounge would be far more useful and popular than the Leuchars one.
I'd have thought a Dundee lounge would be far more useful and popular than the Leuchars one.
Facilities at Leuchars otherwise are rudimentary and the platform is famously windswept and exposed, so it makes a lot of sense to use this facility which was built (or at least a Portakabin craned in) for the purpose. I'd guess that the university and golf markets at St Andrews generate a fair amount of first class custom. The platforms at Dundee and Leuchars are equally packed for 1E11 and 1E15.
A summer menu in 1st class has now been introduced—I assume yesterday, since on 1S11 the menus were swapped over before departure. Nothing showing online yet. No obvious change on the stripped back All Day menu, perhaps there's some changes in the others?
Also noticed that the previous artisan gin has gone and been replaced by Gordon's.
Also noticed that the previous artisan gin has gone and been replaced by Gordon's.
airantraigh
Member
Menus the same since the change in May(?) ish, only change in the all day menu is the removal of the avocado which remains in the dish and signature menus. The gin has been changed due to a packaging defect in the old ones. May return to the old gin at some point
That's a shame. That was surprisingly good.
Yes, that happened to the vodka a while ago - too many cut fingers whilst opening them.
Can't resist a bargain in 1st and had time on my hands so down to London via Leeds today instead of Avanti.
Lounge was ok. Those white chocolate and strawberry biscuits, drool. Was tempted to pilfer some but I resisted
No reservations due to a unit swap and so, luckily, I managed to bag an airline seat (seatfrog gave me a table of 4). I swear it was meant to be a 225...oh well. Very confused passengers on the platform receiving zero assistance from the non existent LNER staff on the platform (and no note in Journey Check). Poor show
Menu had coffee stains and some leftover pain au chocolat on it. Come on LNER! Either make them disposable paper sheets on demand or laminate them!
Hot drinks served first threw me a bit. Had the tuna salad, lemon pot, crisps, an apple and 3 (!) glasses red wine. All fairly decent. Lemon pot especially - much better than the strawberry one.
Staff were OK. Weren't in any mood to chat to passengers or interact at all. No special attention for the wheelchair passengers, which I know can't be an expectation at all but seemed a bit mean. 2 hosts on a 5 coach hardly ... rushed off their feet. The off-duty member of LNER staff got nice welcome though so that's nice
I think the Yorkshire crew are better overall
Lounge was ok. Those white chocolate and strawberry biscuits, drool. Was tempted to pilfer some but I resisted
No reservations due to a unit swap and so, luckily, I managed to bag an airline seat (seatfrog gave me a table of 4). I swear it was meant to be a 225...oh well. Very confused passengers on the platform receiving zero assistance from the non existent LNER staff on the platform (and no note in Journey Check). Poor show
Menu had coffee stains and some leftover pain au chocolat on it. Come on LNER! Either make them disposable paper sheets on demand or laminate them!
Hot drinks served first threw me a bit. Had the tuna salad, lemon pot, crisps, an apple and 3 (!) glasses red wine. All fairly decent. Lemon pot especially - much better than the strawberry one.
Staff were OK. Weren't in any mood to chat to passengers or interact at all. No special attention for the wheelchair passengers, which I know can't be an expectation at all but seemed a bit mean. 2 hosts on a 5 coach hardly ... rushed off their feet. The off-duty member of LNER staff got nice welcome though so that's nice
I think the Yorkshire crew are better overall
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