EMT First Class

[trentside]

Hello everyone,

Just a little enquiry about a journey I'm making on Saturday. Am booked on the 07:18 NOT-STP HST service with EMT and the return 17:30 STP-NOT Meridian service, with 1st Advance tickets. A couple of queries, what sort of service can I expect on a Saturday? I'm not familiar with EMT's first product, so was wondering what there is in the way of complimentary coffee etc.

Also does anyone know what is normally used on the 17:30, i.e. what formation the 222 will be in? I'm assuming it'll be a single 7 car unit as I have reservations in Coach G.

 

[Jordy]

You can get free tea/coffee but you will need to visit the buffet to get it as there is no at seat service at weekends.

 

[yorksrob]

You can get free tea/coffee but you will need to visit the buffet to get it as there is no at seat service at weekends.

Does anyone know if this is still the case as there was talk of abolishing buffet's recently?

 

[trentside]

Does anyone know if this is still the case as there was talk of abolishing buffet's recently?

It seems to vary service to service. On my outbound trip you were expected to go to what was referred to as a 'static trolley' (i.e. the buffet) but returning to Nottingham on the 17:15 (in place of cancelled 17:30 - thank goodness I was early) a trolley service was provided. Both these were HST services.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

It seems to vary service to service. On my outbound trip you were expected to go to what was referred to as a 'static trolley' (i.e. the buffet) but returning to Nottingham on the 17:15 (in place of cancelled 17:30 - thank goodness I was early) a trolley service was provided. Both these were HST services.

A trolley on a HST, it should be against the law!

 

[MCR247]

...when it still has the buffet car :@

 

[38Cto15E]

I think that when HSTs first came out on the GWML the buffet cars had draught beer.
I travelled in First to St Pancras last week and I said to the customer host that I'll have a sandwich and a beer, she said we don't have beer, that is served by the Rail Gourmet staff, but they aren't on this train because of earlier signalling problems.
I replied that i no longer wanted a sandwich then.

The coffee has improved but you still need to stir it with a Brazillian rain forest lolly stick

 

[trentside]

I can safely say that the coffee offered by the Rail Gourmet staff on EMT was some of the worst I've ever tasted. The description of "hot water with brown grit in it" was very appropriate. They were offering a good selection of sandwiches and had a number of types of beer for sale as well. I didn't try these, as I was going out for a meal on my arrival back in Nottingham.

The coffee was served in unbranded polystyrene cups along with the rainforest lolly sticks.

 

[yorksrob]

I think that when HSTs first came out on the GWML the buffet cars had draught beer.
I travelled in First to St Pancras last week and I said to the customer host that I'll have a sandwich and a beer, she said we don't have beer, that is served by the Rail Gourmet staff, but they aren't on this train because of earlier signalling problems.
I replied that i no longer wanted a sandwich then.

The coffee has improved but you still need to stir it with a Brazillian rain forest lolly stick

Ha ha, to be honest I find the choice of beer on board trains a bit rubbish really. The exceptions are the Great Eastern, which had Adnams, Great Western, which had a local beer whose name I've forgotten but which was very nice, and South Eastern, whose buffet trolleys are always stocked with Shepherd Neame.

To EMT - Get a grip. If you've got a buffet, use it. No one is impressed by this trolley stuff.

 

[trentside]

To EMT - Get a grip. If you've got a buffet, use it. No one is impressed by this trolley stuff.

I got the impression that the on train staff felt the same way, from conversations I overheard before the train set off!

 

[CallySleeperKid]

I have got a couple of first class St Pancras to Langley Mill trips lined up before Christmas and from what I am reading I have to honestly say im not looking forward to them one bit!

 

[David Pemberton]

The EMT website accurately describes the service:

http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/EMTrains/YourJourney/firstclass.htm

I guess the reduction in service at weekends reflect the lack of full-fare first class passengers. Essentially the weekend first is a discount ticket or £7 upgrade market and for that you really just get more space.

I rarely defend EMT's service, but I have found their weekday First Class service to be really excellent over the summer. The breakfast on the Robin Hood is still silver-service Full English; the other morning services have a freshly baked roll with good fillings (in First); the return in the evenings have attentive stewards and generous refils of wine and snacks.

But for nearly £500 return to Manchester on Virgin I got a nasty submarine of a Pendolinio which shook and bounced me all the way, a seat that didn't line up with the mean little windows, and a small plastic sandwich. Railway rip-off of the year.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Unlucky, WSMR is now £35.00 upgrade to 1st during the week, and thats for all the freebies

 

[trentside]

I guess the reduction in service at weekends reflect the lack of full-fare first class passengers. Essentially the weekend first is a discount ticket or £7 upgrade market and for that you really just get more space.

I rarely defend EMT's service, but I have found their weekday First Class service to be really excellent over the summer. The breakfast on the Robin Hood is still silver-service Full English; the other morning services have a freshly baked roll with good fillings (in First); the return in the evenings have attentive stewards and generous refils of wine and snacks.

I've yet to sample EMT first during the week, so my disappointment with the far reduced weekend service was probably a little unfair, as I've used East Coast (and predecessors) First Class on weekends on many occasions, and received similar levels of service to that during the week, and was obviously looking to make comparisons.

One wonders how long the EMT weekday First service can survive with their current love of 'cost cutting'?

 

[38Cto15E]

David
I guess that you had a VirginTrains special ticket because the web site shows me that I can buy a EUS-MAN First anytime return for the bargain price of £399.
Now I wonder how much will that private jet be?

 

[MCR247]

When I went on my ALR I learnt about sausage baguettes:
EMT - £3.75, I thought that was alright until
GW - £3.75, for two of the baguettes you get on EMT
VT - Sausage cob, free
WSMR - They do some sort of sausage sandiwch but I didn't get to try it because they'd ran out

Unlucky, WSMR is now £35.00 upgrade to 1st during the week, and thats for all the freebies

No, you don't get any food etc

 

[voyagerdude220]

No, you don't get any food etc

I saw a notice in today's copy of rail (got it delivered on Saturday), stating that the £35 upgrade does include all First Class food + soft drinks, which is the same offered to all other First Class ticket holders.

The only upgrade which didn't include it, was the £15 weekday upgrade between Leamington/Banbury and London, as well as the £15 weekend first upgrade.

 

[furryfeet]

WSMR is now £35.00 upgrade to 1st during the week, and thats for all the freebies

This looks appealing !

What sort(s) of 2nd class ticket can be upgraded then ?
Savers, Open Returns etc
Is the 35.00 fee a one way, or two way upgrade, assuming that one already has a valid return ticket.

 

[MCR247]

I saw a notice in today's copy of rail (got it delivered on Saturday), stating that the £35 upgrade does include all First Class food + soft drinks, which is the same offered to all other First Class ticket holders.

The only upgrade which didn't include it, was the £15 weekday upgrade between Leamington/Banbury and London, as well as the £15 weekend first upgrade.

Sorry, I knew one didn't include that

 

[voyagerdude220]

Don't worry about it

 

[MidnightFlyer]

This looks appealing !

What sort(s) of 2nd class ticket can be upgraded then ?
Savers, Open Returns etc
Is the 35.00 fee a one way, or two way upgrade, assuming that one already has a valid return ticket.

Dunno, I read it in Rail too

 

[yorksrob]

At least the carriages are still very comfortable. I'll miss that sausage baguette when I'm on there in a couple of weeks time though

 

[David Pemberton]

David
I guess that you had a VirginTrains special ticket because the web site shows me that I can buy a EUS-MAN First anytime return for the bargain price of £399.
Now I wonder how much will that private jet be?

You are right £399, I wasn't paying the ultimate bill but I did have to fund it on my credit card until reimbursed, and I just remember it being rotten value.

(My uncle is chief training pilot and shareholder in an exec jet business and their pricing model is BA business class plus 10% if you fill one the four-seater jets; on a per person business that might not be so much more than Virgin First!)