I've not been travelling much by rail this year, so a solo day trip to West Wickham to see family, on a day when LNER had withdrawn the Dine menu, gave me the opportunity to use the MML for the first time in some years one way and check out the breakfast on XC and EM.
Ticketing: obviously a split was needed as there is no Advance from Leeds via Derby, and the Sheffield split was best; Trainsplit offered SHF-STP using XC as far as Chesterfield, which avoided the 6min non-connection at SHF.
I used a senior Railcard Advance from Saltaire to Leeds, and a West Yorkshire Anytime back from Wakefield (I went by the book and switched seats on the LNER, though I don't think the crew would have been bothered if I hadn't.)
Travel: the only delay was to the 0900 SHF-STP: 3 late start (a late-running Nottingham-Liverpool given priority), some station overtime because the previous London had been cancelled (train failure), and so loss of path at Harpenden Jn and 10 late into STP (and therefore to WWI). The XC (0640 Newcastle, which has been complained about here recently) was 9 cars so not busy - this may be a permanent change as the same applies today. My outward Mid Kent train was a 707, the first time I had ridden one, and the contrast on the return a pair of 376s. Thameslink had a few crew shortage cancellations and out-of-course running; I changed at Farringdon both ways to check out the interchange, but what I most noticed was the speed at which trains now run into the station, just like old times (ATO I presume)! The 1903 LNER back (chosen for cheapness) was a 9-car Azuma and rode as uncomfortably as one expects; at least the first class seats are OK.
And so to the catering: I couldn't fault any of the three operators for service, and while XC and EM use disposables there was only one bit of plastic (EMR for juice). Breakfast orders were taken straight after Wakefield (and again after SHF, not that I partook), and on EM on leaving CHD. I sampled the bacon roll and sausage bun respectively, marginally preferring the first; overall XC won by a short head with their coffee bags and being totally plastic-free.
As for the festive menu on LNER: I had arranged to have a good lunch, so wasn't starving, and the veggie "sausage" roll, was tasty enough. Whatever one may think about portion sizes, I haven't previously been disappointed by LNER's Dish menu, but this definitely lived down to my expectations. However, in all fairness, there was a Christmas extra to the menu
That apart, the day showed the railway doing what it should barring the odd hiccup.
Ticketing: obviously a split was needed as there is no Advance from Leeds via Derby, and the Sheffield split was best; Trainsplit offered SHF-STP using XC as far as Chesterfield, which avoided the 6min non-connection at SHF.
I used a senior Railcard Advance from Saltaire to Leeds, and a West Yorkshire Anytime back from Wakefield (I went by the book and switched seats on the LNER, though I don't think the crew would have been bothered if I hadn't.)
Travel: the only delay was to the 0900 SHF-STP: 3 late start (a late-running Nottingham-Liverpool given priority), some station overtime because the previous London had been cancelled (train failure), and so loss of path at Harpenden Jn and 10 late into STP (and therefore to WWI). The XC (0640 Newcastle, which has been complained about here recently) was 9 cars so not busy - this may be a permanent change as the same applies today. My outward Mid Kent train was a 707, the first time I had ridden one, and the contrast on the return a pair of 376s. Thameslink had a few crew shortage cancellations and out-of-course running; I changed at Farringdon both ways to check out the interchange, but what I most noticed was the speed at which trains now run into the station, just like old times (ATO I presume)! The 1903 LNER back (chosen for cheapness) was a 9-car Azuma and rode as uncomfortably as one expects; at least the first class seats are OK.
And so to the catering: I couldn't fault any of the three operators for service, and while XC and EM use disposables there was only one bit of plastic (EMR for juice). Breakfast orders were taken straight after Wakefield (and again after SHF, not that I partook), and on EM on leaving CHD. I sampled the bacon roll and sausage bun respectively, marginally preferring the first; overall XC won by a short head with their coffee bags and being totally plastic-free.
As for the festive menu on LNER: I had arranged to have a good lunch, so wasn't starving, and the veggie "sausage" roll, was tasty enough. Whatever one may think about portion sizes, I haven't previously been disappointed by LNER's Dish menu, but this definitely lived down to my expectations. However, in all fairness, there was a Christmas extra to the menu
That apart, the day showed the railway doing what it should barring the odd hiccup.