London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Blindtraveler]

ok my turn


there was a young man from Dundee, who asked for a 3rd cup of tea. Staff said go to the bar you greedy star star star, so off to catch megabus went he.

 

[amcluesent]

To make it more challenging, I reckon all limericks must mention Elaine

 

[Blindtraveler]

cant think of anything that aint unprintable! Ha.

 

[Darandio]

There once was a girl called Elaine,
introduced a service they could not sustain,
when the offering was naff,
they said go to the caff,
and if you dont like it please complain!

 

[Blindtraveler]

fantastic!!

 

[Failed Unit]

There once was a girl called Elaine,
introduced a service they could not sustain,
when the offering was naff,
they said go to the caff,
and if you dont like it please complain!

Excellant, all I would say is the last line maybe should be if you don't like it we won't listen to you complain

 

[Blindtraveler]

am really enjoyin this thread again!

 

[YorkshireRider]

Revenue is up 16% on last year for the period just gone, so passengers are going to have to vote with their feet if they want EC to take note. No idea what the breakdown is on this figure, just what the senior crew manager at Leeds told me. They were only targeting 8% so they are happy at the momement

 

[Failed Unit]

east coast once had a chairperson called Eliane
Who tried to make catering profitable again.
So she gave us free food.
Put passengers in a bad mood.
And we all suffered from bad hunger pains.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Revenue is up 16% on last year for the period just gone, so passengers are going to have to vote with their feet if they want EC to take note. No idea what the breakdown is on this figure, just what the senior crew manager at Leeds told me. They were only targeting 8% so they are happy at the momement

I think the vote through the feet will take time as passengers try the new service revenue will increase, it is keeping them (on the Anglo Scottish route) that may be the problem.

Modern railways have published the loadings of the new services, not bad really. I know why but the 0540 had more passengers in first than standard leaving Edinburgh.

 

[Skimble19]

As said previously, it's a very small group of people who ever used the restaurants, so only a small group of people will be annoyed at the new offering.. co-incidentally most of them seem to be on here or friends of people on here.

 

[richa2002]

As said previously, it's a very small group of people who ever used the restaurants, so only a small group of people will be annoyed at the new offering.. co-incidentally most of them seem to be on here or friends of people on here.

Hmm, not the greatest summary ever. Not only have the restaurants gone, the at-seat dining menu has also gone along with at-seat service of items from the buffet which offered a lot more choice than now so I think the scope of annoyed people is potentially more than you think but I doubt it will make much of a dent financially with EC which is all that matters to them at the end of the day.

Just out of interest, are you a member of staff that has experienced the reaction to this new offering first-hand?

 

[gordonthemoron]

If you don't like the current EC offering, I suggest that you take McDonalds burger & chips meals in to first class, they stink the place out and are likely to annoy the other passengers

 

[Failed Unit]

As said previously, it's a very small group of people who ever used the restaurants, so only a small group of people will be annoyed at the new offering.. co-incidentally most of them seem to be on here or friends of people on here.

That is easy to say, very few trains offered it for a start and they could only serve about 30 people could use it anyway. 30 people from a train of 450 is a small %. Many passengers don't want to use the resturant because their journey is too short!

But the fact also remains that 2 sandwich is not enough for a 4 hour journey, yes it should be 4 but what it should a common theme is it isn't on the Anglo Scottish route and hot options are rarely available. The lucky few that get breakfast and evening meals are happy, but I have yet to see any praise on this or any other forums such as business traveller for the all-day offer. But they will probably still fill first with £60 APs so passengers will use the money saved to buy food.

As for London - Leeds in all honesty they won't care, the journey is short anyway.

 

[StrollerEd]

just back from a trip to London from Edinburgh. Decided to take plane not train as the terms seemed much better:

Out
*Depart* 08:50
*Arrive* 10:10 City Airport (London)

Return [next day]
*Depart* 16:10
*Arrive* 17:30 Edinburgh

*Fare Details* GBP 95.00 [Return]

tea/coffee, orange juice & hot breakfast served on way out; drink on way back

still miss the good meal on train, but I ate well when travelling stopped. And the travel time was quicker by plane, door2door: left home by taxi at 7.40am to get the 08.50, and was at meeting in London by 11.15am; the 16.10 has me typing this within half an hour of arriving home.

 

[amcluesent]

Best ignore the Forum's PR spinners,
FC pax still miss their restaurant dinners.
Oops, another RG cock-up,
Run to M&S for a stock-up!
Elaine! Looks like airlines are the winners!

 

[YorkshireRider]

To London City that is very good, but a quick look on BAs website suggests that price has very limited availability. Scotland will always have people who prefer the plane to train and vice versa for various reasons, on board catering been only one of many.

 

[Failed Unit]

To London City that is very good, but a quick look on BAs website suggests that price has very limited availability. Scotland will always have people who prefer the plane to train and vice versa for various reasons, on board catering been only one of many.

To be honest for the Edinburgh - London passenger on business it is an improvement, faster journey and breakfast included.

Northbound the journey is slightly slower and the catering is slightly worse but not enough to put most off, myself included (although i would pad out my day to make sure I am not in the cateringless 1600)

For the London - Edinburgh traveller the market for business never existed, the trains arrive too late to be useful in the morning.

Not sure how London - Newcastle travellers feel. When I was on the 1600 it was mainly Newcastle PAX in the restuarant.

Leisure travellers will be @&))ed off but in honesty no company is going to care about London - Aberdeen / Inverness passengers.

Although I hate the loss of at seat and the fact they never offer what they should, I do accept that if they get more London - Leeds / York and Newcastle pax they won't care if they never sell a London - Edinburgh first class ticket again.

 

[jon0844]

Elaine! Looks like airlines are the winners!

I very much doubt I'd ditch the train for a plane, but I would be most certainly booking standard unless FC was cheaper due to a great advanced deal.

To be honest, that would probably have been the case before the change (a walk-up ticket is far too high IMO) but now there's no chance I'd opt to upgrade.

If others do upgrade then fine, but I can't really see it myself.

 

[premier01]

Best ignore the Forum's PR spinners,
FC pax still miss their restaurant dinners.
Oops, another RG cock-up,
Run to M&S for a stock-up!
Elaine! Looks like airlines are the winners!

Ok on that basis then-

I've just travelled on EC 1st class
The catering trolley did not pass
I complained to Ms Holt
And she just said RG are at fault
So to BA I go and save brass!

 

[StrollerEd]

will be traveling down to London again shorly - this time on the 8am breakfast train, with Advanced FC tickets and for leisure purposes with other half. Will report back.

Since we have a connecting train to catch in Paddington I think we should eat on the train before we reach Kings Cross. So do I rely upon the onboard catering or take a packed lunch?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As said previously, it's a very small group of people who ever used the restaurants, so only a small group of people will be annoyed at the new offering.. co-incidentally most of them seem to be on here or friends of people on here.

because those people did that, those who remained had peace and quiet.

EC really have blown a good feature of their service. when they took over they enjoyed some GNER-like positive vibes. Now they are undoing the brand (to be topical)

 

[amcluesent]

"By 'eck, nout's been loaded!", shouts an EC staffer.
Hungry for hours? That's no laughting matter!
Going weeks, but still not right,
FC service is utter sh*te!
Elaine, do get this sorted! You're the gaffer...

 

[StrollerEd]

inspired by
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dining_car

Let's go sit in the Dining Car
with meals in manner of full-service
A Restaurant Carriage to make First Class worth it
not making Cockney rhyming of Elaine Holt
as EC staffers plead "tis not my fault"

 

[ainsworth74]

Since we have a connecting train to catch in Paddington I think we should eat on the train before we reach Kings Cross. So do I rely upon the onboard catering or take a packed lunch?

The breakfast is still good (but not as good mind) so I would say yes you can rely upon the catering for breakfast at least.

 

[premier01]

The breakfast is still good (but not as good mind) so I would say yes you can rely upon the catering for breakfast at least.

There's a new menu in 1st class on East Coast
At breakfast you may get some toast
The Evening Meal is ok
But during the day
2 sandwiches you'll get at the most!

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm loving these rhymes

 

[StrollerEd]

This is the breakfast crossing the border,
Feeding the clerk and the Advance order,
Butter for the rich, marge for the poor,
The seat at Resturant by Elaine withdrawn.
....

 

[38Cto15E]

This week I travelled on The Highland Chieftain, north on Tuesday, and south on Thursday.
Northbound, menus on the tables, Tea and Coffee before New Southgate and drinks before Knebworth, food trolley before Huntingdon, I had two egg and bacon sarnies, asked if I also wanted the Onion Bhaji sandwiches, I said yes I'll have a couple but got just one, also had a slice of cake and a pkt of crisps.
The hot dish was Beetroot Rissotto.
The staff were working well and it seemed like they did the full service after the major stations, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Perth, the lady told me to get my order in after Perth as it would be the last time the trolley would be coming through.
After Perth it was Ham sandwiches, cake crisps and apple, I didn't fancy the Beetroot Rissotto.
I did OK for Gin and Tonics

Southbound
No menus on the tables, no full brekkie, just Bacon toasties, Porridge, scrambled egg and mushrooms.
The staff appeared to be one short, possibly why no menus or full brekkie.It wasn't the staffs fault but the breakfast service is a bit fragmented, one gent got on at Aviemore and had eggs and mushrooms but no sign of coffee or toast.
This train was very busy and the staff worked very hard, still offering passengers some of the hot food after leaving Stirling.
Before Haymarket the menus were put on the tables, again service after Edinburgh was similar with Hot Drinks, Alcoholic drinks and Food after the major stations.
After Edinburgh I had Tuna Salad Nicoise, very nice it was as well.

On both services the staff worked hard, the staff seem a mix of Kings Cross, Edinburgh and Inverness.
I arrived back in Kings Cross at 1604 and managed to catch the 1615 HST back to Leicester, what a day and I doing similar in a months time for £25 ew.

 

[Hard2handle]

When the new arrangements were introduced, holders of 1st Class concessionary/ privalaged travel facilities could buy a voucher for £12 from the CafeBar to partake in the food/drink offer....

The Good News is that this has now been reduced to £5 - I travelled back from Kings X yesterday on the 18.00 - my £5 voucher got me a double G&T, nice main meal and cheese & crackers - pretty good value I think as the G&T alone retails at £4.85

(Apologies if this news has already been posted elsewhere).

H2H

 

[StrollerEd]

interesting that the 'Quiet Coach' K is also the one in which the staff sit next to the catering facilities and you can overhear each new crew discuss what they think the regime is meant to be and what was and what was not loaded. [Only one bloke is loud, and he is now off doing something else.]

its a Saturday as we travel down and so its 'the light breakfast' and endless cups of coffee and sparkling water.

 

[Blindtraveler]

at least they aint stinting on coffee