East Coast

[silentone]

You connect to 'eastcoast-wifi' or similar on the train. There are several Wifi networks but only one you can access. No password required.

When you launch your browser it should automatically take you to the loading page, if it doesn't try going to a website. The East Coast page will load where you must enter your email address in order to use the Wifi. It will not work until you do.

There are certain area's on the route that access to the internet is patchy, seems to be in or around the Grantham area. It also doesn't work between Carlisle & Newcastle, but that's mainly because of all of the hills & tree's!

Oh and at the start of a trains journey it can get a little unresponsive as everyone tries to logon at the same time!

 

[Aictos]

how do you get free wifi in east coast i tryed it and you either had to pay or ask a member of staff cant remember

I can't remember how you login as I've not used it for yonks BUT it changed to a free for all when NX first took over which is probably the best thing they did!

 

[stut]

Just look for the eastcoast-wifi SSID, start up a browser and enter an email address (which can even be real if you want). I use it regularly, although usually from an FCC train on an adjacent platform...

 

[DaveNewcastle]

how do you get free wifi in east coast . . .

Its hard to understand your posts with your bad spelling and grammar, but I do understand the first part, which I've quoted.

If your laptop has its wireless internet settings configured to automatically seek and aquire an available wi-fi network, then it will find the EC service. That's no different from aquiring a wi-fi connection anywhere else.
Once it has has found the service, then, when you open a browser, its first DNS request will redirect it to the EC wi-fi login page where you'll be asked to identify yourself by entering an email address.
There is no payment.
If you do experience any difficulty, there is a helpline phone number posted in every coach.
Thousands of travellers use the on-board wi-fi on EC every day and it has been a great success, suffering principally from the increased demand placed on it by users demanding high bandwidths (eg streaming video).

If you look at the available networks in your computer's wireless network interface, you should be able to see the ID of the available networks as being the trainset you are on with the suffixes of your coach (being the strongest signal) and the other near coaches with correspondingly weaker signals.

None of the above is applicable to any hired-in trainset which EC may be operating (from XC or EMT).

 

[fhs man 2]

thanks ill try this next time
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Its hard to understand your posts with your bad spelling and grammar, but I do understand the first part, which I've quoted.

I am sorry it is because i type very fast and sometimes i make mistakes sorry i will try using the preview button before the submit button next time.

 

[yorkie]

I am sorry it is because i type very fast and sometimes i make mistakes sorry i will try using the preview button before the submit button next time.

Please do. And as for fast typing, in my book the speed of typing AFTER spelling corrections (not before) is what counts. 80 words per minute with 10 mistakes isn't fast typing, there is no point typing fast if you make mistakes.

Have a go at this http://speedtest.10-fast-fingers.com/ and let me know how many wpm you get with 0 errors. I just got 70, but I don't type at that speed when posting on forums. There is absolutely no need to type so fast when using a forum. Slow down! Fast typing just isn't a valid excuse for bad spelling/punctuation/grammar...

Now if you had said you were using a mobile device I'd cut you some slack, but even then there's no excuse for such basic errors as lack of full stops.

Thank you

 

[DaveNewcastle]

We all know East Coast as the operator of long-distance, high-speed HSTs and electric "225s" between Kings Cross and Scotland, the North East and Leeds, and doing it with a high level of on-board service on journeys over hundreds of miles.
But there are some exceptions. There's a few early morning or late night services which don't complete the full route, and because of their extreme times of the day, they don't offer the full level of on-board service, obviously.

But, although I consider myself to be a regular traveller with EC, I surprised myself today by travelling for the first time on what must be the shortest day-time service they operate: the 18:35 Edinburgh to Newcastle, stopping everywhere with a long enough platform. (Who said that they never saw anyone use Dunbar station?)

Its not the journey that we normally expect from EC (presumably its necessary to position stock - and maybe staff anyway), but, it was heavily laden and served a useful function.
So, given that it was merely an inter-regional service, I was going to be interested to see how it was staffed and provisioned.

Well, it seemed to be staffed to the level that you'd expect for an inter-regional. The catering team of two were kept busy throughout, no trolley and no chef (of course).
But I guess if you had to run a full length EC set at "dinner time" on a service that is well laden, then there's maybe a good case for providing some good old EC catering?
No. I was dissapointed. I was in Standard class, and asked what hot meals were available. All that was on offer was a choice of 2 "pannini" and all the usual cold sandwiches etc.
There was a greater choice available to First Class at-seat-catering, but not to Standard Class on a take-away basis. Maybe silentone can explain the reasoning for us. I know there isn't a "restaurant" on that service, but given how busy it is and the time of day (6:35 pm to 8:18pm) you'd think that the EC range of meals might be popular with Standard Class pax?

(But I repeat, that is an exceptionally odd service for EC to run and I wouldn't expect the economics of long-distance services to apply to a trip of a mere 120miles)

 

[route101]

We all know East Coast as the operator of long-distance, high-speed HSTs and electric "225s" between Kings Cross and Scotland, the North East and Leeds, and doing it with a high level of on-board service on journeys over hundreds of miles.
But there are some exceptions. There's a few early morning or late night services which don't complete the full route, and because of their extreme times of the day, they don't offer the full level of on-board service, obviously.

But, although I consider myself to be a regular traveller with EC, I surprised myself today by travelling for the first time on what must be the shortest day-time service they operate: the 18:35 Edinburgh to Newcastle, stopping everywhere with a long enough platform. (Who said that they never saw anyone use Dunbar station?)

Its not the journey that we normally expect from EC (presumably its necessary to position stock - and maybe staff anyway), but, it was heavily laden and served a useful function.
So, given that it was merely an inter-regional service, I was going to be interested to see how it was staffed and provisioned.

Well, it seemed to be staffed to the level that you'd expect for an inter-regional. The catering team of two were kept busy throughout, no trolley and no chef (of course).
But I guess if you had to run a full length EC set at "dinner time" on a service that is well laden, then there's maybe a good case for providing some good old EC catering?
No. I was dissapointed. I was in Standard class, and asked what hot meals were available. All that was on offer was a choice of 2 "pannini" and all the usual cold sandwiches etc.
There was a greater choice available to First Class at-seat-catering, but not to Standard Class on a take-away basis. Maybe silentone can explain the reasoning for us. I know there isn't a "restaurant" on that service, but given how busy it is and the time of day (6:35 pm to 8:18pm) you'd think that the EC range of meals might be popular with Standard Class pax?

(But I repeat, that is an exceptionally odd service for EC to run and I wouldn't expect the economics of long-distance services to apply to a trip of a mere 120miles)

Ha just i was around waverley at 6 to 7 . Well the last time i went on ec i was on the 1750 from glasgow and i recall it being trolley service only . Correct me if im wrong.

 

[ainsworth74]

Correct me if im wrong.

Nope you're right, timetable shows that its trolley only for the full length of the journey. You would have thought they could have provided a buffet at least as far as Newcastle. I can see why they wouldn't all the way to the Cross seeing as it doesn't arrive till midnight.

 

[silentone]

Nope you're right, timetable shows that its trolley only for the full length of the journey. You would have thought they could have provided a buffet at least as far as Newcastle. I can see why they wouldn't all the way to the Cross seeing as it doesn't arrive till midnight.

The trolley symbol on the timetable merely indicates a sort of basic level of catering so a trolley is the minimum you will receive.

On these trains First Class receive no meals and both classes work from the same tariff. There are a 3 microwaveable meals (pies) on the tariff and on occassions those in First Class will receive priority, it's upto the crew how they work.

There are certain trains that operate with a reduced number of staff (2) and in the end it comes down to money, what makes the most money on that train and what way of working works best. I know on certain 2 man crews one person will do a trolley run then open the bar for the remainder of the journey if it's possible. Or one person will work through First Class then open the bar. This sort of working came from NX and their reducing wage bill. Although the train may be full it may not make any money.

 

[YorkshireRider]

East are to offer free food and drink to suit the time of day in first class, there hoping to do this in time for the start of the eureka timetable. As a result of this however the restaurant cars will be withdrawn on all services.

 

[ainsworth74]

And your source for this information?

 

[networkrail1]

Have a go at this http://speedtest.10-fast-fingers.com/ and let me know how many wpm you get with 0 errors. I just got 70, but I don't type at that speed when posting on forums. There is absolutely no need to type so fast when using a forum. Slow down! Fast typing just isn't a valid excuse for bad spelling/punctuation/grammar...

70 wow you do type fast hehe.

I just tried your link for the first time and only got 30 wpm with 0 errors.

All the best.

Simon

 

[38Cto15E]

Excuse my ignorance, I'm having a senior moment, but what is the "eureka timetable"?

 

[sprinterguy]

Excuse my ignorance, I'm having a senior moment, but what is the "eureka timetable"?

It's the new East Coast clockface timetable that has been developed for a 2011 launch, which sees trains for the same destination depart in the same path each hour (or every two hours in some cases) with similar stopping patterns enroute. It'll help to standardise the tangle of different Intercity and regional operators on various parts of the ECML: East Coast, open access, Crosscountry and Transpennine.

 

[YorkshireRider]

And your source for this information?

I work for east coast, the exact details are been finalised but its defo happening, the kitchens are to start being refurbised shortly in time for May 2011

 

[sprinterguy]

So does this mean that standard class on East Coast will be trolley service only if this happens? Flippin' great

 

[YorkshireRider]

No, the buffets are staying as they are, new coffee machines are to be fitted that are more reliable and easier to clean, its just the kitchen area behind the buffet thats having a makeover to cope with the extra demand, however standard class ticket holders will no longer be able to have a sit down meal on the few services which still have a restaurant service as these will be withdrawn

 

[sprinterguy]

No, the buffets are staying as they are, new coffee machines are to be fitted that are more reliable and easier to clean, its just the kitchen area behind the buffet thats having a makeover to cope with the extra demand, however standard class ticket holders will no longer be able to have a sit down meal on the few services which still have a restaurant service as these will be withdrawn

Oh, phew, that's alright then With all the withdrawal of buffet facilities that has been going on with various TOCs recently, I was expecting the worst!

 

[YorkshireRider]

No, hopefully they will never do that, as has been mentioned in other posts i think if you are to get rid of one or the other on ic services it should be the trolley that goes

 

[LE Greys]

No, hopefully they will never do that, as has been mentioned in other posts i think if you are to get rid of one or the other on ic services it should be the trolley that goes

Let me echo that sentiment. A trolley in the wrong place can be a real pain in the backside sometimes. I remember once going to the loo and getting cut off from my seat by one. By the time they moved it, someone had nabbed the seat and I had to rescue my backpack and laptop from the racks over his head. Murphy's Law, I suppose, and it might have been easier with a compo, space to duck into a compartment and get past the thing (if it backs up a little). Still, it's buffets for me any day.

 

[Mintona]

Morning. Travelling with East Coast for the first time today on the 10.10 Kings Cross - Leeds. Already hate them, they have reserved every seat in standard class (including quiet coach!) so I am left standing for the next 2 1/2 hours along with about 8 other people in each vestibule. Wil definitely be coming home via Preston and Virgin Trains later on!

 

[jon0844]

You can sit in any reserved seat as long as you're willing to move if the passenger arrives. And if nobody gets on after the train has left the station where the reservation is shown to begin from, can't you then take it for the whole journey?

Or were they both reserved AND occupied? If so, that means the train is full, so that's different! I read this to mean that loads of seats are in fact empty, but reservations have been put out - even for people who have open tickets and may well opt to travel later.

 

[MCR247]

Surely there should be a maximum of how many seats can be reserved?!

 

[jon0844]

Surely there should be a maximum of how many seats can be reserved?!

I also thought that there was always at least one coach where there can't be any reservations at all? Or am I totally wrong on that?

 

[Pumbaa]

I also thought that there was always at least one coach where there can't be any reservations at all? Or am I totally wrong on that?

On EC, coach H is always unreserved in the Mk4 sets (last Standard class with the CafeBar in) as is K in First class. HSTs never have G (Standard) or J (First) reserved. This does give the confusion that you can book into the restuarant on Mk4s but not on HSTs.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
That by the way is the system that applies to Advance purchases. If you request a seat reservation at the station, the system will give you seats in the above coaches anyway.

 

[GlasgowHST]

On EC, coach H is always unreserved in the Mk4 sets (last Standard class with the CafeBar in) as is K in First class. HSTs never have G (Standard) or J (First) reserved. This does give the confusion that you can book into the restuarant on Mk4s but not on HSTs.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
That by the way is the system that applies to Advance purchases. If you request a seat reservation at the station, the system will give you seats in the above coaches anyway.

I have an upcoming journey on East Coast between Aberdeen and London Kings Cross and we have reservations in Coach J First Class for the trip. Will these reservations be honoured if Coach J is always unreserved?

 

[Pumbaa]

Yes they will be - if the reservation is given, it will be honoured.

 

[ainsworth74]

Just a quick question, are their likely to be any major changes to the timetable by next April? I'm batting around the idea of a day out (talk about major forward planning ) and it would be useful to have some idea of whether or not the EC times are going to be similar to what they are now.

 

[Failed Unit]

Monday - Friday yes. The timetable is already online. Weekends will depend on engineering work.