New TPE first class menu

[Iskra]

I’m currently on a West Coast service. The positives are the service is excellent and no service is advertised before 0900 on a weekend, yet I’ve received full service including breakfast. It’s great that expectations were exceeded in this regard.

However, I must report a substantial breakfast downgrade. It’s still tasty and nice, but the giant cumberland sausage which was the highlight has been replaced with an underwhelming regular sausage.

Comparison below:

 

[Butts]

I’m currently on a West Coast service. The positives are the service is excellent and no service is advertised before 0900 on a weekend, yet I’ve received full service including breakfast. It’s great that expectations were exceeded in this regard.

However, I must report a substantial breakfast downgrade. It’s still tasty and nice, but the giant cumberland sausage which was the highlight has been replaced with an underwhelming regular sausage.

Comparison below:

Hopefully only a temporary aberration or is this a new "enhancement" ?

 

[styles]

I’m currently on a West Coast service. The positives are the service is excellent and no service is advertised before 0900 on a weekend, yet I’ve received full service including breakfast. It’s great that expectations were exceeded in this regard.

However, I must report a substantial breakfast downgrade. It’s still tasty and nice, but the giant cumberland sausage which was the highlight has been replaced with an underwhelming regular sausage.

Comparison below:

I'm assuming this is some sort of supplier issue as their current menus still mention Cumberland sausages.

 

[takno]

I’m currently on a West Coast service. The positives are the service is excellent and no service is advertised before 0900 on a weekend, yet I’ve received full service including breakfast. It’s great that expectations were exceeded in this regard.

However, I must report a substantial breakfast downgrade. It’s still tasty and nice, but the giant cumberland sausage which was the highlight has been replaced with an underwhelming regular sausage.

Comparison below:

Maybe they have special sausages for the weekend

 

[Butts]

Maybe they have special sausages for the weekend

Could at least have given him 2 to make up for lack of Cumberland Sausage - replacement looks not far removed from a cocktail one you would normally find on a stick.

 

[VT 390]

I’m currently on a West Coast service. The positives are the service is excellent and no service is advertised before 0900 on a weekend, yet I’ve received full service including breakfast. It’s great that expectations were exceeded in this regard.

The TransPennine Kitchen West Coast services are advertised as having catering available on all services Monday to Sunday.
Its the Coast to Coast, Express Plus and Express Cafe where catering is advertised as 07:00 - 18:30 Monday to Friday and 09:00 - 18:30 Saturday and Sunday.

 

[Iskra]

The TransPennine Kitchen West Coast services are advertised as having catering available on all services Monday to Sunday.
Its the Coast to Coast, Express Plus and Express Cafe where catering is advertised as 07:00 - 18:30 Monday to Friday and 09:00 - 18:30 Saturday and Sunday.

Ah, thanks for the clarification!

Could at least have given him 2 to make up for lack of Cumberland Sausage - replacement looks not far removed from a cocktail one you would normally find on a stick.

In fairness it did only cost me £2 more than the Standard fare for the whole journey from Meadowhall to Lancaster, so I won’t be complaining too vociferously…

 

[D6130]

Ah, thanks for the clarification!


In fairness it did only cost me £2 more than the Standard fare for the whole journey from Meadowhall to Lancaster, so I won’t be complaining too vociferously…

Were you on a 397? If so, how did you manage to prevent the breakfast items from flying sideways of the plate in both directions?

 

[Iskra]

Were you on a 397? If so, how did you manage to prevent the breakfast items from flying sideways of the plate in both directions?

It was pretty rough North of Preston when we picked up speed.

 

[800Travel]

Hopefully only a temporary aberration or is this a new "enhancement" ?

On the coast to coast menu, it has always been that type of sausage. Maybe they have aligned the two

 

[VT 390]

On the coast to coast menu, it has always been that type of sausage. Maybe they have aligned the two

I have had definitely had the cumberland sausage on the Coast to Coast service before.

This photo I took was on a Liverpool to Newcastle Coast to Coast menu service in June last year:

 

[800Travel]

I have had definitely had the cumberland sausage on the Coast to Coast service before.

This photo I took was on a Liverpool to Newcastle Coast to Coast menu service in June last year:

View attachment 199266

It has definitely been the other type since November 2025 at least. I don't believe I got the cooked breakfast before then - so may have been different before

 

[Justin Time]

I too sampled the West Coast menu yesterday on the 9:38 southbound from Carlisle, and the 14:03 north from Preston. I agree that the sausage was on the small side but it was very good quality, as was the bacon. Both were difficult to cut with the wooden cutlery supplied. The frittata was really tasty. All in all faultless.
On the return I had the Dahl, which also appears on the Coast to Coast menu. Once again really good. Washed down with their new pale ale offering, from Lancaster Brewery.
I think that the food offering beats LNER, but the flimsy wooden cutlery lets the side down.

 

[Iskra]

I too sampled the West Coast menu yesterday on the 9:38 southbound from Carlisle, and the 14:03 north from Preston. I agree that the sausage was on the small side but it was very good quality, as was the bacon. Both were difficult to cut with the wooden cutlery supplied. The frittata was really tasty. All in all faultless.
On the return I had the Dahl, which also appears on the Coast to Coast menu. Once again really good. Washed down with their new pale ale offering, from Lancaster Brewery.
I think that the food offering beats LNER, but the flimsy wooden cutlery lets the side down.

I agree about the cutlery, it was indeed tough to cut the bacon with.

You must have passed me at Lancaster while I was waiting to film the Class 86 on the Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express.

 

[Justin Time]

I agree about the cutlery, it was indeed tough to cut the bacon with.

You must have passed me at Lancaster while I was waiting to film the Class 86 on the Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express.

Guess I must have. I photted the 86 after it had run to Preston to await its return working.
Regarding the flimsy cutlery I found out the hard way a few months back when I tried to cut the sausage roll. I finished up with a handful of matchwood! The sausage roll remained unscathed! And uncut.

 

[Willie Bee]

My wife and I have had meals on the west-coast service, as well as on the Leeds to Newcastle run and they have been very good indeed.

Just a pity there's nothing on the Newcastle to Edinburgh route .. I wonder why

 

[leedslad82]

I'm assuming this is some sort of supplier issue as their current menus still mention Cumberland sausages.

Cumberland sausages can be links rather than rings/coils.

 

[Butts]

Cumberland sausages can be links rather than rings/coils.

True but unfortunately the "link" - singular is minuscule compared to it's coiled predecessor - if it is to be a permanent "enhancement" the dead giveaway will be the reduction in calories if the other elements remain unchanged.

 

[30907]

I can't find a thread on this (apologies - I am sure there must be one) so: I headed for Scotland a week ago today (returning Tuesday) and decided to check out TPE First Class. In order to make the 1222 West Highland from Queen Street, that meant a very early start on the 0652 Shipley-Lancaster for the morning Liverpool-Glasgow, 0914 off Lancs.

For those who don't know, TPE use disposables/recyclables exclusively - the knife struggled to cut the bacon - but the breakfast itself was fine, tasty though not as substantial as the competition, and at far lower cost. There were 3 other passengers in first at its busiest after Carlisle. To be picky, I would have liked to be told that fruit juice was an option with my breakfast instead of on the next drinks round, and fresh fruit would have been nice. (In case you were wondering, there was no drinks round after 11.00 so I couldn't celebrate my holiday with a GnT.)

The return was also a Liverpool, 1611 ex GLC, and just as quiet. The menu had changed over the weekend, and I chose the "pizza boat" which I found a bit doughy but otherwise tasty. A can of (organic) white wine for aperitif, plus crisps, followed by a red with the food (I asked, but it was no problem); I got coffee before alighting at Carlisle for a lovely evening ride home on the almost-empty 1824 to Leeds.

Scotland will follow later, separate report.

 

[MountVrmac]

Any experience of the Newcastle to Liverpool breakfast catering in TPE First Class; specifically the journey I'm hoping to take between Leeds and Liverpool?

The Coast-to-Coast section on the TPE website mentions it "typically runs Monday-Friday: 07:00-18:30"

Looking up 14/05/2026, RealTimeTrains gives the following info (abbreviated for clarity)

9M05
NCL, 04:21
YRK, 05:44
LDS, 06:30
MCV, 07:41
LIV, 08:32
- Trolley service from York
- Restaurant for First Class passengers from Manchester Victoria

This makes sense, and fits in with what I'd expect. Perhaps a drink from the trolley at Leeds, with the full Transpennine breakfast offered from MCV.


But 9M06 is listed as:
NCL, 06:01
YRK, 07:04
LDS, 07:30
LIV, 09:32
- Restaurant for First Class passengers from Newcastle to York
- Trolley service from York

This makes little sense to me. You'd be offered a Transpennine breakfast from NCL at 6am, but if you join after York at 7am it's packed away and the trolley may come round offering a crumpet? A porridge pot?


Then finally, the latest option I could consider to reach Liverpool seems a lot more straightforward:

9M07
NCL, 06:50
LDS, 08:30
LIV, 10:31
- Restaurant for First Class passengers

Do I take it this is the most likely option to get me from Leeds to Liverpool with a hot
breakfast and some coffee inside me?

 

[dodecahedron67]

9M05 will be first class service from York, standard as well from Vic
9M06 will be first class service from Newcastle, standard as well from York
9M07 full catering throughout

 

[yorkie]

Can anyone confirm if there are any changes from the timetable change tomorrow?

What are the last trains to have catering (on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays), in particular on the Liverpool <> Newcastle route?

 

[dodecahedron67]

Can anyone confirm if there are any changes from the timetable change tomorrow?

What are the last trains to have catering (on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays), in particular on the Liverpool <> Newcastle route?

All services from start of service until
1824 Liverpool - Newcastle
1801 Newcastle - Liverpool
are fully catered on the North Route

1824 Liverpool - Newcastle is single staffed catering from Man Vic to Newcastle

1801 Newcastle - Liverpool is single staffed catering to Man Vic SSux then nothing Vic - Liverpool. SSuO it is double catered to York then single to Man Vic then nothing


West Coast all services are fully catered until 2000 departures SSuX, 1800 departures SO, 2100 departures SuO

 

[Willie Bee]

Has anybody tried the Express Plus menu on the Edinburgh to Newcastle route ?

The last time my wife and I travelled on this route with TPE we didn't get anything to drink or eat.

This is why we usually pick LNER. With our railcards and booking in advance, we can normally get NCL-EDB or return for about £45. Decent seats and being able to have a cuppa and wait in the lounge at Newcastle, maybe another cuppa at Waverley is pretty good even without the meal. We often leave Newcastle on a Sunday morning, so it is always just a bacon roll, but at least it's something.

Two first class tickets on TPE could be about £33, but no lounge options of course. We would though like to try their breakfast options.

 

[dodecahedron67]

The new menu on Edinburgh - Newcastle is actually decent imo. Cheese and ham toasties and a few other bits and bobs, but the toasties are actually really nice - to the point I wish they were an option on the Liverpool - Newcastles!

 

[scottish rider]

I was looking at taking the 18:15 Newcastle - Edinburgh when returning north after a day trip in a couple of weeks time. Does it have the full Express Plus menu in First Class? I suspect it should be the last northbound one with catering, but thought I would check before booking in case others had knowlege of what is offered. Thanks

 

[Willie Bee]

Are there still no photographs of food offerings on the NCL to EDB service ?

 

[ainsworth74]

Are there still no photographs of food offerings on the NCL to EDB service ?

I believe it's just snacks and hot drinks/bottle of water isn't it?

 

[voyagerdude220]

A few Sundays ago I got a TPE train in First Class from Manchester Piccadilly to Preston as part of a much longer journey. I loved the comfortable seat and appreciated the bottle of water which had been placed on the table, but we got offered nothing at all until we passed Leyland, less than 5 minutes before we arrived at Preston when they came through with biscuits and crisps. There were only about 6 of us in First. The two catering people just spent the time chatting to each other in the little galley area.

 

[Chrism20]

I believe it's just snacks and hot drinks/bottle of water isn't it?

No the Edinburgh to Newcastle route has had a slight improvement.

Breakfast time its a bacon roll or crumpets and rest of the day its a cheese and ham toastie or toasted teacake (I've possibly got the crumpet and the teacake mixed up)

Nothing exciting but a definite improvement on previous. Pretty sure the bacon roll is just the same as it is on the west coast route.