London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . to clear the air, sorry Mainliner.

er, no need to apologise!
I was attempting irony, simply because I too could make the same boast as you and then did make the same boast (of having had a full meal on a Northbound out of KGX this evening).

But irony doesn't always work on a forum.
My tittering "Tee Hee" was supposed to indicate that I was just as guilty as you.
Anyway - lets move on - - - - isn't EC's Evening catering just a perfect example of how a quality service can be eroded in such tiny steps that customers might just not notice them?
The table cloths, the napkins, the silver service, the salt & pepper cellers, the bottled water, the hot towels, the chocolate mints, the soups, the side dishes, the baskets of breads and spreads, (can I stop now?) all of which have slowly been removed without a word, exactly in inverse proportion to the prices (which are apparently soaring out of control).

 

[PFX]

Being new to the forum and a stranger to UK trains these days, I've been reading this thread with interest. I can't believe how poor catering seems to have become (I did say it's been a while!).

I used to use GNER 3 or 4 times a year to go from Edinburgh to London on a 1st apex for leisure. I didn't consider my long weekend to have started properly until I'd been to the restaurant car and had an exhorbitantly priced breakfast or lunch and it was always from a full menu with whatever drinks I fancied. It was an expensive treat but well worth it given the level of service I received on every occasion.

The only cut in service I recall was when I was denied access to the 1st class lounge at Waverley station. The woman on the desk told me that apex tickets were no longer permitted as the space was at a premium. I was inclined not to believe her given it was 07.15 and there was nobody at all in the lounge.

 

[amcluesent]

I've built up a cache of goodies from FC this week for Saturday's PBO - EDB run where I fear FC may be a bit degraded.

 

[krisk]

This is why you dont let people "help themselves" from a trolley

 

[richa2002]

This is why you dont let people "help themselves" from a trolley

God forbid we get what we pay for :P.

 

[amcluesent]

The yoghurt is nice, especially the peach.

 

[jon0844]

This is why you dont let people "help themselves" from a trolley

I am in Sweden at the moment on the X2000 to Stockholm (FC) and at the end of the carriage is a desk with tea, coffee, water, apples, gingerbread biscuits, chocolate brownies etc - and nobody is abusing it (not yet anyway).

I do wonder how this could work in the UK, as you'd even find people in standard coming through to help themselves, possibly tipping the basket of regularly restocked freebies into their bags!

Other food and drink is charged for though.. but all I care about is the incredibly quick and reliable Wi-Fi. It's the same Icomera system as on EC, but I am not sure the EC system has speeds of 6+Mbps down and 2-3Mbps up? You can even stream video on here!

 

[marks87]

I am in Sweden at the moment on the X2000 to Stockholm (FC) and at the end of the carriage is a desk with tea, coffee, water, apples, gingerbread biscuits, chocolate brownies etc - and nobody is abusing it (not yet anyway).

I do wonder how this could work in the UK, as you'd even find people in standard coming through to help themselves, possibly tipping the basket of regularly restocked freebies into their bags!

The "help yourself" approach is used in the First Class lounges, so they could in theory take the same approach to keeping the, er, "plebs" out - have an attendant at the connection between Standard and First Class; no FC ticket, no access to the following coaches.

 

[amcluesent]

Aye they need a blue curtain across the passage at the buffet car.

 

[Jeremy B]

The "help yourself" approach is used in the First Class lounges, so they could in theory take the same approach to keeping the, er, "plebs" out - have an attendant at the connection between Standard and First Class; no FC ticket, no access to the following coaches.

What makes you think that the problem will come from those in standard. Some of the posters in this thread already expect an 'eat or drink as much as you can' service in 1st class & from I've seen on the odd passenger put unopened drink cans in their bags etc.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Aye they need a blue curtain across the passage at the buffet car.

true. Did you enjoy your Xmas eve0FC Journey?

 

[amcluesent]

Yep, K was pretty much empty. Complimentaries were minimal as expected.

 

[marks87]

What makes you think that the problem will come from those in standard. Some of the posters in this thread already expect an 'eat or drink as much as you can' service in 1st class & from I've seen on the odd passenger put unopened drink cans in their bags etc.

The help yourself model works well enough in the lounges, so I'm not sure why it would suddenly fall apart once people are on the move.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Yep, K was pretty much empty. Complimentaries were minimal as expected.

stocking up was worth it then!
Mery Xmas

 

[jon0844]

You are right that it would probably be anyone, from first or standard, as we seem to have lost respect or the realisation that if something is abused, it will get taken away.

I remember a Burger King in Tottenham that introduced free refills on drinks in the 90s and I personally saw people come in with their own cups and bottles to fill them up! Suffice to say, free refills soon stopped.

 

[graham43404]

On the 14:50 from Aberdeen to York and having the nicest on train sandwich. Smoked Applewood cheddar, red onion, tomato and lettuce with a fruit and port chutney on malted brown bread. Its absolute heaven!

 

[Greenback]

On the 14:50 from Aberdeen to York and having the nicest on train sandwich. Smoked Applewood cheddar, red onion, tomato and lettuce with a fruit and port chutney on malted brown bread. Its absolute heaven!

I must say that does sound like a nice sandwich! Not that a sandwich can replace a proper hot dinner after a long day in London...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It doesn't sound a million miles away from being a Ploughman's sandwich, which, as we all know, are the greatest sandwiches known to mankind.

 

[wintonian]

Ok it is weekend service today but;

Virgin today; "would you like tea of coffee and help yourself from what's on the trolly"

EC the other week; "Your only entitled to one"

I rest my case.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

 

[graham43404]

I have had another one

My wife didn't fancy it and at Dundee she asked if she could have one as she didn't have one earlier when offered so I had that one.

 

[wintonian]

I take it back the staff are nearly as rude as on XC! I've converted back to EC.

Hang on no we just made up and he seems really nice and friendly.

virgin or EC god I dunno at the moment.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

 

[calc7]

Ok it is weekend service today but;

Virgin today; "would you like tea of coffee and help yourself from what's on the trolly"

EC the other week; "Your only entitled to one"

I rest my case.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

Quite.
I got told I could have a mince pie or biscuits with my coffee. :roll:
Luckily I foresaw this and had bagged a couple in the lounge.
And only 3 runs of cold drinks on a 5 1/2 hour trip.

 

[graham43404]

Just been offered a third sandwich by the Edinburgh crew, as much as I would love to I just don't have the room for it.

Had a lovely piece of tiffin though

 

[blackfive460]

Had a lovely piece of tiffin though

Not as in 'Carry on up the Khyber' I hope?

 

[graham43404]

Not as in 'Carry on up the Khyber' I hope?

I wouldn't mind a bit more I have to admit

 

[DaveNewcastle]

And just to confirm, I did travel on the last Southboud out of Edinbugh on Xmas Eve, it was very quiet and the catering was all very jolly but as expected for a weekend, was just sandwiches and 'soft drinks (yes, of course the sandwiches are all very nice but as Greenback accurately notes, they are not in anyway to be confused for a meal). In anticipation of the situation, I'd eaten a bowl of soup before boarding and to add to the festivities, there were satsumas and scottish shortbread to pass round. (Yes, I provided them!).

A very peaceful and enjoyable day (or more) off to all East Coast Catering crew who read this!

 

[amcluesent]

Well, a complimentary I'd never seen before was offered today on EDB-KGX.

Gone was the 'all day' ham croissant, and instead we had pre-packs of four triangles of either cheese\ham or egg\cress and flapjacks (plus the usual crisps and biscuits).

 

[DescendingSadly]

A cress sandwich? that's hardly worth the effort of chewing.

 

[Bungle73]

A cress sandwich? that's hardly worth the effort of chewing.

Egg and cress.

 

[Blindtraveler]

happy new year to all readers of this epick thread!
A friend traveling to KGX today reported a real mixed bag of service with staff using up all manner of odds and sodds although in theory it should have been weekend service today!

Bet the demand for complimentaries wil go down in the next few weeks as those with new years resolutions struggle to keep them.