I've not read the thread beyond the above gentleman's post, and I too question tbtc's "Enthusiasts *love* GNER" comment.
Relatively new forum members may not have heard/read my views on GNER before. I've not aired my thoughts on them for an absolute age now, so let's see what I remember of my most disliked TOC of all-time:.
I have to say that your comments on GNER are about as constructive and objective as a Polly Toynbee newspaper article.
......What also got my goat with GNER was how I never, EVER, managed to get on a train of theirs which was on-time. Something I believe most people found the opposite with, but even one minute late = late in my book. None of this "within 10 minutes for you, within 5 minutes for you" kind of nonsense..
So since when was GNER responsible for time-keeping ? Train running is in ther gift of Network Rail not the TOC. I travelled many, many times and the vast majority of my trains were on time. I only ever recall two delays being down to GNER, the rest were down to Railtrack/Network Rail and other TOCs. What I liked was that the staff came through with complaint forms advising passengers that they should fill them out to receive a refund. Never known any other TOC do that.
...Oh yes, I almost forgot. That campaign of theirs they promoted at every opportunity to keep the franchise. Not even Stagecoach would resort to such back-slapping measures. I refused point blank to respond to that campaign, I didn't want GNER to keep the franchise!.
Yet presumably you have no issue with other TOCs doing similar or some TOCs running to their friends in Downing St to garner support ?
...Memory fails to recall if there was anything else that I disliked/hated GNER for. I do remember seeing that GNER were being kicked out of the franchise on BBC News 24, I was celebrating that day! .
I am not surprised as there isn't one tangible reason that you have alluded to yet, purely based on your own personal likes and dislikes and not based on comparative experience. Obviously you were in a very small minority, which excluded the Railway press and objective commentators.
......I should point out that I didn't get a chance to try GNER's First Class, so the above is all from Standard Class experience. Whether the staff got down on their knees and answered to your beck and call throughout a journey I don't know. Somehow I doubt they treated you any differently, but I can't comment fairly there...
What about Silver Standard then ? Free paper, tea/coffe and biscuits and at seat service, with hot food brought from the restaurant vehicle There was no need for you to travel First Class to receive enhanced service. In Silver Standard, full fare paying passengers were guaranteed two vehicles which were available only to them. Contrast this with Virgin where the passenger paying full price on many routes in the peak is unable to find a seat as they have all been sold off for peanuts. GNER did not penalise the full fare paying passenger, instead they recognised that they were the basis upon which their profits depended.
.. With NXEC, I got to sample the delights of First Class from Newcastle to Edinburgh on a Tyne Valley diversion once, although I can't say the female First Class Host was at all impressed with my travelling in jeans and t-shirt in First Class! I don't recall too clearly the experience, as it was following a virtually sleepless night on Megabus, but I can't say that memory provides an experience superior to GNER.
Errrr. This does not make sense. Should can't read can ? NXEC was of course the TOC that set about stripping out the service standards, removing the on-train staff, reducing the food and menu availability. Same trains, same staff in all probability but somehow a better experience than GNER ?
...I'm sorry, but I've just read the rest of the thread and found your post. I must disagree with what you say with regards to GNER, particularly the part I've emboldened in the above quote. I don't think it matters particularly how regularly or not one travelled with GNER, one bad experience is enough to mark the TOC for life in my book! ...
Yet no objective explanation of what and when GNER did something to achieve this pinnacle of yours. And is that an approach you adopt to all other TOCs, retailers, transport services ? On that basis I doubt you actually travel anymore. Not had problems with your broadband, mobile reception, etc ?
Should WE judge you by the same values ?
....As for GNER vs Virgin, I believe I found things better on the Virgin side of things. I await someone brandishing a big wooden stick that's on fire in my direction for that view
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Which suggests a serious lack of travelling experience then.
..... I don't think it matters particularly how regularly or not one travelled with GNER.
So you obviously didn't travel regularly otherwise you would not have made that post. Your viewpoint contrasts diametrically with pretty much every travellers organisation. It certainly contrasts with my experience of airlines who are always in touch with their regular travellers to seek their views on their standards and performance.
As your post demonstrates greater travelling experience enables more objective views to be obtained. It also rules out those who adopt negative attitudes to organisations for perceived failures. From your posts I get the impression timekeeping was of some issue for you. You were either very very unlucky NEVER to catch a train on time or your journeys were so few as to be undemonstrative of the "normal" standard of service. Did you travel during the months and years after Hatfield ? As I said before train performance is not in the gift of the TOC, it can only run to the signals given.
...GNER winning awards on multiple occasions for customer service, I could very easily air my thoughts on that, however I think it's fairly obvious how I feel about that..
So on the basis of your own slanted view GNER dids not deserve this ? Presumably the very many objective people who formed the basis for the winning of the award must have been wrong then ?
The Pullman dining service, when I used it most regularly, on FGW was always very good and still reigns as the best service I've had in First Class. Indeed, it's the benchmark I use for comparing First Class service with other TOCs.
But not poor old GNER though ? From what I have read the GNER First Class service rated better, but as you never travelled First Class by GNER you would not know ?
