GNER 91128
Member
Rotation 2 on the 1st of March I believe as I have Roatation 4 this coming week, I wonder if they'll have anything special on Thursday?
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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service
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YorkshireRider
Member
The fish and chips has been on this week just gone, tbh your not missing much, the chips are nice but the fish is a bit bland, the lasange and sausage and mash are the best items on the all day menu.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
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and I wonder if it will be changed due to a horse on the plate?
I hope not!
I hope not!
calc7
Established Member
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Neigh!
Tomonthetrain
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I don't mind horse lasagne. As long as I can have a Tenner each way on it
Butts
Veteran Member
I have not tried the Lasagne, but agree the Sausage & Mash is better and more substantial than the Fish & Chips.
In all seriousness the Fish & Chips is somewhat akin to a "happy meal" - without the toy
Hello
Apologies if this has been covered before, but I was on an East Coast train today, and pretty unimpressed with the service in 1st. I am wondering if it's meant to be an 'ask' or 'wait to be offered' type of service.
I was on the 1509 Doncaster-Durham.
Coffee appeared very quickly, but he said he'd come back with milk. This took almost 10 minutes. I've no idea why they walk around with coffee and tea but no milk?
Then food was offered. It arrived pretty quickly and was actually very tasty, if a little small.
But I could have done with a glass of wine with it. Or even water. I flagged down the coffee man as he came through, and his reply was pretty brusque 'No, this is tea and coffee. You'll have to wait for drinks.'
I waited, and waited, and then tried to flag down one of the other people serving food. She also told me to wait. I waited, and eventually got a glass of wine sometime after York, long after I'd finished eating.
The menu promised cake, so I waited and waited to be offered cake. Or more wine. Or coffee. Or water. Or anything. No offers, and nobody passing through the carriage.
Sometime after Darlington, I saw the coffee man again, this time resetting the tables. I asked for another coffee, but he just said 'no more', and carried on walking. I made it pretty clear that I needed a better answer than that.
He told me that they stop serving at York because the train terminates at NCL (although my wine was actually served after York). WTF? That's 22 minutes of a 75 minute journey catered. The rest you can't even get a coffee.
He did eventually get me a coffee 'as an exception'.
Just wondering if this is correct, and that I should expect similar (lack of) catering on a similar journey? Secondly, are all crews so rigid in which drinks are on offer when? Making passengers suit the crew's schedule?
I understand it can be difficult with passengers coming and going at various stops along the way, but it really didn't work today.
Thanks in advance
Apologies if this has been covered before, but I was on an East Coast train today, and pretty unimpressed with the service in 1st. I am wondering if it's meant to be an 'ask' or 'wait to be offered' type of service.
I was on the 1509 Doncaster-Durham.
Coffee appeared very quickly, but he said he'd come back with milk. This took almost 10 minutes. I've no idea why they walk around with coffee and tea but no milk?
Then food was offered. It arrived pretty quickly and was actually very tasty, if a little small.
But I could have done with a glass of wine with it. Or even water. I flagged down the coffee man as he came through, and his reply was pretty brusque 'No, this is tea and coffee. You'll have to wait for drinks.'
I waited, and waited, and then tried to flag down one of the other people serving food. She also told me to wait. I waited, and eventually got a glass of wine sometime after York, long after I'd finished eating.
The menu promised cake, so I waited and waited to be offered cake. Or more wine. Or coffee. Or water. Or anything. No offers, and nobody passing through the carriage.
Sometime after Darlington, I saw the coffee man again, this time resetting the tables. I asked for another coffee, but he just said 'no more', and carried on walking. I made it pretty clear that I needed a better answer than that.
He told me that they stop serving at York because the train terminates at NCL (although my wine was actually served after York). WTF? That's 22 minutes of a 75 minute journey catered. The rest you can't even get a coffee.
He did eventually get me a coffee 'as an exception'.
Just wondering if this is correct, and that I should expect similar (lack of) catering on a similar journey? Secondly, are all crews so rigid in which drinks are on offer when? Making passengers suit the crew's schedule?
I understand it can be difficult with passengers coming and going at various stops along the way, but it really didn't work today.
Thanks in advance
That's very odd. Normally they come round with the milk at the same time as the tea an coffee (one carries the tea/coffee, followed by the person with the milk). The cake is on the trolley with the sandwiches. You can ask for it when they bring that round, and if you order something off the menu; but on all my most recent journeys the team member has offered me cake without me having to ask. Wine and other cold drinks usually follows slightly after the food trolley ime. And coffee/tea after every station.
Butts
Veteran Member
You are not the first to complain - see posts 1-3697
Joining at a "midpoint" can often be fatal !!!
Thanks. Perhaps I will send a condensed version of this to East Coast customer relations. Add my voice to a seemingly large pile of complaints!
It seems astonishing that the first-class service should completely shut down at YRK. If I had a ticket to NCL (which I did, but only in Standard for DHM-NCL), that would be 93 minutes - less than 25% with catering.
I don't remember if there were any sandwiches or cakes on the drinks trolley - my mind was fixated on wine at the time! The milk thing was just bizzare. Sure, anyone can forget (?) to bring it out, but I'm guessing everybody in FC was left staring at black tea/ coffee going cold...
So in the future, if I'm going to DHM or NCL, I should try for a service that is continuing to EDI?
Contrast with the train I had just got off, where I got coffee and biscuits very swiftly on the 12 minute journey from RET-DON, and the offer of more.
And that train was terminating at YRK, I believe.
It seems astonishing that the first-class service should completely shut down at YRK. If I had a ticket to NCL (which I did, but only in Standard for DHM-NCL), that would be 93 minutes - less than 25% with catering.
I don't remember if there were any sandwiches or cakes on the drinks trolley - my mind was fixated on wine at the time! The milk thing was just bizzare. Sure, anyone can forget (?) to bring it out, but I'm guessing everybody in FC was left staring at black tea/ coffee going cold...
So in the future, if I'm going to DHM or NCL, I should try for a service that is continuing to EDI?
Contrast with the train I had just got off, where I got coffee and biscuits very swiftly on the 12 minute journey from RET-DON, and the offer of more.
And that train was terminating at YRK, I believe.
DaveNewcastle
Established Member
If there is anything that can be established from the many arbitrary reports on here and from my own (quite considerable) personal experience, it is that the service is inconsistent.. . . .
So in the future, if I'm going to DHM or NCL, I should try for a service that is continuing to EDI?
Contrast with the train I had just got off, where I got coffee and biscuits very swiftly on the 12 minute journey from RET-DON, and the offer of more.
I too (on northbound services), have received no offer of anything after a run of drink and snacks on departing Doncaster, and by contrast, have received continuing offers twice north of York, both these extremes on services terminating at Newcastle.
We simply cannot make the sort of assumptions you ask about!
(Though it is very very rare for an ad hoc request to be refused).
Butts
Veteran Member
Funny you should say that.........
Boarded 1944 ex Newcastle headed for Falkirk tonight via Edinburgh.
No Hot Food or Sandwiches available (ironically they were making an announcement over the tannoy that regular sandwiches from the Buffet were half price
) They said they had run out....I know it's obvious offer a regular sandwich to those boarding at Newcastle (3 or 4 souls). They obviously did not attend the Customer Service meeting featured in the BBC 2 show The Railway.Had to be placated with 4 Scotches and an assortment of Cake, Biscuits, Crisps and "The Fabled East Coast Appetiser" - a packet of peanuts !!!
Conversely on the way down 1030 ex Edinburgh - full works Paper offered, Coffee, Scotch,Cake, Crisps, and for once a decent helping of sausage and mash
dave87016
Established Member
On Tuesday I am travelling FC on the 06:50am Glasgow - Peterborough hope the FC service is good, my previous FC journeys on EC were on the 08:45am Leeds - Kings Cross and 17:33pm Kings Cross - Leeds which were superb.
On the 06:50am Glasgow - Kings Cross does anyone know where the crew change takes place? my guess would be Edinburgh or Newcastle, but am wondering if anyone knows for definite?
On the 06:50am Glasgow - Kings Cross does anyone know where the crew change takes place? my guess would be Edinburgh or Newcastle, but am wondering if anyone knows for definite?
Yesterday I was on the 1000, Edinburgh-Kings Cross.
From the East Coast web site it states that this train has the mid morning menu from Edinburgh and the All day menu thereafter.:roll:
I know all about East Coast inconsistency so before boarding I visited McDonalds on Waverly steps for a sausage and egg Mcmuffin.
This proved to be a good move because when pulling out of Waverly the All day menu was placed on all the tables.:roll:
Newspaper, Tea and coffee were served before Drem, this was soon followed by the drinks and food trolley but I forget which was first, probably drinks.
It would have been rude not to have ordered a Scotch and dry ginger.
When the food came around before Oxwellmains it was sandwiches and you could also place an order for sausage and mash to be served after Newcastle.
I didn't fancy Saus and mash at 1140 so I asked for the egg mayonaise sandwiches.
The scottish lady with the dyed reddish hair then made me feel like Oliver Twist, "If you have a sandwich now, you cannot have sausage and mash later"
Me," That's OK, I'll just have another sandwich later"
She " You can only have a sandwich if we have any left after Newark"
So passengers who boarded at Edinburgh and were having the hot meal did not get anything to eat until after Durham, probably why a few of them walked to the Cafe bar and bought some food.
I was disappointed that nothing was mentioned about not having a mid morning snack, of course the web site may be out of date on food service.
On the food situation, I did get another sandwich after Newark.
The drinks trolley came around after Edinburgh, Durham and Newark with passengers who boarded in between given personal service.
There was plenty of Tea and Coffee on offer but all in all I was very disappointed with East Coasts offering.
Finally, I was in the Quiet coach (K) but in the staff area the staff were very chirppy throughout the journey.
From the East Coast web site it states that this train has the mid morning menu from Edinburgh and the All day menu thereafter.:roll:
I know all about East Coast inconsistency so before boarding I visited McDonalds on Waverly steps for a sausage and egg Mcmuffin.
This proved to be a good move because when pulling out of Waverly the All day menu was placed on all the tables.:roll:
Newspaper, Tea and coffee were served before Drem, this was soon followed by the drinks and food trolley but I forget which was first, probably drinks.
It would have been rude not to have ordered a Scotch and dry ginger.
When the food came around before Oxwellmains it was sandwiches and you could also place an order for sausage and mash to be served after Newcastle.
I didn't fancy Saus and mash at 1140 so I asked for the egg mayonaise sandwiches.
The scottish lady with the dyed reddish hair then made me feel like Oliver Twist, "If you have a sandwich now, you cannot have sausage and mash later"
Me," That's OK, I'll just have another sandwich later"
She " You can only have a sandwich if we have any left after Newark"
So passengers who boarded at Edinburgh and were having the hot meal did not get anything to eat until after Durham, probably why a few of them walked to the Cafe bar and bought some food.
I was disappointed that nothing was mentioned about not having a mid morning snack, of course the web site may be out of date on food service.
On the food situation, I did get another sandwich after Newark.
The drinks trolley came around after Edinburgh, Durham and Newark with passengers who boarded in between given personal service.
There was plenty of Tea and Coffee on offer but all in all I was very disappointed with East Coasts offering.
Finally, I was in the Quiet coach (K) but in the staff area the staff were very chirppy throughout the journey.
Butts
Veteran Member
You are correct in your assertion that it should have been The Mid Morning Menu up till Alnmouth - ie Bacon Sandwiches and The All Day Menu after Newcastle ie Sausage and Mash.
For some reason they have cut out the first part of the menu - as that service originates in Edinburgh I can't see why
Whilst looking at the complimentary food timetable, I noticed that the southbound Highland Chieftain offers the mid morning menu from Haymarket then the all day menu from Edinburgh.
Best of luck to any passenger who boards the train at Haymarket who receives a Bacon buttie.
Best of luck to any passenger who boards the train at Haymarket who receives a Bacon buttie.
calc7
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2011
- Messages
- 2,097
...and in practice you could receive both or nothing at all!
All hail EC consistency.
All hail EC consistency.
Failed Unit
Established Member
My most recent experience was the all day (instead of the full meal) on the 1800, some first class passengers downgraded to standard (because of over-crowding) and the viewpoint of the staff that you are lucky to get anything at all....
Anyway back to preparation - I am going to use the 1530ex Kings Cross - Glasgow between York and Edinburgh. Does anyone know if this is an afternoon tea and hungry passenger service or the all day menu (the timetable still does tell you which are the trains to avoid for afternoon tea?). Should I be getting a "chippy" in York. The last time I used the 1600 it was an "afternoon tea" so I have my fears here....
Anyway back to preparation - I am going to use the 1530ex Kings Cross - Glasgow between York and Edinburgh. Does anyone know if this is an afternoon tea and hungry passenger service or the all day menu (the timetable still does tell you which are the trains to avoid for afternoon tea?). Should I be getting a "chippy" in York. The last time I used the 1600 it was an "afternoon tea" so I have my fears here....
Butts
Veteran Member
How did they choose which passengers were "downgraded" - was it a case of first come first served ? - ie an "Easyjet Scramble" for a seat
Failed Unit
Established Member
How did they choose which passengers were "downgraded" - was it a case of first come first served ? - ie an "Easyjet Scramble" for a seat
Yep, no reservations set out and no coach M. First come first served. If you showed your ticket at the cafe bar they would give you something.
jsimpson
Member
I'm travelling EC first class this Thursday
The only other first class I've used was XC and can't say I was overly impressed with that so I'm looking forward to trying EC, it always looks decent when going past in the station!
Does anybody know what food service etc I should be expecting when boarding at 0900?
Regards
The only other first class I've used was XC and can't say I was overly impressed with that so I'm looking forward to trying EC, it always looks decent when going past in the station!
Does anybody know what food service etc I should be expecting when boarding at 0900?
Regards
GNER 91128
Member
Bit late I know! but you can view the timetable and see which menu will be served on your service here: http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/travel-information/timetable-information/
Butts
Veteran Member
GNER 91128
Member
And hope it bears some reality to the service you actually receive
Well there is that!
On the whole I had a good experience last week going up to Edinburgh and back, although there weren't as many food and drinks runs as one would've have hoped for on the 17:00 service, but the sausage and mash was very nice.
First class with XC is very inconsistent however, XC introduced me to Burts crisps and so they are forever forgiven.
Butts
Veteran Member
First class with XC is very inconsistent however, XC introduced me to Burts crisps and so they are forever forgiven.
The crisps on East Coast (i forget their name) are rapidly shrinking to become the size of an EC "appetiser" - ie a packet of peanuts
jsimpson
Member
Thanks for all of the replies!
I was overall pleased with the service, boarded around 0900 and received the snack breakfast menu (toasted bacon sandwich) and plenty of tea and coffee so overall I was pleased
I still managed to attract the screaming child though (I think I'm a magnet for these people!!!) - didn't help when his Mother gave him tea, coca-cola and sweets then wondered why he was jumping up and down on the seat!
Regards
I was overall pleased with the service, boarded around 0900 and received the snack breakfast menu (toasted bacon sandwich) and plenty of tea and coffee so overall I was pleased
I still managed to attract the screaming child though (I think I'm a magnet for these people!!!) - didn't help when his Mother gave him tea, coca-cola and sweets then wondered why he was jumping up and down on the seat!
Regards
Butts
Veteran Member
Where did you board ? - you normally get a Full Breakfast at that time unless you joined at an intermediate station.
jsimpson
Member
I got on at Alnmouth which I'm guessing counts as an intermediary station