EMT light vs full breakfast in 1ST

[OLJR]

I am probably going to take an EMT operated service from St Pancras to Sheffield soon and am looking at the 8.56am departure.

I note with interest from this page that there is a complimentary breakfast in 1ST but that all northbound services offer a light breakfast, with a full breakfast only available on trains heading south.

Why do you think EMT consider that southbound passengers should qualify for a full breakfast but northbound passengers should not? :?

 

[berneyarms]

I am probably going to take an EMT operated service from St Pancras to Sheffield soon and am looking at the 8.56am departure.

I note with interest from this page that there is a complimentary breakfast in 1ST but that all northbound services offer a light breakfast, with a full breakfast only available on trains heading south.

Why do you think EMT consider that southbound passengers should qualify for a full breakfast but northbound passengers should not? :?

Presumably cost comes into it - there would have to be larger catering crews based in London to offer the cooked breakfasts, plus being honest I'd imagine that the main business on the MML is into London rather than out of it in the mornings.

 

[bengolding]

EMT offers 5 full breakfast services southbound, with a great range of options available. The cooked breakfast is more substantial than that offered on Virgin. Then again, these services often only offer First Anytime tickets.

The last time I was offered a light breakfast, it was a choice of breakfast rolls. The complimentary breakfast isn't offered to anyone boarding south of Wellingborough southbound.

Still recall the good days on MML when every am service offered breakfast, with great value First Advance Breakfast tickets on weekday northbound services from St Pancras.

 

[yorkie]

Indeed, the demand heading into London in the morning would be many times greater than the other direction!

 

[berneyarms]

EMT offers 5 full breakfast services southbound, with a great range of options available. The cooked breakfast is more substantial than that offered on Virgin. Then again, these services often only offer First Anytime tickets.

The last time I was offered a light breakfast, it was a choice of breakfast rolls. The complimentary breakfast isn't offered to anyone boarding south of Wellingborough southbound.

Still recall the good days on MML when every am service offered breakfast, with great value First Advance Breakfast tickets on weekday northbound services from St Pancras.

I'd concur - it's probably one of the best cooked breakfasts on the rails in my opinion (just behind the ATW WG breakfast)!

 

[CyrusWuff]

In MML days, all of the Chefs for the breakfast trains were based at the Northern end of the route, hence why the first Northbound train offering breakfast was the erstwhile 0725 St Pancras - Sheffield, which was the back working of the Chef from the 0500 Derby - St Pancras, and also why the last Northbound breakfast train was the 1025 to Sheffield.

As for the potential argument of Meridian galleys not being as good as the HST ones, MML staged a trial run (admittedly static, rather than on the move) and managed to turn out something like 110 breakfasts in the space of two hours if memory serves.

 

[rick9525]

I loved the fact you had the option of a full fresh cooked breakfast on a Saturday with MML. The price was very good value given you could take the early train from Sheffield as no peak and have a full day in London. Used it a few times back in the day as it meant you were not looking for a place to eat as soon as you arrived.

 

[CallySleeper]

Unfortunately I don't have a pic to hand, but can say with confidence that an EMT full English is vastly superior to the VT (WC and now EC!) equivalents, and probably actually worth the £10.

 

[OLJR]

Thanks for the interesting replies.

My next question: if I take the 0856 from St Pancras to Sheffield and the 1729 back to London are these likely to be HSTs or Meridians? If Meridians, how many cars?

 

[richa2002]

Unfortunately I don't have a pic to hand, but can say with confidence that an EMT full English is vastly superior to the VT (WC and now EC!) equivalents, and probably actually worth the £10.

No surprise there. I've always maintained that I'd rather pay for something decent than put up with something more mediocre for 'free'.

 

[louis97]

Thanks for the interesting replies.

My next question: if I take the 0856 from St Pancras to Sheffield and the 1729 back to London are these likely to be HSTs or Meridians? If Meridians, how many cars?

The 0856 is 2x 5-car 222s and the 1729 is a 7-car 222.

 

[tocguard]

The breakfast catering crews are based at Sheffield and Derby only, with none at London. Breakfast used to be sold unofficially on the crews return workings, upto 0955, however this ended when it became complimentary as it would cause inconsistency. Also i say unofficially because it was dependant on what stock was left. There is also no storing of breakfast supplies in London to arrange a top of to guarantee a breakfast train going North even if the northern crews could work a breakfast service on their return, hence why it was never published although management knew it was common practise.

With regards to advance tickets. You WILL find a limited number of these available for the full breakfast services, one that springs to mind is the 0649ex Sheff as from the companies perspective this has greater capacity, being formed of 1x4 & 1×5 meridian 222; actually often overformed to 2x5.

Meridians really are no more difficult to cook/serve breakfast in large numbers than on HST's. The Derby crews have always had 222's and Sheff the HST's with a few changes in recent years so what you will find is the preference for each depot's crew's tends to be on the basis that Derby prefer the 222's as that is what they've been used to for years and Sheff prefer HST's.

 

[Mark62]

I remember taking the train to london from Sheffield one Saturday a few years ago. We had the all inclusive ticket deal with free parking, full breakfast and all zone tube ticket. I deliberately picked the train that went via Norringham as I knew it would be a HST. I wanted us to have an HST for the extra comfort that they clearly offer. The level of service was outstanding and the quality of the four cours breakfast was even better. The service was so popular that day that the staff had to open an extra coach to accommodate the number of passengers. This would have been around 2011. I don't know if this service is still available. If it is I can highly recommend it on the HST. Do the meridian trains actually have a kitchen where food can be cooked freshly or is it all reheated food? I know the XC catering staff much prefer the HST to the voyager. But that's hardly surprising.

 

[tocguard]

Yes, on Saturday there are 2 breakfast services as has been provided for many years. Tickets that are all inclusive are branded as "London Day Out" although a more basic ticket can be bought called "Advance + Breakfast", which obviously doesn't include tube etc.

Yes meridians have 3 ovens (when they're all working!) as opposed to the 1 on a HST, fridges, freezers, dishwasher, sink, microwave and toaster. What they lack in comparison to a HST is a grill and hob. (Fried eggs have to be done in Yorkshire pudding trays in the oven).

All breakfast is cooked from fresh on full breakfast trains weekdays and Saturday's, nothing is precooked at all, something I was proud to be a part of and many of the other crew. Not many TOC's provide this level of service when it comes to quality I'm sure.

 

[OLJR]

the 0856 from St Pancras to Sheffield and the 1729 back to London

All booked for GBP 66.00 - not bad for only a few weeks notice. Are these trains likely to be busy, medium-load or almost empty in 1ST?

 

[tocguard]

All booked for GBP 66.00 - not bad for only a few weeks notice. Are these trains likely to be busy, medium-load or almost empty in 1ST?

0856 should be quite quiet in first and about 50% in std. 1729 will be extremely busy in std and possibly busy in first but perhaps only half full, but considering there is only 1 host on that service it make take longer for everyone to be served.

Btw i would recommend travelling in the front unit of the 0856 as there is plenty of crew and a Sheffield breakfast crew on their return working which means you should get a very attentive service.

 

[leedstraindude]

I know the XC catering staff much prefer the HST to the voyager. But that's hardly surprising.

That's news to me.

 

[Starmill]

That's news to me.

An HST being better or worse than a Voyager or Meridian is a completely subjective statement.

 

[JaJaWa]

I don't think there used to be any breakfast option at all on the northbound trains! I remember being on the attached train with some people who were very disappointed.

 

[leedstraindude]

An HST being better or worse than a Voyager or Meridian is a completely subjective statement.

I was referring to the statement about XC catering staff preferring to work the HST's to Voyagers.

As an XC caterer I tend to find the exact opposite is the more common opinion.

 

[OLJR]

I am pleased to report that the light breakfast was good.

I had a sausage sandwich and both the bread and sausages were of high quality and tasty.

The meal I had from the all day menu in the evening was good too. I had the beef in black bean sauce and it was tasty, balanced and filling. For pudding I had a tiffin taken from the 1ST lounge in Sheffield.

The evening meal was probably just as good as anything I ever had from the dining car on GNER back in the days.

Keep it up EMT.